MACAU

The 'Macau Special Administrative Region', commonly known as 'Macau' or 'Macao', was established on December 20, 1999, as one of the two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Hong Kong. For 442 years it was ruled by Portugal, making it the oldest European colony in the history of East Asia.
Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century. After the Opium War in 1841, most of the foreign merchants in Macau left for Hong Kong, and as a result business and economic activities in Macau declined. Administered by Portugal until the handover in 1999, it was the oldest European colony in China. Since then Macau has developed industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, as well as a notable tourist industry, which boasts a wide range of hotels, resorts, stadiums, restaurants and casinos. What remains unchanged through Macau's history is Macau's strong economic links with Hong Kong, one of the East Asian Tigers and the Pearl River Delta region in mainland China. With a good foundation and infrastructure, Macau provides good financial and banking services, staff training, transport and communications support.

Contents

Etymology

History

Imperial times

Sixteenth to nineteenth centuries

Twentieth century

Government and politics

Administrative divisions

Geography

Economy

Transportation

Demographics

Culture

Landmarks

Miscellaneous topics

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Etymology

The name "Macau" (Portuguese pronunciation )^[5]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 Matsu - the goddess of seafarers and fishermen. In keeping with saga, a fisherboat sailing across the sea one day found itself in an unexpected rainstorm. Everyone on board had given up hope of surviving this natural disaster. An attractive young lady, who had boarded the boat at the eleventh hour, stood up and ordered the tempest to calm down. The gale ceased and the sea became calm.^[6] The fisherboat, without further event, arrived safely at the port of Hoi Keang. The young lady walked ashore to the top of the Barra Hill where, in a glowing aura of light and fragrance; she ascended to heaven immediately. On the specific locale where she set foot on, a temple was built. Several hundred years later, when Portuguese sailors landed and asked the name of the place, the natives replied A-Ma-Gao (i.e. Bay of A-Ma).^[7] The peninsula was therefore renamed and Amagao was abbreviated to Macau in modern usage.

History

Main articles: History of Macau

Imperial times

Historical records show that what was later known as Macau was part of Panyu County, Nanhai District, Guangdong Province, under the Qin empire (221–206 BC). During the Jin Dynasty (265-420), the area was part of Dongguan County and later alternated under the control of Nanhai and Dongguan. In 1152, (during the Song Dynasty, 960–1279), it was identified as administratively part of the new Xiangshan County.
Since the 5th century, merchant ships traveling between Southeast Asia and Guangzhou used Haojingao as a way stop for refuge, fresh water, and food. Members of the southern Song Dynasty and some 50,000 followers were the first recorded inhabitants of the area, seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols in 1277. They were able to defend their settlements and establish themselves there. Mong Há has long been the center of Chinese life in Macau and the site of what may be the region's oldest temple, a shrine devoted to the Buddhist Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy).
The Hoklo Boat people were the first to show commercial interest in Macau as a trading center for the southern provinces. During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1643), fishermen migrated to Macau from various parts of Guangdong and Fujian provinces and built the A-Ma Temple in which they prayed for safety on the sea.^[8]

Sixteenth to nineteenth centuries

Chinese fishermen have been living and working in the Pearl River Delta for more than four thousand years. The small peninsula and islands that came to be called Macau were first settled by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

Prior to that, they belonged to various counties within the Chinese Empire, with the village of Mong Ha (Wangxia), located on the Macau peninsula, having been settled during the Yuan Dynasty.
Portuguese traders had landed in Ningbo and Swatow at the beginning of the 16th century, but were forced to abandon their trading-posts there.Macao, Illustrations of China and Its People, John Thomson 1837-1921, (London,1873-1874)
In 1535, the Portuguese obtained the right to anchor ships in Macau harbours and carry out trading activities. In around 1552-1553, the Portuguese obtained permission to go ashore and erect storage sheds, in order to dry out goods drenched by sea water, and establish a settlement as a reward for defeating pirates and to serve as middlemen for trade between China and Japan and between both nations and Europe.^[9] In 1557, the Portuguese established a permanent settlement in Macau. Fortifications and a church were the first buildings were constructed there, but no ground rent was demanded by the Chinese government until 1582. In 1580, Macao was established as an episcopal see by Gregory XIII, and 13 bishops were consecrated. Beginning in 1670, Portugal leased the territory, although there was no transfer of sovereignty. Macau prospered as a port and was the subject 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, Portugal and the Qing government signed the Sino - Portuguese Draft Minutes and the Beijing Treaty, in which China ceded to Portugal the right to "perpetual occupation and government of Macau"; conversely, Portugal pledged to seek China's approval before transferring Macau to another country.

