Macau (traditional Chinese Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any of the standard sets of Chinese characters which are not the Xiàndài Hànyǔ Chángyòng Zìbiǎo or Tōyō kanji. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi Dictionary. The modern shapes of traditional: 澳門; simplified Chinese Simplified Chinese Characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiàndài Hànyǔ Chángyòng Zìbiǎo for use in Mainland China. It is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language. The government of the People's Republic of China in Mainland China has promoted them for use in printing in an: 澳门; Jyutping Jyutping is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme. The LSHK promotes the use of this romanization system: ou3 mun4), also known as Macao (pronounced /məˈkaʊ/) is one of the two special administrative regions A Special Administrative Region is a provincial-level administrative division in the People's Republic of China. Each SAR has a governmental chief executive as head of the region and head of government. The People's Republic of China, at present, has two special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau. They should not be confused with special of the People's Republic of China b. ^ Simple characterizations of the political structure since the 1980s are no longer possible, the other being Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China; the other is Macau. Situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta The Pearl River Delta or Zhusanjiao (simplified Chinese: 珠江三角洲; traditional Chinese: 珠江三角洲; pinyin: Zhūjiāng Sānjiǎozhōu) in southern People's Republic of China is the low-lying area alongside the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea. Since economic liberalisation was adopted by the, bordering Guangdong province Guangdong is a province on the southern coast of People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province. It surpassed Henan and Sichuan to become the most populous province in China in January 2005, registering 79 million permanent residents and 31 million migrants who lived in to the north and facing the South China Sea It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 km². It is one of the largest sea bodies after the five oceans. The minute South China Sea Islands, collectively an archipelago, number in the hundreds. The sea and its mostly uninhabited islands are subject to competing claims of in the east and south.[5]

The territory features industries such as textiles and toys, as well as a notable tourist and gambling sector. It has the highest life expectancy in the world(2008).[6]

Macau was a Portuguese Portugal /ˈpɔɹtʃʉɡəl/ (Portuguese: Portugal, Mirandese: Pertual), officially the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: República Portuguesa; Mirandese: República Pertuesa), is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and colony and both the first and last European colony in China.[7][8] Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 1999 The transfer of sovereignty of Macau from the Portuguese Republic to the People's Republic of China occurred on 20 December 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration The Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau, or Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration, was an important treaty between Portugal and the People's Republic of China over the status of Macau. The full name of the treaty is Joint declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and The Government of the Republic of Portugal on the and the Basic Law of Macau 1996 • 2001 • 2005 • 2009 stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy An autonomous area is an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or freedom from an external authority. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the country or is populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often federacies. Autonomous areas can be divided into territorial autonomies, until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer.[9]

Under the policy of "one country, two systems "One country, two systems" is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping, then Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China , for the reunification of China during the early 1980s. He suggested that there would be only one China, but areas such as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan could have their own capitalist economic and political", the Central People's Government The Central People's Government is the central government of the People's Republic of China in Beijing. According to the 1982 Constitution, "Central People's Government" is synonymous with the State Council is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system Macau law is broadly based on Portuguese law, and therefore part of the civil law tradition of continental European legal systems. Portuguese law is itself highly influenced by German law. However, many other influences are present, including Chinese law, Italian law, and some narrow aspects of common law, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy With the increase in prosperity and the expansion of the economy in Macau, there is a growing demand from all over the world for residency in the Special Administrative Region, and delegates to international organisations and events.[9][10]

Contents

Etymology

Main article: Names of Macau

Before the Portuguese Portugal /ˈpɔɹtʃʉɡəl/ (Portuguese: Portugal, Mirandese: Pertual), officially the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: República Portuguesa; Mirandese: República Pertuesa), is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and settlement in the early 16th century, Macau was known as Haojing (Oyster Mirror) or Jinghai (Mirror Sea).[11] The name Macau is thought to be derived from the A-Ma Temple (traditional Chinese Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any of the standard sets of Chinese characters which are not the Xiàndài Hànyǔ Chángyòng Zìbiǎo or Tōyō kanji. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi Dictionary. The modern shapes of traditional: 媽閣廟; Jyutping Jyutping is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme. The LSHK promotes the use of this romanization system: Maa1 Gok3 Miu6), a temple built in 1448 dedicated to Matsu Mazu , also spelt Matsu, is the indigenous goddess of the sea who is said to protect fishermen and sailors, and is invoked as the patron saint of all Southern Chinese and East Asian persons. Born as Lin Moniang (simplified Chinese: 林默娘; traditional Chinese: 林默娘; pinyin: Lín Mòniáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Be̍k-niû; Foochow Romanized: — the goddess of seafarers and fishermen. It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied "媽閣" (jyutping Jyutping is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme. The LSHK promotes the use of this romanization system:Maa1 Gok3). The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macau".[12] The present Chinese name 澳門 (jyutping Jyutping is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme. The LSHK promotes the use of this romanization system:Ou3 Mun4) means "Inlet Gates".

History

Main articles: History of Macau Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It was administered by Portugal for 442 years, first as a trading post, and subsequently as a Portuguese territory, until its handover to China in 1999. It was the last European territory in Asia and Transfer of the sovereignty of Macau The transfer of sovereignty of Macau from the Portuguese Republic to the People's Republic of China occurred on 20 December 1999

The history of Macau is traced back to the Qin Dynasty The Qin Dynasty was the ruling Chinese dynasty between 221 and 206 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The Qin's strength had been consolidated by Lord Shang Yang during the Warring States Period, in the 4th century BC. In the early third century BC, the Qin accomplished a series of swift conquests; (221–206 BC), when the region now called Macau came under the jurisdiction of Panyu county, in Nanhai prefecture (present day Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the southern coast of People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province. It surpassed Henan and Sichuan to become the most populous province in China in January 2005, registering 79 million permanent residents and 31 million migrants who lived in).[11] The first recorded inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols Tibetan Buddhism and Shamanism during the Southern Song Dynasty The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy. This dynasty also saw the first.[13] Under the Ming Dynasty The Ming Dynasty , or Empire of the Great Ming (simplified Chinese: 大明国; traditional Chinese: 大明國; pinyin: Dà Míng Guó, also anachronistically simplified Chinese: 大明帝国; traditional Chinese: 大明帝國; pinyin: Dà Míng Dìguó), was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led (1368–1644 AD), fishermen migrated to Macau from Guangdong and Fujian Fujian is a province on the southeast coast of China. Fujian borders Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait. The name Fujian came from the combination of Fuzhou and Jian'ou, two cities in Fujian, during the Tang Dynasty. It is one of the most culturally and provinces.

