It has been suggested that Historic Centre of Macau be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

澳門特別行政區 Região Administrativa Especial de Macau Macau Special Administrative Region
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: March of the Volunteers
Largest freguesia (population)		Freguesia de Nossa Senhora de Fátima
Official languages		Portuguese, Chinese, Cantonese, [1]
Demonym		Macanese
Government
-	Chief Executive	Edmund Ho Hau-wah
Establishment
-	Portugal-administered trading post	1557
-	Portuguese colony	December 1, 1887
-	Transfer of sovereignty to the PRC	December 20, 1999
Area
-	Total	28.6 km² (not ranked) 11.04 mi²
-	Water (%)	0
Population
-	2007 (1st qtr) estimate	520,400[2] (167th)
-	2000 census	431,000
-	Density	17,310/km² (2nd) 44,784/mi²
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	US$17,600 m (99th)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	US$15,997 m (94th)
-	Per capita	US$36,357[3]
HDI (2004)		▬0.909[4] (high) (25th)
Currency		Macanese pataca (MOP)
Time zone		MST (UTC+8)
Internet TLD		.mo
Calling code		+853

Coordinates: 22°10′00″N, 113°33′00″E The Macau Special Administrative Region, commonly known as Macau or Macao (traditional Chinese: 澳門; simplified Chinese: 澳门; pinyin: Aòmén; jyutping: ou3 mun4), is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east and south.^[5] The territory has thriving industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, and a notable tourist industry that boasts a wide range of hotels, resorts, stadiums, restaurants and casinos.^[6] Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... The ruins of the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Macau A view of Largo do Senado (Senado Square), part of the Historic Centre of Macao The Historic Centre of Macao (Portuguese: ; Traditional Chinese: ), on Macao Peninsula, is composed of sites that showcase the unique cultural heritage of Macao. ... Macau may refer to: Macau, a special administrative region of the Peoples Republic of China Macau, a commune in the Gironde département of France Macau, a port city in Brazil Same pronunciation: Macaw, a parrot specie Macao, a village in Portugal This is a disambiguation page, a list... Image File history File links Flag_of_Macau. ... Flag ratio: 2:3, The differences between this edition and old one are stars, bridge, color, and water. ... Macau Regional Emblem (since 1999) The current devised emblem came into use in 20 December 1999, when the sovereignty of Macau was transferred to the Peoples Republic of China. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... March of the Volunteers (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is the national anthem of the Peoples Republic of China, written in the midst of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. ... Image File history File links Macau_Location. ... Macaus population is 95% Chinese, primarily Cantonese and some Hakka, both from nearby Guangdong Province. ... Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Portuguese: ) is the northernmost and largest region of Macau Peninsula, in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, in the Peoples Republic of China. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... This article is on all of the Yue dialects. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Broadly, Macanese (Traditional Chinese: ; literally people of Macau) refers to the people of Macau. ... The Chief Executive of Macao is the head of the government of Macao, a special administrative region of the Peoples Republic of China and a former Portuguese overseas province. ... Edmund Ho Hau-wah (何厚鏵, pinyin: Hé Hòuhuá) (born March, 1955) is the Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Seal of Macau Special Administrative Region The transfer of the sovereignty of Macau from the Portuguese Republic to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) occurred on December 20, 1999. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 km² and 100,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007 This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... World map of GDP (Nominal and PPP). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... The pataca is the monetary unit of Macau (currency code MOP; Chinese: 澳門圓), made up of 100 avos. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Macau Standard Time is the time in Macau. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .mo is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Macau. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... The Macau telephone numbering plan remains separate from that of mainland China, as Macau, like Hong Kong, is a Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Jyutping (sometimes spelled Jyutpin) is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. ... A Special administrative region (SAR) is an administrative division of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Map of Pearl River Delta (details) The Pearl River Delta Region (PRD) in China occupies the low-lying areas alongside the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl river flows into the South China Sea. ... Guangdong (Simplified Chinese: 广东; Traditional Chinese: 廣東; pinyin: Guǎngdōng; Wade-Giles: Kuang-tung; Kwangtung in older transliteration; Cantonese: gwong2 dung1), is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Filipino name Tagalog: Timog Dagat Tsina (Dagat Luzon for the portion within Philippine waters) Malay name Malay: Laut China Selatan Portuguese name Portuguese: Mar da China Meridional Vietnamese name Vietnamese: The South China Sea is a marginal sea south of China. ...

