The Outlying Islands are all the islands that make up the territory of Hong Kong, with the exception of Hong Kong Island and some smaller islands near its coast. There are 263 islands over 500 m in Hong Kong, the vast majority of which are located within the New Territories, with significant numbers located in Islands District in the south and southwest, Sai Kung District in the southeast, and Tai Po District and North District in the northeast. The term "outlying" is not strictly defined and in some cases islands very close to Hong Kong Island and mainland China are not included.
Inconvenient transport meant that development came relatively late compared to other parts of Hong Kong, and many islands are still undeveloped. Many of the outlying islands are sparsely populated and remain largely rural, although there are significant traditional villages and towns on the islands of Lantau, Peng Chau, Lamma, and Cheung Chau.