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

Question

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

In: 607

Answer 1

It’s symbolic. It’s “basically forever”. But not quite.
Also, England and the UK are two different entities, using them interchangeably is incorrect, so don’t do that.