Macau did not develop as a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century.[14] In 1535, Portuguese traders obtained the rights to anchor ships in Macau's harbours and to carry out trading activities, though not the right to stay onshore.[15] Around 1552–1553, they obtained temporary permission to erect storage sheds onshore, in order to dry out goods drenched by sea water;[16] they soon built rudimentary stone houses around the area now called Nam Van. In 1557, the Portuguese established a permanent settlement in Macau, paying an annual rent of 500 taels Tael can refer to any one of several weight measures of the Far East. Most commonly, it refers to the Chinese tael , a part of the Chinese system of weights and currency. There were many different weighting standards of tael depending on the region or type of trade. In general the silver tael weighed around 40 grams. The most common government of silver.[16]

Ruins of St. Paul's The Ruins of St. Paul's refer to the façade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul, a 17th century Portuguese cathedral in Macau dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. Today, the ruins are one of Macau's most famous landmarks. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul were officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre Cathedral, by George Chinnery George Chinnery was an English painter who spent most of his life in Asia, especially India and southern China (1774–1852). The cathedral was built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835. Only the southern stone façade remains today. Macau, ca. 1870

As more Portuguese settled in Macau to engage in trading, they made demands for self-administration; but this was not achieved until the 1840s.[17] In 1576, Pope Gregory XIII He was born in the city of Bologna, the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela Marescalchi and paternal grandson of Giacomo Boncompagni and wife Camilla Piattesi, where he studied law and graduated in 1530. Afterwards, he taught jurisprudence for some years; his students included notable figures such as Alexander Cardinal Farnese, Reginald established the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau.[18] In 1583, the Portuguese in Macau were permitted to form a Senate to handle various issues concerning their social and economic affairs under strict supervision of the Chinese authority,[19] but there was no transfer of sovereignty.[13] Macau prospered as a port but was the target of repeated failed attempts[20] by the Dutch The Netherlands (pronounced /ˈnɛðɚləndz/ ; Dutch: Nederland, pronounced [ˈneːdərlɑnt] ( listen)) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in North-West Europe. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to conquer it in the 17th century.

Following the Opium War The Opium Wars , also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, were the climax of trade disputes and diplomatic difficulties between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire after China sought to restrict British opium traffickers. It consisted of the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860 (1839–42), Portugal occupied Taipa Taipa is the smaller of the two islands in Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and Coloane Coloane is one of the two main islands of Macau, located directly south of Macau's other main island, Taipa , and east of Hengqin Island of Zhuhai in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China in 1851 and 1864 respectively. On December 1, 1887, the Qing The Qing Dynasty , also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last ruling dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 (with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917). It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China and Portuguese governments signed the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce, under which China ceded the right of "perpetual occupation and government of Macau by Portugal" in compliance with the statements of the Protocol of Lisbon. In return, Macau Government would cooperate with Hong Kong's smuggle of Indian opium and China would be able to increase profits through customs taxes. Portugal was also obliged "never to alienate Macau without previous agreement with China", therefore ensuring that negotiation between Portugal and France (regarding a possible exchange of Macau and Guinea with the French Congo) or with other countries would not go forward - so that the British commercial interests would be secured; Macau officially became a territory under Portuguese administration.[13]

Coordinates A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified in three coordinates, using mainly a spherical coordinate system: 22°10′00″N 113°33′00″E / 22.1666667°N 113.55°E

Macau
Traditional Chinese Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any of the standard sets of Chinese characters which are not the Xiàndài Hànyǔ Chángyòng Zìbiǎo or Tōyō kanji. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi Dictionary. The modern shapes of traditional 澳門
Simplified Chinese Simplified Chinese Characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiàndài Hànyǔ Chángyòng Zìbiǎo for use in Mainland China. It is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language. The government of the People's Republic of China in Mainland China has promoted them for use in printing in an 澳门
Cantonese Jyutping Jyutping is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme. The LSHK promotes the use of this romanization system ou3 mun2
Transliterations
Hakka Hakka or Kejia is one of the main subdivisions of the Chinese language spoken predominantly in southern China by the Hakka people and descendants in diaspora throughout East and Southeast Asia and around the world
- Romanization Guangdong Romanization refers to the four romanization schemes published by the Guangdong Provincial Education Department in 1960 for transliterating the Standard Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka, and Hainanese spoken varieties of Chinese. The schemes utilized similar elements with some differences in order to adapt to their respective spoken varieties Àu-mûn
Mandarin Standard Mandarin, or Standard Chinese, known by various names to native speakers, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan, and is one of the four official languages of Singapore
- Hanyu Pinyin Pinyin , or more formally Hanyu Pinyin (汉语拼音 / 漢語拼音), is currently the most commonly used romanization system for Standard Mandarin (标准普通话 / 標準普通話). Hànyǔ (汉语 / 漢語) means the Chinese language, and pīnyīn (拼音) means "phonetics", or more literally, "spelling sound" or " Àomén
Min Mǐn or Miin (simplified Chinese: 闽语; traditional Chinese: 閩
- Hokkien POJ Ò-mn̂g
Cantonese
- Jyutping ou3 mun2
Macau Special Administrative Region
Traditional Chinese 澳門特別行政區
Simplified Chinese 澳门特别行政区
Transliterations
Hakka
- Romanization Àu-mûn Thi̍t-phe̍t Hàng-tsṳn-khî
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū
Min
- Hokkien POJ Ò-mn̂g Te̍k-pia̍t Hêng-chèng-khu
Cantonese
- Jyutping Ou3mun4*2 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3 Keoi1