Macau was both the oldest and the 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 December 20, 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer.^[9] Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events.^[9][10] Seal of Macau Special Administrative Region The transfer of the sovereignty of Macau from the Portuguese Republic to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) occurred on December 20, 1999. ... The Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China is the constitution of Macao. ... An autonomous (subnational) entity is a subnational entity that has a certain amount of autonomy. ... Portuguese name Portuguese: Um país, dois sistemas One country, two systems is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping during the early 1980s, then Paramount Leader of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), for the reunification of China. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with State Council of the Peoples Republic of China. ... On December 20, 1999, the various police force branches of Macau (Security Forces of Macau (SFM) and Judiciary Police), under the jurisdiction of Security and Justice departments (except the customs police, who were reassigned to the Financial Service Department) were merged into a single force - the Forças de Seguran... 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. ...

Etymology

Main article: Names of Macau

Before the Portuguese 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 Templo de A-Má, a temple built in 1448 dedicated to Matsu - 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 "A-Ma-Gao" (Bay of A-Ma). The Portuguese then named the peninsula Macau.^[12] The name Macau (Portuguese pronunciation IPA: //) is thought to be derived from the Templo de A-Má (Temple of A-Ma or Ma Kok Temple) (媽閣廟, Cantonese Jyutping: Maa1 Gok3 Miu6, local pronunciation: Maa5 Gok3 Miu6 or Maa5 Gok3 Miu5), a still-existing landmark built in 1448 dedicated to the goddess... A-Ma Temple A-Ma Temple (Traditional Chinese:媽閣廟; Portuguese:Templo de A-Má) is one of the landmarks of Macao, situated on the southwest tip of the Macao Peninsula. ... Clothed statues of Matsu Matsu (Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ma-tsu; Pe̍h-ōe-jÄ«: Má-chó·; literally Mother-Ancestor), also spelled Mazu, is the Taoist goddess of the Sea who protects fishermen and sailors, and is revered as the patron saint who protects East Asians who are...

History

Main articles: History of Macau and Transfer of the sovereignty of Macau

The recorded history of Macau can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), when the region now called Macau came under the jurisdiction of Panyu County, Nanhai Prefecture of the province of Guangdong.^[11] The first recorded inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols, during the Southern Song Dynasty.^[13] Later in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD), fishermen migrated to Macau from various parts of Guangdong and Fujian provinces. However, Macau did not develop as a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century.^[14] In 1535, the Portuguese traders obtained the right to anchor ships in Macau's harbours and the right to carry out trading activities, though not the right to stay onshore.^[15] Around 1552–1553, they obtained a temporary permission to erect storage sheds onshore, in order to dry out goods drenched by sea water.^[16] They later built some rudimentary stone-houses around the area now called Nam Van. But not until 1557 did the Portuguese establish a permanent settlement in Macau, at an annual rent of 500 taels of silver.^[16] This article details the history of Macau. ... Seal of Macau Special Administrative Region The transfer of the sovereignty of Macau from the Portuguese Republic to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) occurred on December 20, 1999. ... Qin Dynasty in 210 BC Capital Xianyang Language(s) Chinese Government Monarchy History  - Unification of China 221 BC  - Death of Qin Shi Huangdi 210 BC  - Surrender to Liu Bang 206 BC The Qin Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the... Panyu or Pun Yue (番禺) is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. ... Nanhai (南海) is a district of Foshan prefecture-level city, in Guangdong province, southern China. ... Not to be confused with the former Kwantung Leased Territory in north-eastern China. ... For other uses, see Mongols (disambiguation). ... Alternative meaning: Song Dynasty (420-479) The Song dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝) was a ruling dynasty in China from 960-1279. ... For other uses, see Ming. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Fu-chien; Postal map spelling: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiàn) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The tael (兩), PY: Liang, was part of the Chinese system of weights and currency. ...