Twentieth century

Main articles: Transfer of the sovereignty of Macau

In 1928, the Kuomintang government and the Portuguese government concluded the "Sino-Portuguese Friendship and Trade Treaty." Making only a few provisions concerning tariff principles and matters relating to business affairs, the treaty failed to mention the question with regard to Macau's position. Consequently, the situation of Portuguese occupation and government of Macau remained unchanged. In 1938, Portuguese troops occupied the island of Hengqin, which had already been settled by Portuguese missionaries. Hengqin was taken by the Japanese in 1941 and reverted to China in the end of World War II.

Flag formerly used to represent the Government of Macau under Portuguese rule

In 1966 residents tried to obtain a licence for a private school in Taipa, the first of two islands connected to and forming part of Macau. After being rejected many times they went ahead and started building without permits. On November 15, 1966, Portuguese police arrested the school officials and beat construction workers, residents, and press reporters. As a result, Chinese teachers and students gathered at the Governor’s Palace to protest; some even got inside the Palace to cite the quotations of Mao Zedong and sang Chinese revolutionary songs. On December 3, the government ordered them to be arrested. This stirred up the anger of the general public and more people came to protest. They pulled down the statue of Colonel Vicente Nicolau de Mesquita at Largo do Senado at the city centre, and burned archive documents - some irreplaceable - at the Leal Senado Building and the Holy House of Mercy. Portuguese soldiers from Africa, who came to Macau on holiday, were called in and martial law was declared. As a result of the protests, 11 people were killed by police and 200 were injured. The incident is often referred to as "12-3," with reference to the date of the riots.^[10] The Chinese people adopted a "three no's" approach as a means to continue their struggle with the Government — no taxes, no service, no selling to the Portuguese. They were successful and on January 29, 1967 the Portuguese government of Macau 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.
After the leftist military coup of 1974, the now democratic Portuguese government was determined to relinquish all its overseas possessions, but the People's Republic of China did not favor Macau's immediate return to Chinese sovereignty and asked Portugal to continue to administer it. In 1976, Lisbon redefined Macau as a "Chinese territory under Portuguese administration," and granted it a large measure of administrative, financial and economic autonomy. The Chinese Government stated on many occasions that Macau has always been Chinese territory and the issue left by history should be settled through negotiations when conditions were ripe.
Portugal and the People's Republic of China agreed in 1979 to regard Macau as "a Chinese territory under (temporary) Portuguese administration". 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 the PRC.^[11] In 1998, Chinese (Cantonese) was given official status and the same legal power as Portuguese, the official language. The Chinese government assumed sovereignty over Macau on December 20, 1999, ending 329 years of Portuguese official rule.

Government and politics

Main articles: Politics of Macau, One country, two systems, Legal system of Macau

The headquarters of Macau Government

The Legislative Assembly of Macau

The status of Macau since reverting to People's Republic of China sovereignty on 20 December 1999 is defined in the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, Macau's constitution promulgated by China's National People's Congress in 1993. The Joint Declaration and the Basic Law specify that Macau's social and economic system, lifestyle, rights, and freedoms are to remain unchanged for at least 50 years.
Under the principle of "one country, two systems" articulated in the Basic Law of Macau,^[12] Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy except in defense and foreign affairs. Macau officials, rather than PRC officials, run Macau through the exercise of separate executive, legislative, and judicial powers. Macau maintains its own separate currency, customs territory, immigration and border controls, and police force. According to surveys examined recently by Transparency International 2006, the Government of Macau is perceived to have one of the least corrupt public sector among Asian nations or territories. Macau ranked number 4 in Asia and 26 worldwide. Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore joined Macau as the only Asian states ranking among the top 30 nations or territories; meanwhile Asia's largest nations; People's Republic of China, India, and Indonesia, all ranked low of the 163 ranked nations and territories.^[13]
The chief executive is appointed by the People's Republic of China's central government.^[14]
Election of the Chief Executive after election by an election committee, whose members are nominated by corporate and community bodies. The chief executive's cabinet comprise five policy secretaries. He is advised by an Executive Council that has between 7 and 11 members. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, a community leader and former banker, is the first China-appointed chief executive of the Macau SAR, having replaced General Vasco Rocha Vieira at midnight on December 19, 1999.
The legislative organ of the territory is the Legislative Assembly, a 29-member body comprising 12 directly elected members, 10 appointed members representing functional constituencies and seven members appointed by the chief executive.^[15] The Legislative Assembly is responsible for lawmaking and like many other legislatures, it has power to impeach the Chief Executive. It has power to amend the method of electing the chief executive after 2009. The democratic infrastructure of Macau SAR remains powerless. The ability of the legislature to initiate legislation is limited, although it plays a role in shaping legislation. There is little public pressure for democratization.
Political associations in the Legislative Council of Macau include: New Democratic Macau Association, United Citizens Association of Macau, Union for Development, Union for Promoting Progress, Alliance for the Development of Macau, New Hope, General Union for the Good of Macau, Convergence for Development. The general requirements of suffrage for direct election in Macau is an adult at or over 18 years of age and he or she must be a permanent resident in that region. For indirect election, it is only limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central governmental bodies.
In order to implement the principle of high degree of autonomy, the basic and original framework of the legal system^[16] of Macau must also be preserved for at least 50 years after 20 December, 1999 according to the provision made by the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau.^[17] The legal system is based largely on Portuguese law or Portuguese civil law system. 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. In July 1999 the chief executive appointed a seven-person committee to select judges for the SAR. 24 judges were recommended by the committee and were then appointed by Edmund Ho. Macau has a three-tier court system:^[18] The Court of the First Instance, The Court of the Second Instance and The Court of Final Appeal (Macau's highest court).
No district court was established because of the limited geographical size of the region. However, administrative courts are additionally created that are special courts for handling administrative, taxation and customs cases and they are lower courts as the Court of the First Instance. Litigants who object to their rulings can appeal to the Court of the Second Instance. The prosecution of the Macau SAR is an independent body. The Chief Prosecutor of the Macau SAR's prosecution is nominated by the Chief Executive and appointed by the central government of People's Republic of China; the prosecutors are appointed and removed by the Chief Executive. Hence, the Macau SAR prosecution is under strict scrutiny and supervision of the Chief Executive. There is no capital punishment or life imprisonment^[19] is currently imposed in Macau SAR due to the prohibition by the Penal Code of Macau (Article 39).^[20] Ampliate reformations in legal system in Macau can be seen after handover. The prominent example is using Chinese language in courts, in addition to the process of legislation.

