Macau

For a topic outline on this subject, see List of basic Macau topics. For other uses, see Macau (disambiguation).

中華人民共和國澳門特別行政區 Região Administrativa Especial de Macau da República Popular da China Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: March of the Volunteers
Largest freguesia (population)	Freguesia de Nossa Senhora de Fátima
Official languages	Chinese (Cantonese), Portuguese
Demonym(s)	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 (11.0 sq mi) (not ranked)
• Water (%)	0
Population
• 2007 (1st qtr) estimate	520,400 (167th)
• 2000 census	431,000
• Density	17,310/km2 (44,832.7/sq mi) (1st)
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
HDI (2004)	0.909  (25th)
Currency	Macanese pataca (MOP)
Time zone	UTC+8 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	not observed
Calling code	853
ISO 3166 code	MO
Internet TLD	.mo

22°10′00″N 113°33′00″E The Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, (Traditional chinese: 中華人民共和國澳門特別行政區, Simplified chinese: 中华人民共和国澳门特别行政区, hanyu pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū), commonly known as Macau or Macao (/mækaʊ/, simplified Chinese: 澳门; traditional Chinese: 澳門; 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. 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. This makes it one of the richest cities in the world.

A message to The British Ambassador Bangkok - Why do you lunch with these people ????

Quotes of The SDS (Shinawatra-Dhamapong-Sophonpanich) Family

'God doesn't exist'

'We don't know how to lie what is truth?'

"It isn't drugs money we've laundered it"

British Ambassador's responsive thought 'As you can see they are not drugs dealers they are bankers'

Alex Manson of MI6 at his residence in Hallam Street London "So what's the SP on Bangkok Erik? I can't get any sense out of the FCO they're always out to lunch.. Shall we open another bottle of Scotch?"

Alex's Italian wife "it's rather early isn't it?"

Alex" You are wearing your watch upside down darling"