In 1928, after the Qing Dynasty had been overthrown following the Xinhai Revolution, the Kuomintang (KMT) government officially notified Portugal that it was abrogating the Treaty of Amity and Commerce;[21] the two powers signed a new Sino-Portuguese Friendship and Trade Treaty in place of the abrogated treaty. Making only a few provisions concerning tariff principles and matters relating to business affairs, the new treaty did not alter the sovereignty of Macau and Portuguese government of Macau remained unchanged.[22]

In the second world war, unlike in the case of Portuguese Timor which was occupied by the Japanese in 1942 along with Dutch Timor, the Japanese respected Portuguese neutrality in Macau, but only up to a point. As such, Macau enjoyed a brief period of economic prosperity as the only neutral port in South China, after the Japanese had occupied Guangzhou (Canton) and Hong Kong. In August 1943, Japanese troops seized the British steamer Sian in Macao and killed about 20 guards. The next month they demanded the installation of Japanese "advisors" under the alternative of military occupation. The result was that a virtual Japanese protectorate was created over Macau. Japanese domination ended in August 1945.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Beijing government declared the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce invalid as an “unequal treaty” imposed by foreigners on China. However, Beijing was not ready to settle the treaty question, leaving the maintenance of “the status quo” until a more appropriate time.[23]

Influenced by the Cultural Revolution in mainland China and by general dissatisfaction with Portuguese government, riots broke out in Macau in 1966. In the most serious, the so-called 12-3 incident, 6 people were killed and more than 200 people were injured.[24][25] On 28 January 1967, the Portuguese government issued a formal apology.

Shortly after the overthrow of the Salazar dictatorship in 1974 in Lisbon, the new Portuguese government determined it would relinquish all its overseas possessions. In 1976, Lisbon redefined Macau as a "Chinese territory under Portuguese administration" and granted it a large measure of administrative, financial, and economic autonomy. Three years later, Portugal and China agreed to regard Macau as "a Chinese territory under (temporary) Portuguese administration".[13][26] The Chinese and Portuguese governments commenced negotiations on the question of Macau in June 1986. The two signed a Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration the next year, making Macau a special administrative region (SAR) of China.[27] The Chinese government assumed formal sovereignty over Macau on 20 December 1999.[28] The economy since then has continued to prosper with the sustained growth of tourism from mainland China and the construction of new casinos.

Government and politics

Main articles: Politics of Macau, Legislative Assembly of Macau, Legal system of Macau, and Municipalities of Macau Headquarters of the Government of Macau, previously the Governor's House until 1999. Office building of the Legislative Assembly of Macau.

The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, Macau's constitution promulgated by China's National People's Congress in 1993, specify that Macau's social and economic system, lifestyle, rights, and freedoms are to remain unchanged for at least 50 years after the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1999.[9] Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all areas except in defence and foreign affairs.[9] Macau officials, rather than PRC officials, run Macau through the exercise of separate executive, legislative, and judicial powers, as well as the right to final adjudication.[29] Macau maintains its own separate currency, customs territory, immigration and border controls, and police force.[30][31]

The government in Macau is headed by the chief executive, who is appointed by the central government upon the recommendation of an election committee, whose three hundred members are nominated by corporate and community bodies. The recommendation is made by an election within the committee.[32] The chief executive's cabinet is made up of five policy secretaries and is advised by the Executive Council that has between seven and eleven members.[33] Edmund Ho Hau Wah, a community leader and former banker, is the first chief executive of the Macau SAR, replacing General Vasco Rocha Vieira at midnight on December 20, 1999. Ho is currently serving his second term of office.[34] The chief executive and the cabinet have their offices in the Macau Government Headquarters, located in the former area of the St. Lawrence Parish.

The legislative organ of the territory is the Legislative Assembly, a 29-member body comprising 12 directly elected members, ten indirectly elected members representing functional constituencies and seven members appointed by the chief executive.[35] Any permanent residents at or over 18 years of age are eligible to vote in direct elections.[36] Indirect election is limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" and a 300-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies.[37] The original framework of the legal system, based largely on Portuguese law or Portuguese civil law system, was preserved after 1999. The territory has its own independent judicial system with a high court. Judges are selected by a committee and appointed by the chief executive. Foreign judges may serve on the courts.[38]

Macau has a three-tier court system: the Court of the First Instance, the Court of the Second Instance and the Court of Final Appeal.[39] In February 2009, the Legislative Assembly passed a security bill based on the withdrawn security legislation previously introduced in Hong Kong.[40] Democracy advocates feared that the bill's excessively broad scope could lead to abuses, a concern which has been heightened after a number of prominent supporters of democracy in Hong Kong were denied entry into Macau in the run-up to the bill's passage.[41]

Military

This section requires expansion.
Main article: People's Liberation Army Macau Garrison

Under Portuguese rule, the military presence in Macau was very limited and ceased in 1974. In 1999, upon handover to the PRC, a garrison of the People's Liberation Army was established in the city itself, with a large portion of the forces stationed in neighbouring Zhuhai as well.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Macau The map of Macau, showing Macau Peninsula, Cotai, Taipa and Coloane. Landscape of Penha Hill in Macau.

Macau is situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) from Guangzhou. It also has 41 kilometres (25 mi) of coastline, yet only 0.31 kilometres (0.19 mi) of land border with Guangdong.[5][42] It consists of the Macau Peninsula itself and the islands of Taipa and Coloane. The peninsula is formed by the Zhujiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xijiang (West River) on the west.[42] It borders the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone in mainland China. The main border crossing between Macau and China is known as the Portas do Cerco (Barrier Gate) on the Macau side, and the Gongbei Port of Entry on the Zhuhai side.[43]

Macau Peninsula was originally an island, but a connecting sandbar gradually turned into a narrow isthmus, thus changing Macau into a peninsula. Land reclamation in the 17th century transformed Macau into a peninsula with generally flat terrain, though numerous steep hills still mark the original land mass.[42] Alto de Coloane is the highest point in Macau, with an altitude of 170.6 metres (559.7 ft).[5] With a dense urban environment, Macau has no arable land, pastures, forest, or woodland.