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Municipalities of Macau

Macau was formerly divided into two municipalities and seven parishes. Each municipality was run by a municipal council (câmara municipal), with a supervising municipal assembly (assembleia municipal). When it became a SAR, the municipalities were abolished and the parishes were voided of administrative functions. In their place is a new administrative body, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (Portuguese: ''Instituto para os Assuntos Cívicos e Municipais''), under the Secretariat for Administration and Justice (''Secretaria da Administração e Justiça'') of the SAR government.^[21][22] The parishes are still officially recognized but only on a symbolic basis.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of Macau

Map of Macau

Macau is 60 kilometres (37 miles) southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 miles) from Guangzhou. It consists of a peninsula, 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. It borders the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone in mainland China. Macau has a generally flat terrain resulting from extensive land reclamation, but numerous steep hills mark the original natural land mass. The Macau peninsula was originally an island, but gradually a connecting sandbar turned into a narrow isthmus. Land reclamation in the seventeenth century made Macau into a peninsula. With a dense urban environment, Macau has no arable land, pastures, forest, or woodland. Because of this deficiency, Macau's people traditionally have looked to the sea for their livelihood.
Macau has a humid subtropical climate. Seasonal climate is greatly influenced by the monsoons and therefore temperature difference between summer and winter is fairly noticeable. The average annual temperature of Macau is 22.3 °C.^[23] July is the hottest month, with average monthly temperature being 28.6 °C (daytime temperatures are usually above 30 °C). The coldest month is January, with average monthly temperature 14.5 °C (occasionally temperature drops below 10 °C). Located in the coastal region of south the People's Republic of China, Macau has ample rainfall, with average annual precipitation being 2,030 millimetres. However, winter is mostly dry due to the monsoon from mainland China. The humidity is high with an average range between 75% and 90%. The best season in Macau is autumn (i.e. October - December) when days are sunny & warm and the humidity is basically low. Winter (i.e. January - 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 casual typhoons.

'Annual highest & lowest average temperatures and mean total rainfall in Macau'[24][25]
Month	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Jun.	Jul.	Aug.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Avg. high °C (°F)	18 (65)	18 (65)	21 (71)	24 (75)	28 (82)	31 (88)	32 (90)	32 (90)	30 (86)	28 (82)	24 (75)	19 (67)
Avg. low temperature °C (°F)	13 (55)	13 (55)	16 (61)	20 (69)	24 (75)	26 (79)	27 (80)	27 (80)	26 (79)	23 (73)	18 (65)	14 (57)
Mean total rainfall mm (inches)	32.4 (1.3)	58.8 (2.3)	82.5 (3.2)	217.4 (8.5)	361.9 (14.2)	339.7 (13.3)	289.8 (11.4)	351.6 (13.8)	194.1 (7.6)	116.9 (4.6)	42.6 (1.7)	35.2 (1.4)

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Macau, Foreign relations of Macau, Mainland and Macau Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement

Macau Tower at night.

