The Hong Kong region is made up of two main parts, the Kowloon peninsula and the Hong Kong Island. Kowloon is the mainland part of the region and is located on the north side of the Victoria Harbour. It is a densely populated area with a population of over 2 million people. The name Kowloon is derived from the Cantonese words for 'nine dragons', referring to the eight mountains that surround the area.