'IT'S ONLY A JOKE YOUR MAJESTY' (CHEN SAID TO HENRY VIII)' Sopon-Chen-panich Chen-Sell-or (Chancellor) Kha (khun Denial) (Cardinal) Wolsey (Mol-sey) the Surrey Mole (A spy who becomes part of and works from within the ranks of an enemy governmental staff or intelligence agency. Compare double agent. - I't wasn't me ). "We must accept that the global economic landscape in the new millennium is much different than in preceding decades." Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand These words also means trouble. I got this letter from the Ladonian Embassy today: Dear Secretary Of State Got some bad news Lars, our Embassy caught fire two weeks ago, I was out at the time. The rebuild will start soon but many strange things happening. My dispute with Shinawatra has had some drama. Two gun shots fired near my car about 3.00 a.m.. the other night certainly demonstrated he was having a tantrumc.. I warned him, if you attack someone's love you have attacked God himself. http://www.ladonia.net/new_herald/?p=151 BEWARE THE VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK MAY BE THE DOING OF SDS PEOPLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THE PEOPLE.... It seems that the title "Nobody(s) from Knowhere" was the identity used by the dwellers of St Georges Hill in Weybridge not afar from Hampton Court... It was an attempt to reduce the looting of the Sophchenich (today know as the Sophonpanich family (aka HEROIN DRUG BARONS of ASIA) who would inquire for people's identities for no good cause... Thus the term " I am going somewhere to see someone about something was a way to deter the transfer of intelligence by the Nobody(s) from Knowhere (residents of St Georges Hill Weybridge in a secure frame to minimilise the looters of H8 at Hampton Court forcing them into the depths of the countryside (Shere http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shere and http://gallery.beautifulengland.net/main.php?g2_itemId=4700 and The White Horse is set in the centre of Shere, a very pretty old village near Guildford. This is a former smugglers pub built in 1425 and having its own ghost. Timbers from Nelson's ship, Victory, form the beams in the restaurant and this is the original Chef & Brewer venue. We are a popular film location and have seen many famous faces such as Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Renee Zelweigger, et al. then you travel a little further on to the house aptly names Maj-hole today called Madgehole).... It was down the Well built 500 years ago, that had steps going down into it that the silver bars and gold bars that formed "The Yellow Brick Road" were hidden.. For our driveway at Madgehole was prior to being tarmaced a "Yellow Brick Road". I guess the Rhodedendrons were first planted around SGH closer to the Palace and potential confusion the myrhth of their actions in order to facilitate the Soap Change and rob the Royal Family of England blind...... 'a bit like the people who were sitting in The Chinese Resaurant while their SGH home was being robbed... for I know quite a lot about the Chen clan and their devious tricks going back 4500 years... So a message to Thailand and Sophonpanich... please return the Title of the freehold purchased to raise finance for your King by King Frederick of Denmark and place the vermin that ruined the future lives of King Frederick's son and his offspring into the depths of Hell as soon as possible... The Danish did not approve of the promotion of HEROIN or money laundering... did they Mr Sophonpanich ??? You really have got away with murder for far too long and I am convinced 6 million Jews died due to your ancestors selfish corruption attempting to find a way into Germany's tax system to rob the German people. So they told Adolph Hitler when he moved to MooChen (Munich in the 1930s) a pack of lies about the Jews and started a hate campaign against them... and if the Sophchenich family wanted someone out of the way they told the Germans "He's a JEW !!!......." When is a Dane a Jew.. when they upset the Sophonpanich family... so what if we are ALL to be a little bit Jewish in the world of TRUSTS and BANKING... it keeps out the Soponpanich fracture. End Erik J Young Rasmussen Mercedes Jellinek Fogh whose great grand father King Frederick of Denmark owned "Four Winds" (Silom). I had little support from The British Ambassador... however some of the FCO staff understood the truth... (over 4000 years of research into the Sophonpanich family) THAILAND'S SOPHONPANICH HEROIN NETWORK SCIENTOLOGY (Often the imprisoned sons of Chinese-Thai businessmen), This coffee shop was leased by the richer prisoners changing hands for between £6,000 and £12,000. Despite the civility of these services to the elite, the prison took two lives each day through varied hardships. Wealthy Thais although almost no foreigners could then buy their way through the appellate courts; a process that might last five years, and in notorious cases, cost up to a quarter of a million pounds. Mr XXXXX Chiang Mai contact's uncle, one of top-five brand-name heroin producers of the Golden Triangle, had spent almost £1M in the Thai Supreme Court separating himself from a bootload of dope found in his Volvo. Interesting how the "GUILTY OFFENDERS" are almost always "FITTED UP or TRICKED FOREIGNERS" MY BIZ FRIEND'S BROTHER WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE usa dea DOES NOT RECALL ANY "FUNDING BY THE USA CIA OF DRUGS DEALS IN THAILAND/LAOS... his intelligence sources suggested it was ID theft of the Sophonpanich financed illegal and unconstitutional THAI CIA who were acting as drug couriers for the HEROIN trade via a series of netwrok downlines including NETWORK MARKETING COMPANIES registered in the USA ... Check "Seqouia Network Marketing down line database software to locate addresses all over the world and financial cash trails etc) organisations like Scientology or Amway or Nuskin or Check the people on the high earning end of the downlines some take over US$10 - $23 million per year income for themselves... they usually have several thousand downlines all those active spending small weekly amounts... a heavy percentage are in the education school university profession readily accessing potential youth addicts duped into addiction with free samples sometimes in exchange for sexual favours just as Scientology were doing in Thailand people falsely stating to be qualified teachers in fact they promoted HEROIN AND BLACKMAIL... The Mercedes automobile brand was the creation of Emile Jellinek a Dane based in Hungary where he was a Diplomat. The car company was named after the great aunt of Erik J Young whose name was 'Mercedes' the same name as hois lost daughter last seen by him some years ago in Thailand. Where is Mr Young's daughter ???? One wonders who the "paparazi" were that chased that car down into the tunnel... was it yet again linked to the Sophonpanich family and their ID thefts ? Erik Young" I didn't pay One Million UK Pounds for a hole in the ground that can't talk... and chatter it does for they upset The Spirit of The Surrey Hills before they fled.. I know many many many things about the Sophonpanich-Dhamapong-Shinawatra clan going back 4500 years in time.... some of the spirits were very very very upset with that bunch of poison tongued thieves who told Henry to have another "Silver Lady" a tonic they gave him... made from mercuric chloride

Macau was both the first and the last European colony in China. 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. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defense 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.

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). 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.

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. The first recorded inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols, during the Southern Song Dynasty. 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. In 1535, the Portuguese traders obtained the rights to anchor ships in Macau's harbours and the right to carry out trading activities, though not the right to stay onshore. Around 1552–1553, they obtained a temporary permission to erect storage sheds onshore, in order to dry out goods drenched by sea water. They later built some rudimentary stone-houses around the area now called Nam Van. In 1557, the Portuguese establish a permanent settlement in Macau, at an annual rent of 500 taels of silver.

