Travessa Da Misericordia
General Post Office
Macau Tower, view to
China
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The Territory
of Macau, which comprises the peninsula of Macau and the two nearby
islands of Taipa and Coloane, is situated on the southern coast of
China in the western part of the Pearl river delta. Macau covers an
area of 17 square kilometers and has a population of almost 400 000. It
is a duty free port with no currency import/export restrictions.
Portuguese and Chinese are the official languages while English is also
spoken.
Founded in the middle of the sixteenth century, Macau has been
administered by the Portuguese for more than 400 years. In 1987,
Portugal and China issued a Joint Declaration on an agreement to
transfer administration of the Territory from the Portuguese Government
to the Chinese Government on 20th December 1999.
From April to September, the weather is very humid and warm, with the
possibility of typhoons in July and August. From October to December,
it is mild and dry. In January and February, it is somewhat cold and
humid, and the temperature starts to rise in March with humidity
remaining high.
Macau can reached from Hong Kong by means of very frequent boat
connections, the trip taking around an hour, and from Guangzhou
(Canton), 160 kilometers away in mainland China, by road.
The main industry (approximately 75%) of Macau is garments and
textiles, with toys, electronics, leather products, wooden furniture,
ceramics and optical goods being other important products. Tourism is a
strong sector in Macau's economy. In 1991 there were 7.5 million
visitors, of whom 81% were Hong Kong residents who came for the casinos.
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