Macau

Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

regional border: China
related countries: Portugal

Official Name:
Traditional chinese: 澳門特別行政區, hanyu pinyin: Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū
Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
short form: traditional Chinese: 澳門; simplified Chinese: 澳门; pinyin: Aòmén (Chinese);
Macau (Portuguese)
int'l long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
int'l short form: Macau

ISO Country Code: mo

Time:
Local Time = UTC +8h

Country Calling Code: +853

Capital City: none

Government:
Type: Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China since 20 December 1999. Macau has its own mini-constitution (the Basic Law).

Geography:
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China.
Area: 28.2 square kilometers total, with 8.9 sq. km. on a peninsula connected to China and the southern islands of Taipa (6.5 sq. km.), Coloane (7.6 sq. km.), and Co Tai (5.2 sq. km., land reclaimed from the sea between Taipa and Coloane) linked by bridges and causeway.
Terrain: Flat on the Coastline, hilly and rocky on the inland.

Climate: Subtropical; hot and rainy from spring through summer, cool and humid in winter.

People:
Nationality: Macanese (sing. and pl.).
Population: 500 000.
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95.7%, Portuguese 1.7%.
Religions: Buddhist 17%, Roman Catholic 7%, Christian 2%.
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese) language has official status and the same legal force as Portuguese, the official language.
Literacy: 91%.

Natural resources: none

Agriculture products: vegetables; fishing.

Industries: Tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys.

Exports partners: USA 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)

Imports partners: China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, USA 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005)

Currency: Pataca (MOP)