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, but did not achieved until 1840s. In 1576, Macau was established as an episcopal see by Pope Gregory XIII. In 1583, the Portuguese in Macau were permitted to form a Senate to handle various issues concerning their social and economic affairs under strict supervision of the Chinese authority, but there was no transfer of sovereignty. Macau prospered as a port but was the target of repeated failed 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.

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, 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. 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.

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. 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.

Shortly after the 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". 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 (SAR) of China. The Chinese government assumed sovereignty over Macau on December 20 1999.

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. Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all areas except in defence and foreign affairs. 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. Macau maintains its own separate currency, customs territory, immigration and border controls, and police force.

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. The chief executive's cabinet comprise five policy secretaries and is advised by the Executive Council that has between seven and eleven members. 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.

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. Any permanent residents at or over 18 years of age are eligible to vote in direct elections. 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. 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. 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.

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. It consists of the Macau Peninsula itself and the islands of Taipa and Coloane. The peninsula is formed by the Zhujiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xijiang (West River) on the west. 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. 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. Alto de Coloane is the highest point in Macau, with an altitude of 170.6 metres (559.7 ft). With a dense urban environment, Macau has no arable land, pastures, forest, or woodland.

Macau has a humid subtropical climate, with average humidity between 75% and 90%. 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). 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). Located in the coastal region of south of China, Macau has ample rainfall, with average annual precipitation being 2,030 millimetres (79.9 in). 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.

Climate data for Macau
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Source: WMO - Macau

Economy

Main article: Economy of Macau

Employed population by occupation 2007
Occupation	no. ('000)
Senior officials/managers	14.6
Professionals	9.9
Technicians	28.1
Clerks	83.7
Service & sale workers	63.2
Workers in agriculture/fishery	0.8
Craft & similar workers	33.7

Nightview of Macau Tower, a communication 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. 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 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. World Bank classifies Macau as a high income economy and the GDP per capita of the region in 2006 was US$28,436. After the Handover in 1999, there has been a rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors due to China's easing of travel restrictions. Together with the liberalization of Macau's gaming industry in 2001 that induces significant investment inflows, the average growth rate of the economy between 2001 and 2006 was approximately 13.1% annually.

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. 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, 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. Since the Handover, Triad underworld violence, a deterring factor for tourists, has virtually disappeared, to the benefit of the tourism sector.

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, in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006, gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were for the first time greater than those of Las Vegas Strip (each about $6 billion), making Macau the highest-volume gambling centre in the world. In 2007, Venetian Macau, at the time the second (now third) 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 the near future.

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

Macau is an offshore financial centre, a tax haven, and a free port with no foreign exchange control regimes. The offshore finance business is regulated and supervised by the Monetary Authority of Macau, while the regulation and supervision of the offshore non-finance business is mainly controlled by the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. 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'.

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.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Macau and Religion in Macau

Residents' usual language spoken at home
Language	Percentage of population
Cantonese	85.7%
Mandarin	3.2%
Other Chinese dialects	6.7%
Portuguese	0.6%
English	1.5%
Others	2.3%

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

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. 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 expectancy at birth, while its infant mortality rate ranks among the lowest in the world.

Ruins of St. Paul's, the façade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul built in 1602.

Macau religiosity
religion			percent
Taoism and Buddhism			73%
Mahayana Buddhism			17%
Christianity			9%
Others			1%

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

Most Chinese in Macau are profoundly influenced by their own tradition and culture, of which Chinese folk religion, that includes the faiths of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, forms an integral part. Macau has a sizable Christian community; Roman Catholics and Protestants constitute 7% and 2% of the population respectively. In addition, 17% of the population follows distilled original Mahayana Buddhism.

A-Ma Temple, a temple built in 1448 dedicated to the goddess Matsu.

Having an economy driven by tourism, 14.6% of Macau's workforce is employed in restaurants and hotels, and 10.3% in the gambling industry. With the opening of several casino resorts and other major constructions underway, it is reported that many sectors experience a shortage of labour. The government responds by importing labour from other neighboring regions.