Macau's economy is based largely on tourism, much of it geared toward gambling. In view of Macau's small population and limited land resources, the Government of Macau has launched a policy of close cooperation with the Pearl River Delta and the neighboring Guangdong province while expanding trade contacts with the rest of the world. Other chief economic activities in Macau are export-geared textile and garment manufacturing, banking and other financial services. 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. Macau is a founding member of the WTO and has a representative office at the organization's headquarters in Geneva. Market-opening pledges largely in the sphere of financial services has been made at the WTO^[26] and Macau has maintained sound economic and trade relations with more than 120 countries and regions with European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries in particular. Macau currently participates in the IMF^[27] and the World Bank classifies it as a high income economy along with developed economies and some developing economies as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.^[28] The average growth rate of economy in Macau between 2001 and 2006 were approximately 13.1% annually. In last two quarter of 2006, the GDP of Macao was grown by 22.05%. The GDP per capita in 2006 was USD $28,436. In the fourth quarter of 2006, the unemployment rate stood at 3.5%.^[29]
From 9.1 million visitors in 2000, arrivals to Macau has grown to 18.7 million visitors in 2005,^[30] 21.98 million visitors in 2006 and is expected to receive between 24 and 25 million visitors in 2007,^[31] with over 50% of the arrivals coming from mainland China. This recent growth has been driven by gambling and related tourism. Tourists from Hong Kong remain numerous, representing about 30% of arrivals. Since the 1999 return to Chinese rule, Triad underworld violence, a dark spot on the economy, has virtually disappeared, to the benefit of the tourism sector. Macau also received the Future Award 2007, for being regarded the most promising future tourism destination in Asia, voted by 26,000 German travel trade members of GoAsia; an association that includes tour operators, airline companies, among many others.^[32]
Macau has been currently rated as one of the world's top tourism destinations by the World Tourism Organization.^[33]

Sands Macau

Since 1850, gambling has been licensed and has always been an important source of earning for the government. In the early 1960s, gambling provided 50 percent of official revenue. 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 was 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,^[34][35] in 2004 and Wynn Macau^[36] in 2006, gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were for the first time greater than those of Las Vegas Strip (each about $6 billion),^[37][38] making Macau the highest-volume gambling centre in the world.^[39] In 2007, The Venetian Macau, the second largest building in the world, opened its doors to the public. Other casinos and hotels slated to be opened through 2009 are: Four Seasons (2008), MGM Grand Macau (2007), Ponte 16 (2007), Far East Consortium Complex (2007), Grand Hyatt (2009), Galaxy Cotai Megaresort (2008), City of Dreams (2008), Oceanus (2008), Mandarin Oriental (2009).
The first Phase of Macau's Cotai Strip is scheduled to open in 2007 and will include 19,000 guest rooms throughout seven resort hotels,^[40] with the $1.8 billion Venetian Macao serving as the anchor.^[41] The head of Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson is in the latter stage of negotiation to secure land in Macau, where he is going to set up a US$3 billion casino resort complex.^[42] As a result, Macau's economy is growing rapidly due to gambling related tourism and construction from the new casino entrants.
Along with Bermuda, British Virgin Islands or Bahamas, Macau is one of the best known offshore financial centres^[43] and tax havens in a worldwide sense.^[44] Banco Nacional Ultramarino, Bank of China, Seng Heng Bank and Tai Fung Bank are among the most influential banks. There are also many foreign banks registered and established in Macau as well, including Bank of America - Macau and HSBC - Macau. Macau is a free port with low-taxes and no monetary control policy imposed.^[45]
Operations of offshore service businesses are feasible in Macau because of related offshore law that has been in effect since 1999. The offshore finance business is regulated and supervised by the Monetary Authority of Macao,^[46] while the regulation and supervision of the offshore non-finance business is mainly controlled by the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute.^[47] 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'^[48]

Transportation

Bus in Macau.

Main articles: Transportation in Macau

Buses and taxis are the major modes of public transport in Macau. Bus services are frequent and inexpensive,^[49] linking the Macau peninsula, Taipa, Cotai and Coloane with Transmac and TCM being the sole operators of Macau's bus services. Most hotels(four-starred or above) and gaming venues operate their own fleet of shuttle bus service between the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal or Porta do Cerco (Macau's border to mainland China) and their premises.
Taxis are plentiful near the airport, the Hong Kong-Macau ferry terminal, and major gaming venues/hotels in the city ^[50] though it is rather hard to get one during rush hours on the streets. There are two types of livery on Macau's taxis - one is a black body with cream color top (the black cab) and the other is yellow on the whole (the yellow cab). Radio taxis are available, and there are two hotlines for the black and yellow cabs respectively.
In order to enhance the quality of taxi services, such as eliminate the language barrier between taxi drivers and passengers, the Tourist Office has provided most taxis with a destination guide which includes the names of the most requested destinations in Chinese, Portuguese and English.

Hong Kong-Macau ferry terminal.

