Macau
The
Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (
[,
] ;
Portuguese:
Região Administrativa Especial de Macau da República Popular da China [], abbreviated as
RAEM), commonly known as
Macau or
Macao (, or informally known as 馬交) is a small territory on the southern coast of
China. Administered by
Portugal until 1999, it was the oldest
European
colony in
China, dating to the 16th century. The administrative power (in Portuguese "poder administrativo") over Macau was transferred to the
People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1999, and it is now one of two
special administrative regions of the PRC, together with
Hong Kong. As stipulated in the
Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration of 1987 and provided for under the
Basic Law of Macau, Macau is guaranteed its special administrative region status for at least 50 years starting from December 20, 1999. Macau has played a unique and influential role in relations between China and the West, especially between the late 16th and 19th centuries.
Residents of Macau mostly speak
Cantonese natively;
Portuguese,
Mandarin,
English,
Fujianese,
Filipino,
Thai, and several other languages are also spoken. 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. (However,
Macanese is sometimes also used in the broader sense to describe any permanent resident of Macau.)
Besides historical Chinese and Portuguese world-heritage relics, Macau's biggest attraction is its
gambling industry and
casinos. Though many forms of
gambling are legal here, the most popular game is
baccarat, which generates over two thirds of the gaming industry's gross receipts. Gamblers from
Hong Kong often take a one-day excursion to Macau;
ferry service by
hydrofoil to and from Hong Kong is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and often takes less than a hour to travel between the two cities. Most gamblers come from mainland China, Hong Kong and
Taiwan.
The name "Macau" (
Portuguese pronunciation IPA: //) 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 Chinese name
Aomen 澳門 (
pinyin:
Àomén, Cantonese Jyutping:
Ou3 Mun4) means "Inlet Gates". The "gates" refer to two erect gate-like mountains of
Nantai () and
Beitai (). Alternately,
Ao may derive from Macau's previous name
Heong San Ou, as it is geographically situated at "Cross' Door".Macau is also known as Hou Keng Ou (; "
Oyster-mirror Inlet"), Heong San Ou (香山澳;
Xiangshan'ao; "Fragrant-mountain Inlet"), Lin Tou ("島;
Liandao; "Lotus Island"), as well as "Soda Port" (疏"埠).
While
Àomén/
Ou3 Mun4 is the traditional Chinese name of the place, it is common among the Cantonese-speaking population of the territory to use the Portuguese name when speaking in Cantonese, pronouncing it
Maa3 Gaau1 (Jyutping
romanization), occasionally rendering it phonetically as 馬交 in Chinese characters.
The form "Macao" was the original Portuguese spelling, and has been retained in most European languages. In modern Portuguese, the correct spelling is "Macau". During the
20th century, the official spelling "Macau" became more and more common in English-language sources, including most print media.
Since the handover of administration in
1999 (Portugal had unilaterally relinquished its sovereignty over the
enclave in
1974 already), the government of Macau considers both "Macao" and "Macau" to be the official English spelling of the name, whereas "Macau" remains the official spelling in Portuguese. This
dualism is visible in many government publications and documents, sometimes even within the same paragraph. For example, the traditional English spelling of "Macao" appears in the SAR's
passports, while the government's official explanatory note on the passport spells it as "Macau" [
1].
In comparison, the central government of the PRC consistently spells its name as "Macao" in English. Less commonly used, is the
pinyin transcription of
Aomen, but its usage is not used officially.
 |
The Chapel of St. Francis Xavier (聖方濟各聖堂) on Coloane island, with a forecourt displaying the territory's distinctive striped tiling. |
As prescribed by the Basic Law, Macau participates in
international organisations and
international sport events as
Macau, China.
16th - 18th century
Chinese fishermen have been living and working in the Pearl River Delta for over 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.
In 1535, the Portuguese, by bribing
Guangdong local officials, obtained the right of
Portuguese ships anchoring in Macau harbours and carrying out trading activities. In 1553, the Portuguese went ashore and settled there on the excuse of drying goods drenched by sea water. In other accounts, the Portuguese were allowed to settle Macau as a reward for defeating
pirates, and to serve as middlemen for trade with
Japan and
India. Also, it should be noted that China's
Ming Dynasty was much more tolerant and open to foreigners than the later
Qing Dynasty.
In 1557, the Portuguese began permanent settlement in Macau.
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.
After the
House of Braganza regained control of
Portugal from the
Spanish Habsburgs in 1640, Macau was granted the official title of
Cidade do (Santo) Nome de Deus de Macau, Não há outra mais Leal [], which means
City of the (Holy) Name of God of Macau, "There is none more Loyal".
The motto "
There is none more Loyal" was granted in honour of the fact that the territory of Macau (
Amacao, in older Portuguese writings) never recognized
Spanish sovereignty, and thus it is considered by historians as the only (now former) part of Portugal that was never surrendered. Realistically, the Habsburgs could never have changed this situation anyway since they were heavily involved in European wars and Macau was far away. Additionally, the successful, decades-long resistance against Dutch privateers demonstrated that Macau was not a soft target.
