Eli5: Why do a lot of international agreements last for exactly 99 years?

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Basically the title. For example, Hong Kong was under British sovereignty for 99 years, Bolivia obtained in 2010 a lease for a Peruvian port for 99 years since then, and in 1940 the UK granted to the US the rights to build military bases on some of its territories and control them for 99 years. Why exactly 99 and not 10, 50, 100 or any other “round” number? Is this a coincidence or is there some diplomatic reason for this?

Edit: UK and England are not the same lol

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Hong Kong island was in perpetuity but Kowloon and the New Territories were 99 years (I think)

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