In a few years time, the city of Macau will have a new mode of public transport, the Macau Light Transit System, in service. The proposal is currently under public consultation and a decision will be made on the design route and its operation after the consultation ends. The Macau Light Transit System is a planned mass transit system, similar to the Singapore Light Rapid Transit. The tracks will be a mix of elevated guideways and underground tunnels, ensuring a dedicated right-of-way separated from road traffic. When completed it will serve passengers from the Macau Peninsula, Taipa island, the Cotai reclamation and Macau International Airport. The Government of Macau introduced the proposal to the public in October 2006 ^[51], with a revised version announced in July 2007 after further adjustments and improvements had been made with reference to comments by the public.
The trishaw, a hybrid of the tricycle and the rickshaw, is a unique mode of transport in Macau, though it is mainly for sightseeing purposes. They can easily be found next to Hotel Lisboa, waiting for passengers.
Currently, over 150 sea-crossing services are scheduled daily between Macau and Hong Kong ^[52], and the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal serves as the major terminal for Macau's passenger traffic by sea. The route is served by high speed catamarans (with passenger capacity of 400 max) and jetfoils (with passenger capacity of 260 max) and the journey takes approximately one hour. There are also daily scheduled ferry services between Macau and Shenzhen. At present the services are operated by TurboJET and New World First Ferry Macau. Apart from the sea routes there are also regular scheduled helicopter services between Hong Kong and Macau, which are operated by Heli Express. The trip takes approximately 20 minutes.
A few years ago a new sea-crossing service was launched by TurboJET which travels between the Hong Kong International Airport and Macau. This differs from the above Macau-Hong Kong route since travelers who arrive in Hong Kong by air do not have to go through Hong Kong immigration's passport control and can board a direct ferry to Macau through a special transfer terminal within the airport. On the return trip, travelers can directly reach the Hong Kong International Airport by ferry (a dedicated check-in desk for the service is available at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal) and arrive at the airport without going through Hong Kong immigration's passport control, though airline check-in has to be done within the airport prior to boarding a plane.
A new ferry terminal, which is adjacent to the Macau International Airport, is under construction and upon completion (probably in early 2008) some of the passenger traffic by sea will be diverted to the new facility. It is expected to act as a major hub for passenger transfer between the Hong Kong International Airport and the Macau International Airport.
The Macau International Airport, located at Taipa, serves as the terminal for Macau's international air traffic. There are regulars flights between Macau and major cities in Northeast and Southeast Asia, for example Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Osaka, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, etc. Owing to its relatively low landing fees and the business opportunities brought by the booming gaming industry in Macau, the airport has attracted several Asia's low-cost carriers such as Air Asia, Viva Macau, Tiger Airways, etc. to establish regular flights between Macau and several major cities in Southeast Asia, and recently Sydney as well. As a result it has been gradually developing into a major hub for low-cost air travel within the region. Other traditional carriers, such as the local flag carrier Air Macau, the Taiwanese carriers EVA Air and TransAsia Airways, and even carriers which operate similar routes from Hong Kong, are facing potential challenges from these newcomers.
Unlike traffic in mainland China which drives on the right, traffic drives on the left in Macau, which is the same as in Hong Kong. Roads are generally narrow at the heart of the city and parked cars are always found on both sides of the road. Traffic congestion has been a major problem throughout the day owing to the lack of efficient mass transit system and a relatively high car/population ratio.
The Macau Maritime Museum^[53] used to have two sailing vessels (which were based on the ancient "junk" form but were remodeled) serving for touring trips between the inner and outer harbours. Along the trip, the crew would introduce the general lifestyle and customs of the local boat dwellers. However, due to the land reclamation works in the harbour and the maintenance of the boats, all trips have been suspended. The exhibition building and the open-air café esplanade of the Maritime Museum are open as usual (though closed on Tuesdays).

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Macau, Religion of Macau, Immigration to Macau

Part of downtown area in Macau 2007

Population development in Macau^[54]

Year	Population
1993	390,000
1994	403,600
1995	415,000
1996	415,200
1997	419,400
1998	425,200
1999	429,600
2000	431,500
2001	436,700
2002	441,600
2003	427,500
2004	465,300
2005	488,100
2006	508,500