St. Paul's Cathedral by George Chinnery (1774—1852). The cathedral was built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835. Today only the southern stone façade remains.

Since then, more Portuguese settled in Macau to engage in trading activities, and there were demands for self-administration. In 1576, Macau was established as an episcopal see by Pope Gregory XIII.^[17] In 1583, the Portuguese in Macau were permitted to form a Senate to handle various issues concerning their social and economic affairs, with the understanding that there was no transfer of sovereignty.^[13] Macau prospered as a port but was the target of repeated attempts by the Dutch to conquer it in the 17th century. Following the Opium War (1839–42), Portugal occupied Taipa and Coloane in 1851 and 1864 respectively. In 1887, the Qing government was forced to sign the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce, under which China ceded to Portugal the right of "perpetual occupation and government of Macau"; conversely, Portugal pledged to seek China's approval before transferring Macau to another country. Macau officially became a Portuguese colony.^[13] George Chinnery (錢納利) was an English painter who spent most his life in Asia, especially India and southern China. ... Pope Gregory XIII (January 7, 1502 – April 10, 1585), born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. ... There were two Opium Wars between Britain and China. ... Taipa (氹仔島; Cantonese Jyutping; Tam5 Zai2 Dou2; pinyin: DàngzÇŽi DÇŽo) is an island of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Coloane (Traditional Chinese: 路環島; Simplified Chinese: 路环岛; Pinyin: Lùhuán DÇŽo; Jyutping: Lou6-waan4 Dou2, literally Road Ring Island) is one of the two main islands of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Qing Dynasty (Manchu: daicing gurun; Chinese: 清朝; pinyin: qīng cháo; Wade-Giles: ching chao), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China expanded into China proper and the surrounding territories of Inner Asia, establishing the...

After the Qing Dynasty was overthrown following the Xinhai Revolution, in 1928 the Kuomintang government officially notified Portugal that it was abrogating the former treaty,^[18] and in its place the Sino-Portuguese Friendship and Trade Treaty was signed. Making only a few provisions concerning tariff principles and matters relating to business affairs, the treaty failed to mention the question with regard to the sovereignty of Macau. Consequently, the situation of Portuguese occupation and government of Macau remained unchanged.^[19] After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Beijing government declared the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce to be 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.^[20] Belligerents Qing Dynasty Chinese Revolutionary Alliance Commanders Feng Guozhang, Yuan Shikai, and local Qing governors. ... The Kuomintang of China (abbreviation KMT) [1], also often translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a political party in the Republic of China (ROC), now on Taiwan, and is currently the largest political party in terms of seats in the Legislative Yuan, and the oldest political party in the... ...

The flag used by the Portuguese Government of Macau until 1999.

In 1966, with the general dissatisfaction of the Portuguese government and under the influence of the Cultural Revolution in mainland China, more serious riots broke out in Macau. The most serious one is the so-called 12-3 incident that resulted in more than 200 people killed or injured.^[21][22] On January 28, 1967 the Portuguese government signed a statement of apology. This marked the beginning of equal treatment and recognition of Chinese identity and of de facto Chinese control of the colony, as an official apology underlined the fact that after 1949, administration of Macau continued only at the behest of the mainland communist government.^[22] Shortly after the Carnation Revolution leftist military coup of 1974 in Lisbon, the newly assigned government of Portugal was determined to 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. Portugal and China agreed in 1979 to regard Macau as "a Chinese territory under (temporary) Portuguese administration".^[13][23] Negotiations between the Chinese and Portuguese governments on the question of Macau started in June 1986. In 1987, an international treaty, known as the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration, was signed to make Macau a special administrative region of China.^[24] The Chinese government assumed sovereignty over Macau on December 20, 1999.^[25] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the Peoples Republic of China. ... is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... The Carnation Revolution (Portuguese, Revolução dos Cravos) was an almost bloodless, leftist, military-led coup détat, started on April 25, 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, that effectively changed the Portuguese regime from an authoritarian dictatorship to a liberal democracy after two years of a transitional period known as PREC... For other uses, see Lisbon (disambiguation). ... The Government is one of the four sovereignty organs of the Portuguese Republic. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ...