Currently the number of imported labours stands at a record high of 98,505(Q2 2008), representing more than a quarter of the labour force in Macau. Some local workers complain about the lack of jobs due to the influx of cheap imported labour. Some also claim that the problem of illegal labour is severe. Another concern is the widening of income inequality in the region: Macau's Gini coefficient, a popular measure of income inequality where a low value indicates a more equal income distribution, rises from 0.43 in 1998 to 0.48 in 2006. It is higher than those of other neighbouring regions, such as mainland China (0.447), South Korea (0.316) and Singapore (0.425)..

In 2007, there were a total of 4,537 births and 1,545 deaths. [1]

Education

Main article: Education in Macau

The administrative building of the University of Macau, the first modern university in the region.

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

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

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

Healthcare

Main article: List of hospitals in Macau

Macau is served by one major public hospital, the Hospital Conde S. Januário, and one major private hospital, the Hospital Kiang Wu, both located in Macau Peninsula, as well as a university hospital called Macau University of Science and Technology Hospital in Cotai. In addition to hospitals, Macau also has numerous health centres providing free basic medical care to residents. Consultation in traditional Chinese medicine is also available. Currently none of the Macau hospitals is independently assessed through international healthcare accreditation. There are no western-style medical schools in Macau and thus all aspiring physicians in Macau have to obtain their education and qualification elsewhere. Local nurses are trained at the Macau Polytechnic Institute and the Kiang Wu Nursing College. Currently there are no training courses in midwifery in Macau.

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

Transport

Main article: Transport in Macau

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

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

The Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal provides cross-border transportation services for passengers travelling between Macau and Hong Kong, while the Yuet Tung Terminal in the Inner Harbour serves those travelling between Macau and cities in mainland China, including Shekou and Shenzhen. Macau has one active international airport, known as Macau International Airport located at the eastern end of Taipa and neighbouring waters. Since currently there are no regular direct passenger-flights between mainland China and Taiwan, the airport serves as a transient avenue for the passengers travelling between the two regions. It is the primary hub for Viva Macau and Air Macau. In 2006, the airport handled about 5 million passengers.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Macau

The Statue of Guan Yin, a blend between the traditional images of the goddess Guan Yin and Holy Mary.

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

Portuguese pavement (calçada) at Largo do Senado

The Lunar Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival and celebration normally takes place in late January or early February. The Pou Tai Un Temple in Taipa is the place for the Feast of Tou Tei, the Earth god, in February. The Procession of the Passion of Our Lord is a well-known Catholic rite and journey, which travels from Igreja de Santo Agostinho to Igreja da Sé Catedral‎, also taking place in February. A-Ma Temple, which honours the Goddess Matsu, 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 on the same day. Dragon Boat festival is brought into play on Nam Van Lake in June and Hungry Ghosts' festival, in late August and/or early September every year. All events and festivities of the year end with Winter Solstice in December.

Local cooking in Macau consists of a blend of Cantonese 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, South America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, as well as local Chinese ingredients. Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices and flavours including turmeric, coconut milk, cinnamon and bacalhau, giving special aromas and tastes. Famous dishes include Galinha à Portuguesa, Galinha à Africana (African chicken), Bacalhau, Macanese Chili Shrimps and stir-fry curry crab. Pork chop bun, ginger milk and Portuguese-style egg tart are also very popular in Macau.

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

See also

Main lists: List of basic Macau topics and List of Macau-related articles

Bibliography

• Chan, S. S. (2000). The Macau Economy. Publications Centre, University of Macau. ISBN 99937-26-03-6.
• Fung, Bong Yin (1999). Macau: a General Introduction (in Chinese). Joint Publishing (H.K.) Co. Ltd. ISBN 962-04-1642-2.
• Government Information Bureau (2007). Macau Yearbook 2007. Government Information Bureau of the Macau SAR. ISBN 978-99937-56-09-5.

Further reading

• Cremer (Editor) (1988). Macau: City of Commerce and Culture. Univ of Washington Pr. ISBN 0295966084. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
• De Pina-Cabral (2002). Between China and Europe - Person, Culture and Emotion in Macau. Berg Publishers. ISBN 0826457495.
• Eayrs, James (2003). Macau Foreign Policy and Government Guide. International Business Publications, USA. ISBN 0739764519.

External links

• Portal of the government of Macau
• Government Information Bureau
• Cultural Affairs Bureau
• Macau Government Tourist Office
• Macau - China Travel Guide
• Macau City Guide
• Template:Wikitravel

Profiles

• CIA - The World Factbook — Macau
• Library of Congress - Country Study: Macau
• Macau Yearbook