Macau is one of the most densely populated regions in the world according to Forbes.com ^[55], with a population density of 16,521 persons per square kilometer.
95% of Macau's population is Chinese, primarily Cantonese, Fujianese as well as some Hakka, Shanghainese and overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia (mostly Vietnam and some from Thailand and Philippines) and elsewhere. The rest are of Portuguese descent and there are Filipino and Thai migrant workers in small proportions. Many Portuguese and Macanese (locally born Portuguese, some are of Chinese descent) left Macau after it was handed over to China in 1999. 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. The population of Macau is estimated to be 508,500 according to 2006 second quarter figures from the Macau SAR Government statistics).
Both Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are Macau's official languages. Other languages such as Mandarin, English and Hokkien are also spoken by some local communities. English is widely taught in schools, though students from schools which use English as a medium of instruction generally have better grasps of the language. English is also a medium of instruction in most tertiary education establishments except, of course, in language subjects. Since Macau's economy depends heavily on tourism and trade, English has become Macau's ''de facto'' "lingua franca" among its different ethnic communities.
The Macanese language, which is generally known as ''Patuá'', is a distinctive Creole that is still spoken by several dozen Macanese, an ethnic group of mixed Asian and Portuguese ancestry that accounts for about two per cent of Macau's population.
The work force in Macau SAR is mainly composed of manufacturing; construction; wholesale and retail trade, repair, hotels and restaurants; financial services, real estate, and other business activities; public administration, other communities, social and personal services, including gaming; transport, storage and communications. The number of Chinese from Mainland China working in Macau as imported foreign laborers stood at 37,357 in 2006, representing 57.7% of the region's imported workers.^[56] According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Macau is among the top 10 countries/regions with the highest life expectancies^[57] at birth in the world. Its birth rate,^[58] total fertility rate^[59] and infant mortality rate^[60] rank among the lowest in the world.

An illustration of the mission of the Jesuits in China. These missionaries used Macau as a point of departure and formation during sixteenth century.

Most local people believe in Chinese Folk religion, which includes the faiths of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and the folk gods and goddesses (especially Kuan Yin and Matsu) like other Chinese communities. There are around forty to fifty temples of various sizes in Macau, mostly built hundreds of years ago, with some dated back to the 15th century. In certain occasions one can find out that Kuan Yin or the images of Buddha and other gods or xoanons from the sphere of Taoism might appear within the same temple. The most famous ones are the Kun Iam Temple, the A-Ma Temple and, in particular, the Lotus Temple. Built in 1592, the Lotus Temple has a history of over four hundred years.
Macau became a hub not only of trade in Asia, but also of Christianity, with the Jesuit missionaries Basilica de São Paulo set up as the greatest marker to Christianity in East Asia. The Catholic Diocese of Macau was established on 23 January, 1576. The first bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Macau was D. Belchior Carneiro. The first Chinese bishop was Domingos Lam. The present bishop is D. José Lai, who is the first native-born Chinese bishop in Macau. About 15 % of Macau's population is Catholic.^[61] The Catholic Church in Macau recognizes the Pope as the head of the Church. A new Coadjutor Bishop for the Macau diocese was appointed by Vatican or Holy See in June, 2003. Christianity is a legacy of Portuguese rule. Macau was also the first station of the Protestant church^[62] for mission in China.

Culture

Main articles: Culture of Macau

Igreja de Santo Agostinho.

The mixing of Chinese and Portuguese cultures and religious traditions for more than four centuries has left Macau with a very inimitable collection of holidays, festivals and events. The biggest tournament of the year is the Macau Grand Prix in November, when the main streets within the Macau Peninsula are converted to a racetrack bearing similarities with the Monaco Grand Prix. Many current or former Formula One drivers took part in the event early in their careers and among them Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher and Takuma Sato are those who have won the Macau GP. Other annual events include the Macau Arts festival in March, the International Fireworks Display Contest in September, the International Music festival in October and/or November, and the Macau International Marathon in December.
The Lunar Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival of the year among the Chinese, especially the older generation, and celebration normally takes place in late January or early February. In general, family members gather together to have dinner and enjoy themselves. Children are the happiest of all since they receive red packets - which contains money - from married relatives and elders, and traditionally red packets symbolize good luck.
The Pou Tai Un Temple in Taipa is the place for the Feast of the Earth god Tou Tei 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. A-Ma Temple, which honours the Goddess of seafarers and fishermen; is in full swing in April with many congratulant worshippers during the A-Ma festival. To look on dancing dragons at the Feast of the Drunken Dragon and twinkling-clean Buddhas at the Feast of Bathing of Lord Buddha in May is common. In Coloane Village, the Taoist god Tam Kong is also honoured in the same day. Dragon Boat festival is brought into play on Nam Van Lakes in June and Hungry Ghosts' festival, in late August and/or early September every year. All events and festivities basically come to an end with Winter Solstice in December annually.
With significant influences from Southeast Asia and the Lusophone world, local cooking in Macau consists of a blend of southern Chinese and Portuguese cuisines. 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, Latin America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, as well as local Chinese ingredients. Common cooking techniques include baking, grilling and roasting. It is renowned for its flavour-blending culture. Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices and flavours including turmeric, coconut milk, cinnamon and bacalhau, giving special aromas and tastes.^[63]Famous dishes include Galinha à Portuguesa, Galinha à Africana (African chicken), Bacalhau, Macanese Chili Shrimps and stir-fry curry crab. The most popular snack is pork chop bun. The most popular dessert is ginger milk and Portuguese-style egg tart.^[64]
Macau International Music Festival - MIMF is basically conducted by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macau SAR Government every year.^[65] The 20th anniversary of the MIMF is celebrated with a touch of romanticism. Jazz, Classical music, electronica, Chinese folk-pop, rock and fado will fill Macau's autumn nights with magic. The eclectic programme of 28 performances promises to delight Macau audiences, accustomed to the festival's annual offering of some of the best music from all over the world.^[66]