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.^[26] Macau maintains its own separate currency, customs territory, immigration and border controls, and police force.^[27][28] In accordance with Article 31 of the Constitution of the Peoples Republic of China, Macau has Special Administrative Region status, which provides constitutional guarantees for implementing the policy of one country, two systems and the constitutional basis for enacting the Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region. ... The Legislative Assembly of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Traditional Chinese: [ ; ] ; Portuguese: Assembleia Legislativa da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau [ ]) is the organ of the legislative branch of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Macau law is broadly based on Portuguese law, and therefore part of the civil law tradition of continental European legal systems. ... // The municipalities of Macau were formally abolished in 1999, when Macau became a special administrative region (SAR) of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3875x2165, 964 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Macau Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3875x2165, 964 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Macau Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 2814 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Macau Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 2814 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Macau Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... The Legislative Assembly of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Traditional Chinese: [ ; ] ; Portuguese: Assembleia Legislativa da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau [ ]) is the organ of the legislative branch of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Great Hall of the People, where the NPC convenes The National Peoples Congress (全国人民代表大会 in Pinyin: Quánguó Rénmín Dàibiǎo Dàhuì, literally Pan-Nation Congress of the Peoples Representatives), abbreviated PNCOTPR, is the highest legislative body in the Peoples Republic of China. ...

The Macau government 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.^[29] The chief executive's cabinet comprise five policy secretaries and is advised by the Executive Council that has between seven and eleven members.^[30] 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.^[31] The Chief Executive of Macao is the head of the government of Macao, a special administrative region of the Peoples Republic of China and a former Portuguese overseas province. ... Vasco Rocha Vieira (born 1939) is a Portuguese administrator and army officer. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ...

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.^[32] Any permanent residents at or over 18 years of age are eligible to vote in direct elections.^[33] For indirect election, it is only limited to organisations registered as "corporate voters" and a 300-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organisations, and central governmental bodies.^[34] The basic and original framework of the legal system of Macau, based largely on Portuguese law or Portuguese civil law system, is 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.^[35] 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.^[36] The Legislative Assembly of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Traditional Chinese: [ ; ] ; Portuguese: Assembleia Legislativa da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau [ ]) is the organ of the legislative branch of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... A functional constituency, in Hong Kong politics, refers to professional and special interest groups involved in the electoral process. ... The Portuguese legal system is a civil law or continental legal system, based on Roman law. ... The Court of Final Appeal (終審法院 / Portugese - Tribunal de Ultima Instancia) is the court with the final adjudication power on laws of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Macau

The map of Macau, showing Macau Peninsula, Cotai, Taipa and Coloane.