Climate

Macau has a humid subtropical climate, with average relative humidity between 75% and 90%.[44] Seasonal climate is greatly influenced by the monsoons, and differences in temperature between summer and winter are marked. The average annual temperature of Macau is 22.7 °C (72.9 °F).[45] July is the warmest month, with average temperature being 28.9 °C (84.0 °F). The coolest month is January, with average temperature 15.0 °C (59.0 °F).[44]

Located in the coastal region of south of China, Macau has ample rainfall, with average annual precipitation being 2,030 millimetres (79.9 in).[46] However, winter is mostly dry due to the monsoon from mainland China. Autumn in Macau, from October to December, is sunny and warm with low humidity. Winter (January to March) is warm and sunny. Humidity starts to increase in spring from April to June, and in summer from July to September, the climate is warm to hot and humid with rain and occasional typhoons.[44]

Climate data for Macau
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 17.7 (63.9) 17.7 (63.9) 20.7 (69.3) 24.5 (76.1) 28.1 (82.6) 30.3 (86.5) 31.5 (88.7) 31.2 (88.2) 30.0 (86) 27.4 (81.3) 23.4 (74.1) 19.6 (67.3) 25.2 (77.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 15.0 (59) 15.4 (59.7) 18.5 (65.3) 22.4 (72.3) 25.9 (78.6) 28.0 (82.4) 28.9 (84) 28.6 (83.5) 27.5 (81.5) 24.9 (76.8) 20.6 (69.1) 16.7 (62.1) 22.7 (72.9)
Average low °C (°F) 12.2 (54) 13.1 (55.6) 16.2 (61.2) 20.2 (68.4) 23.6 (74.5) 25.7 (78.3) 26.3 (79.3) 26.0 (78.8) 24.9 (76.8) 22.3 (72.1) 17.8 (64) 13.8 (56.8) 20.2 (68.4)
Rainfall mm (inches) 32.4 (1.276) 58.8 (2.315) 82.5 (3.248) 217.4 (8.559) 361.9 (14.248) 339.7 (13.374) 289.8 (11.409) 351.6 (13.843) 194.1 (7.642) 116.9 (4.602) 42.6 (1.677) 35.2 (1.386) 2,122.9 (83.579)
% Humidity 74.3 80.6 84.9 86.2 85.6 84.4 82.2 82.5 79.0 73.4 69.3 68.8 79.3
Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) 6 10 12 12 15 17 16 16 13 7 5 4 133
Sunshine hours 132.4 81.8 75.9 87.8 138.4 168.2 226.2 194.7 182.2 195.0 177.6 167.6 1,827.8
Source: WMO - Macau[47]

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Macau and Gambling in Macau
Employed population by occupation 2007[48]
Occupation no. ('000)
Senior officials/managers 14.6
Professionals 9.9
Technicians 28.1
Clerks 83.7
Service & sale workers 63.2
Workers in agriculture/fishery 0.8
Craft & similar workers 33.7
Nightview of Macau Tower, a communication tower. The central business district of Macau. The building shown is the BNU tower.

Macau's economy is based largely on tourism. Other chief economic activities in Macau are export-geared textile and garment manufacturing, banking and other financial services.[49] The clothing industry has provided about three quarters of export earnings, and the gaming, tourism and hospitality industry is estimated to contribute more than 50% of Macau's GDP, and 70% of Macau government revenue.[33]

Macau is a founding member of the WTO and has maintained sound economic and trade relations with more than 120 countries and regions, with European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries in particular; Macau is also a member of the IMF.[50] The World Bank classifies Macau as a high income economy[51] and the GDP per capita of the region in 2006 was US$28,436. After the Handover in 1999, there has been a rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors due to China's easing of travel restrictions. Together with the liberalization of Macau's gaming industry in 2001 that induces significant investment inflows, the average growth rate of the economy between 2001 and 2006 was approximately 13.1% annually.[52]

In a World Tourism Organization report of international tourism for 2006, Macau ranked 21st in the number of tourists and 24th in terms of tourism receipts.[53] From 9.1 million visitors in 2000, arrivals to Macau has grown to 18.7 million visitors in 2005 and 22 million visitors in 2006,[54] with over 50% of the arrivals coming from mainland China and another 30% from Hong Kong. Macau is expected to receive between 24 and 25 million visitors in 2007.[55] Since the Handover, Triad underworld violence, a deterring factor for tourists, has virtually disappeared, to the benefit of the tourism sector.[citation needed]

Starting in 1962, the gambling industry had been operated under a government-issued monopoly license by Stanley Ho's Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau. The monopoly ended in 2002, and several casino owners from Las Vegas attempted to enter the market. With the opening of the Sands Macau,[56] in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006,[57] gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were greatly prosperous,[58][59].[60] In 2007, Venetian Macau, at the time the second (now fourth) largest building in the world by floor space, opened its doors to the public, followed by MGM Grand Macau. Numerous other hotel casinos, including Galaxy Cotai Megaresort and Ponte 16, are also to be opened in the near future.

Tourism and gambling have been the primary drivers of Macau's economy.