Landmarks

Main articles: Historic Centre of Macau

A walk through the theme park in Macau Fisherman's Wharf

Macau preserves China's largest group of historical properties in the urban area, as it had almost five centuries of regular oscillation between West and East, after the Portuguese seafarers settled in Macau in the mid-sixteenth century. The Historic Centre of Macau, which includes some twenty-eight historic monuments and eight public squares, was officially listed as a 31st World Heritage Site by UNESCO^[67] on 15 July 2005 during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee, being held in Durban of South Africa.

★ Main landmarks^[68] include:

★
★ A-Ma Temple

★
★ Casa Garden

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★ Casino Lisboa

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★ Fortaleza do Monte

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★ Guia Fortress

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★ Macau Fisherman's Wharf

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★ Macau Tower

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★ Old Protestant Cemetery

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★ Ruins of Saint Paul's Cathedral

Miscellaneous topics

The large sculpture of "Lotus Flower In Full Bloom" at the Lotus Square, with the "Tourist Activity Center" in the background.

★ 'Sister cities'^[69]

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★ Concelho de Macau

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★
★

'Lisbon', Portugal

★
★
★

'Porto', Portugal

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★
★

'Brussels', Belgium (friendship agreement)

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★
★

'São Paulo', Brazil

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★
★

'Danang', Vietnam (friendship agreement)

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★
★

'Luanda', Angola (friendship agreement)

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★ Concelho das Ilhas

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★
★

'Coimbra', Portugal

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★
★

'Linköping', Sweden

See also

Main articles: List of Macau-related topics

The Ruins of Saint Paul's

References

1. Historically, the capital was "Cidade do Nome de Deus de Macau" (or Macau Peninsula; this name abolished upon reunification). The government headquarters were located in the St. Lawrence Parish.
2. Macau - Statistics and Census Services for the data of population
3. VIII-1 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) AND PER-CAPITA GDP
4. 2007 Macao in Figures
5. Alternate Names or Name Variants for Macau Special Administrative Region
6. Matsu's life and incident
7. Part of history of Macau
8. Background Note: Macau - History
9. Macau - a unique city
10. Aspects of Political Development in Macao, Lo Shiu-hing, , , The China Quarterly, 1989
11. refer to ''What are the main contents of the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macao?'', Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC[1]
12. Basic Law of Macau in full text
13. Corruption Perceptions Index 2006
14. Election of the Chief Executive
15. Introduction of the Legislative Assembly of the Macau SAR
16. Brief Introduction of Judicial System of Macau SAR Sam Hou Fai, President of the Court of Final Appeal of the Macau SAR
17. What are the main contents of the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau? FMPRC
18. Background Note: Macau - Government
19. Brief Introduction of Penal Code of Macau SAR Lai Kin Hong, President of the Court of Appeal of the Macau
20. Código Penal - Art. 1 a 100 Macau Govt. (1995)
21. refer to Law 17/2001 (Portuguese)
22. refer to Administrative Regulation 32/2001 (Portuguese)
23. 100 years of Macau Climate
24. Refer to The Weather Channel for Macau, China
25. Refer to WMO - Macau, China
26. Low profile ahead of WTO talks Zach Coleman
27. refer to International organization participation; the section of Government, CIA [2].
28. refer to Income group - High income, World Bank [3].
29. DSEC - for the current data of unemployment rate
30. DSEC - for the data of tourism and visitors
31. Macau expected to receive between 24 and 25 million tourists in 2007
32. German travel trade give most promising destination award to Macau Theodore Koumelis
33. refer to World's Top Tourism Destinations (absolute no.) - Top 25 [4]
34. Sands Macao - is the largest casino in the world
35. Las Vegas gaming operations are building Chinese resort town Richard N. Velotta and Jeff Simpson
36. Wynn Fine-Tuning Details at 600-Room Macau Resort
37. Macau, a tiny special administrative region of China, appears to have overtaken the famous Las Vegas Strip as the world's top gambling destination
38. Vegas vs. Macau, who will win?
39. Asian Rival Moves Past Las Vegas David Barboza
40. Las Vegas Sands presentation
41. Venetian Macao serves as the anchor
42. Money moving in on Macao
43. Offshore Operation in Macau Luis Pereira
44. Countries, Territories, and Jurisdictions with Offshore Financial Centers Errico and Musalem (1999)
45. Financial system in Macau SAR
46. refer to the homepage of Monetary Authority of Macau [5]
47. refer to the web site of the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute [6]
48. refer to the web site of Hemscott and Empowering Inverstors [7]
49. About TCM
50. Public Transportation - Taxi Service
51. Macao to Invest in Elevated Light Metro
52. Service route, onboard Service and Facilities of Turbojet
53. refer to the homepage of Macau Maritime Museum [8]
54. ESTIMATES OF POPULATION
55. World's Most Congested Cities
56. Mainlanders accounts for 57% of Macao's imported laborers Xinhua
57. Rank Order - Life expectancy at birth
58. Rank Order - Birth rate
59. Rank Order - Total fertility rate
60. Rank Order - Infant mortality rate
61. Macau (special administrative region of China)
62. Protestant Cemetery
63. discovering Macau - FABULOUS FOOD SPICE ROUTE AND EARLY FUSION CUISINE
64. Macau Dining
65. 17th Macao International Music Festival
66. 20th MACAU INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
67. Mostar, Macao and Biblical vestiges in Israel are among the 17 cultural sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List
68. See Macau - Attractions and Landmarks [9]
69. The sister cities of Macau