Macau is situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) from Guangzhou.^[37][5] It consists of the 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.^[37] 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 checkpoint on the Zhuhai side.^[38] 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.^[37] 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. The administrative division within Macao (Click here for Satellite Image) Macau is a city on the southern coast of China. ... Image File history File links Macau-CIA_WFB_Map. ... Image File history File links Macau-CIA_WFB_Map. ... Macau Peninsula is the oldest and most populous part of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Cotai is new reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane that has not yet been assigned to any of the freguesias. ... Taipa (氹仔島; Cantonese Jyutping; Tam5 Zai2 Dou2; pinyin: DàngzÇŽi DÇŽo) is an island of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Coloane (Traditional Chinese: 路環島; Simplified Chinese: 路环岛; Pinyin: Lùhuán DÇŽo; Jyutping: Lou6-waan4 Dou2, literally Road Ring Island) is one of the two main islands of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Macau Peninsula is the oldest and most populous part of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Taipa (氹仔島; Cantonese Jyutping; Tam5 Zai2 Dou2; pinyin: DàngzÇŽi DÇŽo) is an island of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Coloane (Traditional Chinese: 路環島; Simplified Chinese: 路环岛; Pinyin: Lùhuán DÇŽo; Jyutping: Lou6-waan4 Dou2, literally Road Ring Island) is one of the two main islands of Macau in the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Pearl River (珠江 Pinyin: Zhū Jiāng) is Chinas third largest river (2197 km, after Huang He and the Yangtze) located in the south, flowing into the South China Sea between Hong Kong and Macau. ... For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Río de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ... Xi River (西江, pinyin: Xī Jiāng, Postal System Pinyin: Si Kiang, lit. ... Zhuhai waterfront Zhuhai Campus of Zhongshan University Zhuhai (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; lit. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Portas do Cerco (Chinese: 關閘, literally border gate) is an area on Macao Peninsula, Macao near the border checkpoint with mainland China at Gongbei, Zhuhai. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... For other uses, see Isthmus (disambiguation). ... Urbanization is the degree of or increase in urban character or nature. ...

Macau has a humid subtropical climate, with average humidity between 75% and 90%.^[39] Seasonal climate is greatly influenced by the monsoons and therefore temperature difference between summer and winter is significant. The average annual temperature of Macau is 22.3 °C (72.1 °F).^[40] July is the warmest month, with average temperature being 28.6 °C (83.5 °F). The coolest month is January, with average temperature 14.5 °C (58.1 °F).^[39] Located in the coastal region of south of China, Macau has ample rainfall, with average annual precipitation being 2,030 millimetres (80 in).^[41] However, winter is mostly dry due to the monsoon from mainland China. Autumn in Macau (i.e. October to December) is sunny and warm with low humidity. Winter (i.e. January to March) is relatively cold but sunny. In spring (i.e. start from April), the humidity starts to increase and in summer (i.e. May to September) the climate is warm to hot and humid with rain and occasional typhoons.^[39] Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... For other uses, see Monsoon (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Macau

Nightview of Macau Tower, a communication and entertainment tower that has various restaurants, theaters, shopping malls and a variety of adventurous activities.

The central business district of Macau. The building shown is the BNU tower.

Macau's economy is based largely on tourism, much of it geared toward gambling. Other chief economic activities in Macau are export-geared textile and garment manufacturing, banking and other financial services.^[6] 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.^[30] The economy of Macau is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 399 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1066 × 1600 pixel, file size: 347 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 399 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1066 × 1600 pixel, file size: 347 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Macau Tower, Macau The observation deck, viewed from underneath A fountain in the shape of a lotus, the representative flower of Macau, outside the Macau Tower Macau Tower, also known as Macau Sky Tower, is a tower located in Macau, a Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of... A piece of artwork for the National Overseas Bank (Banco Nacional Ultramarino) in Lisbon, with coats-of-arms symbolizing the colonies of the Portuguese Empire. ...

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.^[44] World Bank classifies Macau as a high income economy^[45] 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 is approximately 13.1% annually.^[46] For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ... Headquarters Lisbon, Portugal Official language Portuguese Membership 8 (plus 2 observers) Leaders  -  Executive Secretariat Luís de Matos Monteiro da Fonseca Establishment 1996 Website http://www. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... The World Bank logo The World Bank (the Bank) is a part of the World Bank Group (WBG), is a bank that makes loans to developing countries for development programs with the stated goal of reducing poverty. ... Seal of Macau Special Administrative Region The transfer of the sovereignty of Macau from the Portuguese Republic to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) occurred on December 20, 1999. ... World GDP/capita changed very little for most of human history before the industrial revolution. ...