In 2002, the Macau government ended the monopoly system and six casino operating concessions and subconcessions are granted to Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy Entertainment Group, the partnership of MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho (daughter of Stanley Ho), and the partnership of Melco and PBL. Today, there are 16 casinos operated by the STDM, and they are still crucial in the casino industry in Macau, but in 2004, the opening of the Sands Macau ushered in the new era.[56][61][62]

Macau is an offshore financial centre, a tax haven, and a free port with no foreign exchange control regimes.[63][64][65] The Monetary Authority of Macau regulates offshore finance,[66] while the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute provides services for investment in Macau.[67] In 2007, Moody's Investors Service upgraded Macau's foreign and local currency government issuer ratings to 'Aa3' from 'A1', citing its government's solid finances as a large net creditor. The rating agency also upgraded Macau's foreign currency bank deposit ceiling to 'Aa3' from 'A1'.[68]

As prescribed by the Macau Basic Law, the government follows the principle of keeping expenditure within the limits of revenues in drawing up its budget, and strive to achieve a fiscal balance, avoid deficits and keep the budget commensurate with the growth rate of its gross domestic product. All the financial revenues of the Macau Special Administrative Region shall be managed and controlled by the Region itself and shall not be handed over to the Central People's Government. The Central People's Government shall not levy any taxes in the Macau Special Administrative Region.[69]

Monetary System

In Macau, the unit of currency is the pataca which is currently pegged to the Hong Kong dollar at a rate of HK$1 = MOP1.03. The name pataca is a Portuguese word which was applied to the Mexican dollars that were the main circulating coin in the wider region in the second half of the nineteenth century. In the year 1894, the pataca was introduced in both Macau and Portuguese Timor as a unit of account for the Mexican dollar and the other silver dollar coins in circulation. In 1901 it was decided to grant the Banco Nacional Ultramarino the exclusive rights to issue banknotes denominated in patacas, and in the year 1906, these notes went into circulation at an official equivalent rate of 2 shillings and 4 pence sterling, and all foreign coins were outlawed. However, the Chinese were suspicious of these paper patacas, being so accustomed to using silver for barter, and as such, the paper patacas circulated at a discount in relation to the silver dollar coins. In the year 1935, when China and Hong Kong abandoned the silver standard, the Hong Kong dollar was pegged to sterling at the fixed rate of 1 shilling and 3 pence, whereas the pataca was pegged to the Portuguese escudo at a sterling equivalent rate of only 1 shilling. From 1945 to 1951 fractional coins of the pataca were minted for issue in Portuguese Timor, and in 1952 similar issues were minted for Macau including an actual pataca coin for the first time.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Macau and Religion in Macau
Residents' usual language spoken at home[70]
Language Percentage of population
Cantonese 85.7%
Other forms of Chinese 6.7%
Portuguese 0.6%
Mandarin 3.2%
English 1.5%
Others 2.3%
A-Ma Temple, a temple built in 1448 dedicated to the goddess Matsu. Ruins of St. Paul's, the façade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul built in 1602.

Macau is the most densely populated region in the world, with a population density of 18,428 persons per square kilometre (47,728/sq mi).[71] 95% of Macau's population is Chinese; another 2% is of Portuguese and/or mixed Chinese/Portuguese descent, an ethnic group often referred to as Macanese.[70] According to the 2006 by-census, 47% of the residents were born in mainland China, of whom 74.1% born in Guangdong and 15.2% in Fujian. Meanwhile, 42.5% of the residents were born in Macau, and those born in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Portugal shared 3.7%, 2.0% and 0.3% respectively.[70]

The growth of population in Macau mainly relies on immigrants from mainland China and the influx of overseas workers since its birth rate is one of the lowest in the world.[72] According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Macau is the top country/region for life expectancy at birth with an average of 84.36 years,[73] while its infant mortality rate ranks among the lowest in the world.[74]

Both Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are Macau's official languages.[75] Standard Macanese Portuguese is identical to European Portuguese. Other languages such as Mandarin, English and Hokkien are also spoken by some local communities.[76] The Macanese language, a distinctive creole generally known as Patuá, is still spoken by several dozen Macanese.[77]

Many signs and establishments make use of Chinese and Portuguese names with English becoming commonplace as well.

Most Chinese in Macau are profoundly influenced by their own tradition and culture, of which most take part in Chinese folk religion, of which the faiths of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, form an integral part.[33] Macau has a sizable Christian community; Roman Catholics and Protestants constitute 7% and 2% of the population respectively. In addition, 17% of the population follow original Mahayana Buddhism.[78]

Since Macau has an economy driven by tourism, 14.6% of the workforce is employed in restaurants and hotels, and 10.3% in the gambling industry.[76] With the opening of several casino resorts and other major constructions underway, many sectors reportedly experience a shortage of labor, and the government seeks to import labor from neighboring regions.

The number of imported workers stood at a record high of 98,505 in the second quarter of 2008, representing more than 25% of the labor force in Macau.[79] Some local workers complain about the lack of jobs due to the influx of cheap imported labor. Some also claim that the problem of illegal labor is severe.[80] Another concern is the widening of income inequality in the region. Macau's Gini coefficient, a popular measure of income inequality where a low value indicates a more equal income distribution, rose from 0.43 in 1998 to 0.48 in 2006. It is higher than those of neighboring regions, such as mainland China (0.447), South Korea (0.316) and Singapore (0.425).[81]

Education

Main article: Education in Macau The administrative building of the University of Macau, the first modern university in the region.

A fifteen-year free education is currently being offered to residents, that includes a three-year kindergarten, followed by a six-year primary education and a six-year secondary education. The literacy rate of the territory is 93.5%. The illiterates are mainly among the senior residents aged 65 or above; the younger generation, for example the population aged 15–29, has a literacy rate of above 99%.[70] Currently, there is only one school in Macau where Portuguese is the medium of instruction.

Macau does not have its own universal education system; non-tertiary schools follow either the British, the Chinese, or the Portuguese education system. There are currently 10 tertiary educational institutions in the region, four of them being public.[33] In 2006, the Programme for International Student Assessment, a worldwide test of 15-year-old schoolchildren's scholastic performance coordinated by OECD, ranked Macau as the fifth and sixth in science and problem solving respectively.[82] Nevertheless, education levels in Macau are low among high income regions. According to the 2006 by-census, among the resident population aged 14 and above, only 51.8% has a secondary education and 12.6% has a tertiary education.[70]

As prescribed by the Basic Law of Macau Chapter VI Article 121, the Government of Macau shall, on its own, formulate policies on education, including policies regarding the educational system and its administration, the language of instruction, the allocation of funds, the examination system, the recognition of educational qualifications and the system of academic awards so as to promote educational development. The government shall also in accordance with law, gradually institute a compulsory education system. Community organisations and individuals may, in accordance with law, run educational undertakings of various kinds.[69]

Healthcare

Main article: List of hospitals in Macau

Macau is served by one major public hospital, the Hospital Conde S. Januário, and one major private hospital, the Hospital Kiang Wu, both located in Macau Peninsula, as well as a university hospital called Macau University of Science and Technology Hospital in Cotai. In addition to hospitals, Macau also has numerous health centres providing free basic medical care to residents. Consultation in traditional Chinese medicine is also available.[83]

Currently none of the Macau hospitals is independently assessed through international healthcare accreditation. There are no western-style medical schools in Macau and thus all aspiring physicians in Macau have to obtain their education and qualification elsewhere.[33] Local nurses are trained at the Macau Polytechnic Institute and the Kiang Wu Nursing College.[84][85] Currently there are no training courses in midwifery in Macau.

