Macau

Macau
Flag of Macau Macao Coat of Arms
(Flag) (Coat of Arms)
National motto: none
Location of Macau
Official language Chinese and Portuguese
Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah
Area
- Total
- % water
Not ranked
27.3 km?
0%
Population
- Total (2004)
- Density
Not ranked
451,000
16,521/km²
Establishment
 - Date
Handover from Portugal to the People's Republic of China


20 December 1999

Currency Pataca (MOP)
Time zone UTC+8 (AWST)
Internet TLD .mo
Calling Code +853

The Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, short form Macau or Macao (see Names), is a small territory on the southern coast of China. It is 70 km southwest of Hong Kong and 145 km from Guangzhou. It was the oldest European colony in China, dating back to the 16th century. The Portuguese government transferred sovereignty over Macau to the People's Republic of China in 1999, and it is now run as a Special Administrative Region of the PRC. Residents of Macau mostly speak Cantonese natively; Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, and English are also spoken.

Broadly, Macanese refers to all permanent inhabitants of Macau. But narrowly, it refers to an ethnic group in Macau originating from Portuguese descent, usually mixed with Chinese blood.

Besides historical colonial relics, the biggest attractions in Macau are the casinos. Though many forms of gambling are legal there, the most popular game is Pai Gow, a game played with Chinese dominoes. Gamblers from Hong Kong often take a one-day excursion to the city. Ferry service by hydrofoil between Hong Kong and Macau is available 24 hours a day, every day.

Names

The name "Macau" (馬交 Cantonese Jyutping: maa3 gaau1) is thought to be derived from "'Templo de A-Mᦱuot; (媽閣廟 Cantonese Jyutping: maa1 gok3), a still-existing landmark built in 1448 dedicated to the goddess Matsu. The more popular Chinese name of ?m鮧' (澳門, Cantonese Jyutping: ou3 mun4) means "Inlet Gates". The "gates" refer to two erect gate-like mountains of Nantai (Template:Zh-cp

Countries in East Asia
China (PRC) | Japan | North Korea | South Korea | Taiwan (ROC)*
Special Administrative Regions: Hong Kong | Macau
The political status of Taiwan is disputed.
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