In a World Tourism Organization report of international tourism statistics for 2006, Macau ranked 21st in terms of tourist arrivals and 24th in terms of tourism receipts.^[47] 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,^[48] 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.^[49] Since the Handover, Triad underworld violence, a deterring factor for tourists, has virtually disappeared, to the benefit of the tourism sector.^[50] World Tourism Organization Building in Madrid The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. ... Triad (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; literally Triad Society) or (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; literally Black Society, a general term for criminal organizations) is a term that describes many branches of Chinese underground society and/or organizations based in Hong Kong and Macau and also operating in Taiwan, mainland...

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, the largest casino in the world as measured by total number of table games,^[51] in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006,^[52] gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were for the first time greater than those of Las Vegas Strip (each about $6 billion),^[53][54] making Macau the highest-volume gambling centre in the world.^[55] In 2007, Venetian Macau, the second largest building in the world, 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 near future. Cotai is new reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane that has not yet been assigned to any of the freguesias. ... Las Vegas Sands Corp. ... Stanley Ho, GBS (born November 25, 1921), also known as Ho Hung-sun, Stanley Ho Hung-sun (Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong and Macau. ... The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, SA (Chinese: 澳門旅遊娛樂股份有限公司 abbreviated as STDM) is owned by Stanley Ho and his family. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... The Sands Macau located in Macau, Peoples Republic of China, on the Cotai Strip. ... The Wynn Macau is owned by Wynn Resorts and is a hotel and casino in Macao, Peoples Republic of China. ... The south end of The Strip; approximately one third of the entire Strip is represented here. ... The MGM Grand Macau is a 28-story, 600-room casino resort in Macau which is scheduled for completion in 2007. ...

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 Chiu-king, 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.^[51][56][57] The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, SA (Chinese: 澳門旅遊娛樂股份有限公司 abbreviated as STDM) is owned by Stanley Ho and his family. ... Wynn Resorts Limited NASDAQ: WYNN was formed on October 25, 2002 by former Mirage Resorts Chairman and CEO Stephen A. Wynn. ... Las Vegas Sands Corp. ... MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based business engaged in the development, ownership and operation of hotels and casinos throughout the world. ... The Sands Macau located in Macau, Peoples Republic of China, on the Cotai Strip. ...

Macau is an offshore financial centre, a tax haven, and a free port with no foreign exchange control regimes.^[58][59][60] The offshore finance business is regulated and supervised by the Monetary Authority of Macau,^[61] while the regulation and supervision of the offshore non-finance business is mainly controlled by the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute.^[62] 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'.^[63] An offshore financial centre (or OFC), although not precisely defined, is usually a low-tax, lightly regulated jurisdiction which specialises in providing the corporate and commercial infrastructure to facilitate the use of that jurisdiction for the formation of offshore companies and for the investment of offshore funds. ... A tax haven is a place where certain taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all. ... A free port (porto franco) or free zone (US: Foreign-Trade Zone) is a port or area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location. ... The Monetary Authority of Macau (澳門金融管理局; AMCM as the abbreviation retained from the past; Autoridade Monetaria de Macau, in Portuguese) is a regulatory institution established on December 20, 1999, upon the return of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) to the Peoples Republic of China. ... Moodys Corporation (NYSE: MCO) is the holding company for Moodys Investors Service which performs financial research and analysis on commercial and government entitities. ...

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.^[64] This page is a candidate to be moved to Wikisource. ... A fiscal adjustment is a reduction in the government primary budget deficit, and it can result from a reduction in government expenditures, an increase in tax revenues, or both simultaneously. ... A budget deficit occurs when an entity (often a government) spends more money than it takes in. ... GDP redirects here. ... In business, revenue is the amount of money that a company actually receives from its activities, mostly from sales of products and/or services to customers. ... State power within the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is divided among three bodies: the Communist Party of China, the state, and the Peoples Liberation Army, (PLA). ... -1...

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Macau and Religion in Macau