The Health Bureau in Macau is mainly responsible for coordinating the activities between the public and private organisations in the area of public health, and assure the health of citizens through specialised and primary health care services, as well as disease prevention and health promotion.[86] The Macau Centre for Disease Control and Prevention was established in 2001, which monitors the operation of hospitals, health centres, and the blood transfusion centre in Macau. It also handles the organisation of care and prevention of diseases affecting the population, sets guidelines for hospitals and private health care providers, and issues licences.[87]

Transport

Main article: Transport in Macau Trishaw used to be a major public mode of transport in Macau. But now it is only for sightseeing purposes.

In Macau traffic moves on the left. Macau has a well-established public transport network connecting the Macau Peninsula, Cotai, Taipa Island and Coloane Island. Buses and taxis are the major modes of public transport in Macau. Currently two companies, namely Transmac and Transportas Companhia de Macau, operate franchised public bus services in Macau.[88] The trishaw, a hybrid of the tricycle and the rickshaw, is also available, though it is mainly for sightseeing purposes.

The Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal provides cross-border transportation services for passengers travelling between Macau and Hong Kong, while the Yuet Tung Terminal in the Inner Harbour serves those travelling between Macau and cities in mainland China, including Shekou and Shenzhen.[89]

Macau has one active international airport, known as Macau International Airport located at the eastern end of Taipa and neighbouring waters. The airport used to serve as one of the main transient hubs for passengers travelling between China and Taiwan, but now with the introduction of direct flights between those two regions, passenger traffic in this regard has lessened.[90][91] It is the primary hub for Air Macau. In 2006, the airport handled about 5 million passengers.[92]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Macau The Statue of Guan Yin, a blend between the traditional images of the bodhisattva Guan Yin and Holy Mary.

The mixing of the Chinese and Portuguese cultures and religious traditions for more than four centuries has left Macau with an inimitable collection of holidays, festivals and events. The biggest event of the year is the Macau Grand Prix in November,[93] when the main streets in Macau Peninsula are converted to a racetrack bearing similarities with the Monaco Grand Prix. Other annual events include Macau Arts festival in March,[94] the International Fireworks Display Contest in September,[95] the International Music festival in October and/or November,[96] and the Macau International Marathon in December.[97]

The Lunar Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival and celebration normally takes place in late January or early February.[98][99] The Pou Tai Un Temple in Taipa is the place for the Feast of Tou Tei, the Earth god, in February. The Procession of the Passion of Our Lord is a well-known Catholic rite and journey, which travels from Igreja de Santo Agostinho to Igreja da Sé Catedral‎, also taking place in February.[42]

A-Ma Temple, which honours the Goddess Matsu, is in full swing in April with many congratulant worshippers during the A-Ma festival. In May it is common to see dancing dragons at the Feast of the Drunken Dragon and twinkling-clean Buddhas at the Feast of the Bathing of Lord Buddha. In Coloane Village, the Taoist god Tam Kong is also honoured on the same day.[42] Dragon Boat festival is brought into play on Nam Van Lake in June and Hungry Ghosts' festival, in late August and/or early September every year. All events and festivities of the year end with Winter Solstice in December.[97]

Local cooking in Macau consists of a blend of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines.[100] Many unique dishes resulted from the spice blends that the wives of Portuguese sailors used in an attempt to replicate European dishes. Its ingredients and seasonings include those from Europe, South America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, as well as local Chinese ingredients.[101] Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices and flavours including turmeric, coconut milk, cinnamon and bacalhau, giving special aromas and tastes.[102] Famous dishes include Galinha à Portuguesa, Galinha à Africana (African chicken), Bacalhau, Macanese Chili Shrimps and stir-fry curry crab. Pork chop bun, ginger milk and Portuguese-style egg tart are also very popular in Macau.[103]

Macau preserves many historical properties in the urban area. The Historic Centre of Macau, which includes some twenty-five historic monuments and public squares, was officially listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on July 15, 2005 during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Durban, South Africa.[104]

Sports

In Macau one of the most practised sports is Rink Hockey, left by the Portuguese. The national team of Macau is the most powerful of Asia and has many Rink Hockey Asian Championship titles. The last Championship was conquered in Dalian, China, on the 13th Asian Roller hockey Championship. Macau always participate in the Rink Hockey World Championship in B category. The automobile racing Macau Grand Prix is arguably the most important international sporting event in Macau, mainly with Formula 3, Motorcycle Road Racing and Touring Car races.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in China

Twin towns — Sister cities (友好城市)

Macau is twinned with:

See also

Macau portal
Main article: Outline of Macau

References

Bibliography

Further reading

Notes

  1. ^ As reflected in the Chinese text of the Macau emblem, the text of the Macao Basic Law, and the Macao Government Website, the full name of the territory is the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Although the convention of "Macao Special Administrative Region" and "Macau" can also be used.
  2. ^ The Macau Basic Law states that the official languages are "Chinese and Portuguese." It does not explicitly specify the standard for "Chinese". While Standard Mandarin and Simplified Chinese characters are used as the spoken and written standards in mainland China, Cantonese and Traditional Chinese characters are the long-established de facto standards in Macau.
  3. ^ "Estimates of population". Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) of the Macau Government. http://www.dsec.gov.mo/Statistic/Demographic/DemographicStatistics/DemographicStatistics2009Q3.aspx. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
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  5. ^ a b c Macau Yearbook 2007, 475.
  6. ^ http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_lif_exp_at_bir_tot_pop-life-expectancy-birth-total-population&date=2008
  7. ^ Fung, 5.
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  102. ^ "Macau Dining". TravelChinaGuide.com. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/macau/dining.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  103. ^ "Mostar, Macau and Biblical vestiges in Israel are among the 17 cultural sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List". UNESCO. http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/135. Retrieved 2006-09-05.
  104. ^ Prefeitura.Sp - Descentralized Cooperation
  105. ^ International Relations - São Paulo City Hall - Official Sister Cities

External links

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Articles Related to Macau
Macau topics
History Fernão Pires de Andrade · Charles Elliot · Governor · Oldest buildings and structures · Anders Ljungstedt · Postal history · Military under Portuguese rule · Transfer of sovereignty · Fortaleza do Monte
Geography Hac Sa Beach · Ilha Verde · Geocode · Municipalities · Freguesia (civil parish) · Cotai
Culture Demographics · Events and festivals · Religion · Films set in Macau · Cuisine · Cantopop · Language · Opera · José dos Santos Ferreira · Science and Culture Centre · Music · Rugby · Scouting
Politics Basic Law · One Country, Two Systems · Political parties (UGDM) · Elections · Foreign relations · Municipal Council · Municipality of the Islands · Legal system · Military · Legislative Council · Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration · Commission Against Corruption · Gaming Law
Government Administration and Justice · Economy and Finance · Security · Social Affairs and Culture · Transport and Public Works
Economy Hengqin · Immigration · Macanese pataca · Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) · Monetary Authority · Companies
Tourism Canidrome · Gambling · Individual Visit Scheme · Grand Prix · Macau Tower
Transport Airlines • Airport · Ferry Pier · Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge · Roads · Buses (Transmac · TCM) · Air Macau · Mass transit system
Other topics Communications · Education · Jockey Club · Honours system · Universities · Names · Birds
Portal · WikiProject Macau
Municipalities and Parishes of Macau
Municipality of Macau: Our Lady of Fatima Parish · St. Anthony Parish · St. Lazarus Parish · Cathedral Parish · St. Lawrence Parish
Municipality of the Islands: Our Lady of Carmel Parish · St. Francis Xavier's Parish · Cotai Landfill
Note: These Parishes are purely symbolic there are no political administrative subdivisions in Macau since 2001.
Province-level divisions of the People's Republic of China
Provinces

Anhui • Fujian • Gansu • Guangdong • Guizhou • Hainan • Hebei • Heilongjiang • Henan • Hubei • Hunan • Jiangsu • Jiangxi • Jilin • Liaoning • Qinghai • Shaanxi • Shandong • Shanxi • Sichuan • Yunnan • Zhejiang
Autonomous regions

Guangxi • Inner Mongolia • Ningxia • Tibet • Xinjiang
Municipalities

Beijing • Chongqing • Shanghai • Tianjin
Special Administrative Regions

Hong Kong • Macau
Territorial disputes

Paracel Islands • Pratas Islands • Senkaku Islands • Spratly Islands • South Tibet • Taiwan, Kinmen & Matsu Islands (see Legal status of Taiwan)
Metropolitan cities of the People's Republic of China
Municipalities and National Central Cities Beijing · Chongqing · Guangzhou · Shanghai · Tianjin
SARs Hong Kong · Macau
Sub-provincial cities (not included above) Changchun · Chengdu · Dalian · Hangzhou · Jinan · Harbin · Nanjing · Ningbo · Qingdao · Shenyang · Shenzhen · Wuhan · Xi'an · Xiamen
Provincial capitals (not included above) Changsha · Fuzhou · Guiyang · Haikou · Hefei · Kunming · Lanzhou · Nanchang · Shijiazhuang · Taiyuan · Xining · Zhengzhou
Autonomous regional capitals Hohhot · Lhasa · Nanning · Ürümqi · Yinchuan
SEZ cities (not included above) Beihai · Lianyungang · Nantong · Qinhuangdao · Shantou · Wenzhou · Yantai · Zhanjiang · Zhuhai
Pearl River Delta Region
Pearl River Delta Economic Zone
Guangdong Province Guangzhou • Shenzhen • Zhuhai (Hengqin New Area) • Dongguan • Zhongshan • Foshan • Jiangmen • Huizhou (Huicheng • Huidong • Boluo) • Zhaoqing (Sihui • Gaoyao)
Special Administrative Region Hong Kong • Macau
See also:Economy of China
Dependent and other territories of Asia

Abkhazia · Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao · Aceh · Adjara · Azad Jammu and Kashmir · Hong Kong · Islamic Emirate of Waziristan · Kachin State · Kayah State · Kayin State · Kurdistan · Macau · Nagorno-Karabakh · Nakhchivan · Palestinian National Authority · Republic of West Papua · Shan State · South Ossetia · South Moluccas · Tibet · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus · Tuva · Xinjiang (East Turkestan)
Countries and territories of East Asia

People's Republic of China (SAR: Hong Kong · Macau) · Japan · Mongolia · South Korea · North Korea · Republic of China (Taiwan)

Sometimes included: Vietnam · Russian Far East
Chinese-speaking nations and regions

People's Republic of China

Hong Kong

Macau

Singapore

Republic of China (Taiwan)