Further reading

★ Lonely Planet Hong Kong and Macau, , Steve, Fallon, Lonely Planet Publications, 2004, ISBN 1740594487

★ Time Out Hong Kong (incl. Macau), , , Timeout, Time Out, 2004, ISBN 0141013532

★ Encountering Macau: A Portuguese City-State on the Periphery of China, 1557-1999, , Geoffrey C, Gunn, Editora Gunn, 2005 reprint, ISBN 9993770531

★ History of Macau: A Student's Manual, , , Rosmarie Wank-Nolasco Lamas, Institute of Tourism Education, 1998, ISBN 9729731411

★ Macao Remembers, , Jill, McGivering, Oxford University Press, USA, 1999, ISBN 0195917359

★ Macau in Transition: From Colony to Autonomous Region, Herbert S. Yee, , , Palgrave Macmillan, 2001, ISBN 0333750098

★ Europe, China and the Two SARs: Towards a New Era, Miguel Santos Neves (Editor), Brian Bridges (Editor), , , Palgrave Macmillan, 2000, ISBN 0312232071

★ Political Development in Macau, Lo Shiu Hing, , , Chinese University Pres, Hong Kong, 1995, ISBN 962-201-658-8

★ Between China and Europe - Person, Culture and Emotion in Macao, , , Joao De Pina-Cabral, Berg Publishers, 2002, ISBN 0826457495

★ Macao 2000, , , Berlie, J.A., Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 019-592074-0

★ Macau: City of Commerce and Culture, R. D. Cremer (Editor), , , Univ of Washington Pr, 1988, ISBN 0295966084

★ Macao Foreign Policy and Government Guide, , James, Eayrs, International Business Publications, USA, 2003, ISBN 0739764519

★ Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters: Macao, Cherie Hamilton, , , Hippocrene Books, 2001, ISBN 0781808316

★ Macao: Mysterious Decay and Romance, Donald Pittis (Editor), Susan J. Henders (Editor), , , Oxford University Press, USA, 1998, ISBN 0195905695

★ Hong, Kong, Macau and the Muddy Pearl (travel literature), Annabel Jackson, , , Bookworld Services, 1999, ISBN 9627160660

★ Macao Streets, Cesar Guillen-Nunez, , , Oxford University Press, USA, 1999, ISBN 0195877667

★ Macau: A Cultural Janus, Christina Miu Bing Cheng, , , Hong Kong Univ Pr, 1999, ISBN 9622094864

★ Viva Macau!, Mark Brazier, , , MacMillan Publishers, Hong Kong, 1980, ISBN 9620301617

★ Macau's Gardens and Landscape Art, Francisco M. Caldeira Cabral, Annabel Jackson, Leong Ka Tai, , , Asia 2000, 2000, ISBN 9627160849

External links

Monte Fonte

; Business

★ MacauHub - a designated economic information portal to promote business ties between China and the Portuguese speaking world.

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★ Simplified Chinese page

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★ Portuguese page

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★ English page
; Culture

★ Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macau SAR

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★ Traditional Chinese version

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★ Simplified Chinese version

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★ Portuguese version

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★ English version
; Government

★ Portal of the government of Macau

★ Government Printing Bureau of Macau SAR

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★ Traditional Chinese version

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★ Portuguese version

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★ English version

★ Government Information Bureau of Macau SAR

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★ Traditional Chinese page

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★ Portuguese page

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★ English page
;Guides and directories

★ Macau City Guide

★ Macau Travel
; Education and child development

★ Macau Child Development Association
; News

★ English news from Teledifusão de Macau
; Profiles

★ Library of Congress - ''Country Study: Macau'' data as of August 2000
; Tourism

★ Macau Government Tourist Office

★