Polycyclic aromat ic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are supposed to be ubiquitous in the environment.However, researches on PAHs of Hong Kong area used to be focused mainly on sediments, atmosphere and marine organisms in the past, and little was reported on the soils.A total of 53 surface (0~10cm) soil samples consisting of 45 ones from rural areas and 8 from urban areas were collected and analyzed for PAHs with a gas chromatograph in combination with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID).Distributions of PAHs contents in Hong Kong soils were presented with the aid of the geographic information system (GIS), and the origins of PAHs were identified with the method of isomer ratio.The results indicate that all the 16 U.S.EPA priority controlled PAHs except Dibenz(a, h) Anthracene were detected in the soils of Hong Kong.PAHs contents were averaged 34.2±16.0μgkg^-1 in the rural soils and 169±123μgkg^-1 in the urban soils.PAHs patterns varied to some extent as well between the urban and rural soils.Higher molecular PAHs, such as Benzo(b+k) fluoranthene, were found much higher in the former than in the latter.Benzo(a) pyrene, that has been recognized as one of the carcinogenic chemicals by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), was detected up to 47.2μgkg^-1 in the soil in the Zoology and Botanic Garden of Hong Kong, which was twice the relevant target value of the Soil Protection Guidelines in the Netherlands.As for the PAHs origins, it seemed that the former mainly stemmed from biomass burning, such as hill fires whereas the latter was closely associated with vehicular exhaust.