Geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements (REE) in the soils were deemed to relate to the endemics of a region.In order to determine soil geochemical characteristics of the REE in Hong Kong, 46 soil samples typical in Hong Kong were collected and analyzed for contents of rare earth elements with an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and an Atomic Emission Spectrometer (AES).The results indicate that the average content of REE in Hong Kong soils is relat ively lower than in thesoils of the Mainland and increases gradually with the depth in soil profile due to downward leaching of the elements.The fractionation between LREE and HREE is apparent in the whole soil profile.The positive anomaly of cerium in the soils developed from pyrogenet ic rocks and negat ive anomaly of europium in the soil from granite are quite distinct.Parent material, major mineral elements in the soils, soil basic characteristics, topography and vegetation are all supposed to make important contribution to the enrichment and fractionation of soil REE.