Malaysia
Names in italics indicate non-sovereign territories.
Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP)
Members: Angola · Brazil · Cape Verde · East Timor · Guinea-Bissau · Mozambique · Portugal · São Tomé and Príncipe
Observers: Mauritius · Senegal · Equatorial Guinea
In Process: Andorra · Morocco · Philippines · Galicia · Macau · Malacca · Goa · Croatia · Romania · Ukraine
Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Albania · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belize · Benin · Bolivia · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Burkina Faso · Burma · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · PR China · Colombia · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Croatia · Cuba · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · European Union¹ · Fiji · Gabon · The Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hong Kong² · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Israel · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kenya · South Korea · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Lesotho · Liechtenstein · Macau² · Macedonia · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Mongolia · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Nepal · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · Norway · Oman · Pakistan · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Qatar · Rwanda · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Suriname · Swaziland · Switzerland · Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu³ · Tanzania · Thailand · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Turkey · Uganda · Ukraine · United Arab Emirates · United States · Uruguay · Venezuela · Vietnam · Zambia · Zimbabwe

  1. All twenty-seven member states of the European Union are also members of the WTO in their own right: Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom.
  2. Special administrative region of the People's Republic of China.
  3. Designated name for the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan)
History
Portuguese Empire
North Africa

15th century 1415–1640 Ceuta 1458–1550 Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir) 1471–1550 Arzila (Asilah) 1471–1662 Tangier 1485–1550 Mazagan (El Jadida) 1487– middle 16th century Ouadane 1488–1541 Safim (Safi)

16th century 1505–1769 Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir) 1506–1525 Mogador (Essaouira) 1506–1525 Aguz (Souira Guedima) 1506–1769 Mazagan (El Jadida) 1513–1541 Azamor (Azemmour) 1577–1589 Arzila (Asilah)
Sub-Saharan Africa

15th century 1455–1633 Arguin 1470–1975 São Tomé1 1474–1778 Annobón 1478–1778 Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637 Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642 Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550 Madagascar (part) 1498–1540 Mascarene Islands

16th century 1500–1630 Malindi 1500–1975 Príncipe1 1501–1975 Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659 St. Helena 1503–1698 Zanzibar 1505–1512 Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511 Socotra 1557–1578 Accra 1575–1975 Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974 Cacheu2 1593–1698 Mombassa (Mombasa)

17th century 1642–1975 Cape Verde 1645–1888 Ziguinchor 1680–1961 São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974 Bissau2 18th century 1728–1729 Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975 São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974 Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975 Portuguese Congo (Cabinda)
1 Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753. 2 Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879.
Southwest Asia

16th century 1506–1615 Gamru (Bandar-Abbas) 1507–1643 Sohar 1515–1622 Hormuz (Ormus) 1515–1648 Quriyat 1515–? Qalhat 1515–1650 Muscat 1515?–? Barka 1515–1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah) 1521–1602 Bahrain (Muharraq and Manama) 1521–1529? Qatif 1521?–1551? Tarut Island 1550–1551 Qatif 1588–1648 Matrah

17th century 1620–? Khor Fakkan 1621?–? As Sib 1621–1622 Qeshm 1623–? Khasab 1623–? Libedia 1624–? Kalba 1624–? Madha 1624–1648 Dibba Al-Hisn 1624?–? Bandar-e Kong
Indian subcontinent

15th century 1498–1545 Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep)

16th century Portuguese India 1500–1663 Cochim (Kochi) 1502–1661 Quilon (Coulão/Kollam) 1502–1663 Cannanore (Kannur) 1507–1657 Negapatam (Nagapatnam) 1510–1962 Goa 1512–1525 Calicut (Kozhikode) 1518–1619 Paliacate (Pulicat) 1521–1740 Chaul 1523–1662 Mylapore 1528–1666 Chittagong 1534–1601 Salsette Island 1534–1661 Bombay (Mumbai) 1535–1739 Baçaím (Vasai-Virar) 1536–1662 Cranganore (Kodungallur) 1540–1612 Surat 1548–1658 Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) 1559–1962 Daman and Diu 1568–1659 Mangalore 1579–1632 Hugli 1598–1610 Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) 1518–1521 Maldives 1518–1658 Portuguese Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1558–1573 Maldives

17th century Portuguese India 1687–1749 Mylapore 18th century Portuguese India 1779–1954 Dadra and Nagar Haveli
East Asia and Oceania

16th century 1511–1641 Portuguese Malacca 1512–1621 Banda Islands 1512–1621 Moluccas (Maluku Islands) 1522–1575 Ternate 1576–1605 Ambon 1578–1650 Tidore 1512–1665 Makassar 1553–1999 Macau 1533–1545 Ningbo 1571–1639 Decima (Dejima, Nagasaki)

17th century 1642–1975 Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Macau 1864–1999 Coloane 1849–1999 Portas do Cerco 1851–1999 Taipa 1890–1999 Ilha Verde 20th century Macau 1938–1941 Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin)

1 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world.
North America and the North Atlantic Ocean

15th century 1420 Madeira 1432 Azores

16th century 1500–1579? Terra Nova (Newfoundland) 1500–1579? Labrador 1516–1579? Nova Scotia
Central and South America

16th century 1500–1822 Brazil 1536–1620 Barbados

17th century 1680–1777 Nova Colônia do Sacramento 19th century 1808–1822 Cisplatina (Uruguay)
Portuguese colonization of the Americas Theory of Portuguese discovery of Australia

Categories: Macau | Cities in China | Port cities and towns in China | Populated coastal places in China | Former Portuguese colonies | Historic Jewish communities | Pearl River Delta | 1999 establishments | Chinese-speaking countries and territories | Portuguese-speaking countries | Special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China | Alliance for Healthy Cities

 

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I knew Macau is a place that mixed by so many different culture and now I know I can image how funny there is 3 ha~ maybe I should quickly plan to see around there on some weekend Posted in postcard | 4 Comments

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Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:08:26 GM

How Health Food Can Enchance Your Life Many people still consider that wellbeing food should be left to the rabbits. However, in today's.

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'Macau' Answers
How long does it usually take for a letter from NJ to reach Macau?
Q. I am sending a letter from NJ to University of Macau, Macau. How long does that usually take? I am using first class international priority mail. Million thanks! can anyone just help?
Asked by shanghaitiny - Fri Nov 30 21:33:12 2007 - - 2 Answers - 1 Comments

A. hiya,found a link for you,6 to 10 days, hope this helps.cheeer"s.
Answered by No8 - Thu Dec 6 15:06:24 2007

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