19th century
Following the
Opium War 1839-1842,
Portugal occupied
Taipa and
Coloane in 1851 and 1864 respectively. In 1887,
Portugal forced the
Qing government to sign "the Sino-Portuguese Draft Minutes" and "the
Beijing Treaty", in which Portugal succeeded in introducing the article on "perpetual occupation and government of Macao by Portugal". These agreements were later dubbed "
Unequal Treaties" by the
People's Republic of China, reflecting their desire to nullify such agreements and ultimately reclaim the lost territory. reflected a change in attitute towards the Chinese, a result of European
imperialism at that time, was recognised by China's weak government in 1887 that, however, steadfastly refused to recognize Macau's colonial borders.
With
Hong Kong established as a
British Crown Colony, Macau's status as the major regional trading centre declined due to the fact that larger ships were drawn to the deep water port of
Victoria Harbour. In 1849, Portugal declared the colony independent of China.
Lin Zexu, a national hero in Chinese modern history who was renowned for cracking down on smuggling of
opium into
China, stayed in the Lotus Temple when he came to Macao on an inspection tour on
September 3,
1839. The
pavilion in which
Lin Zexu worked and the desk he used are still in the temple. A stone statue of Lin was erected in front of the temple in 1989. The Lin Zexu Memorial Hall was built at the temple in 1997.
The Templo de Kun Iam was the site where, on
July 3,
1844, the treaty of Wangxia (named after the village of Mong Ha where the temple was located) was signed by representatives of the
United States and China. This marked the official beginning of Sino-US relations.
Before 1960's
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 Macao's position. Consequently, the situation of Portuguese occupation and government of Macao remained unchanged.
In 1955, the
fascist Salazar regime declared Macau, as well as other Portuguese colonies, an "
Overseas Province" of Portugal.
Although
Macanese culture had always been a mixture between Chinese and Portuguese this did not always come about peacefully. Chinese citizens' efforts to establish their own identity were often counter to the aims of the Portuguese government.
After 1960's
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, the 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 burnt down 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 died and 200 were injured. The incident is often referred to as "1-2-3," with reference to the date of the riots.
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. (Like
Hong Kong, militarily the colony was indefensible.)
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 favour Macau's immediate return to Chinese sovereignty. In
1976,
Lisbon redefined Macau as a "territory under Portuguese administration," and granted it a large measure of administrative, financial and economic
autonomy. The Chinese Government stated on many occasions that Macao has always been Chinese territory and the issue left by history should be settled through negotiations when the condition was ripe.
Transitional period, handover
Portugal and the
People's Republic of China agreed in 1979 to regard Macau as 'a Chinese territory under (temporary) Portuguese administration'--despite over 400 years of continuous Portuguese control, first established during the
Ming Dynasty. This status was made anomalous by the agreement in 1985. Negotiations between the Chinese and Portuguese governments on the question of Macao started in June 1986. In 1987, an agreement, known as the "Joint Declaration" was made to make Macau a
Special Administrative Region of the
PRC.
After four rounds of talks, "the Joint Declaration of the Government of the
People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Portugal on the Question of Macao" was officially signed in April 1987. The two sides exchanged instruments of
ratification on
January 15,
1988 and the Joint Declaration entered into force. During the transitional period between the date of the entry into force of the Joint Declaration and
December 19,
1999, the Portuguese government was responsible for the administration of Macao. The Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao on
December 20,
1999.
Thus the history of
European colonization of
Asia ended where it began. Although offered control of Macau in the 1970s, the Chinese deemed the time "not yet ripe" and preferred to wait until December 1999to close this chapter of history.
In order to implement the principle of high degree of
autonomy, the basic and original framework of the
legal system 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.
The legal system is based largely on
Portuguese law or Portuguese civil law system.
The territory has its own independent judicial system, headed by the
Court of Final Appeal (CFA), which makes final judgments on court cases. Judges are selected by a committee and appointed by the chief executive.
No
death penalty is currently imposed in Macau SAR.
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. Due to the
executive body (government) occupied the eximious position,
chief executive can directly appoint judges and the location of power in final appeal.
Introduction
The status of Macau since reverting to
People's Republic of China sovereignty on 20th 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, 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.
Chief Executive
The
chief executive is appointed by the
People's Republic of China's central government 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.
Legislative body
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. 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.
According to the
Basic Law of Macau, the number of directly elected legislators will increase from 10 to 12 in 2005, while the number of legislators will also increase by 2 more to 29. After 2009, the selection of the Chief Executive may be changed by
" endorsement of the Legislative Assembly and approval by the
National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.
To change the method for forming the
Legislative Assembly require a
" endorsement of the assembly, agreement by the
Chief Executive, and notification to the NPC Standing Committee. Civic organizations in Macau are not well-developed. The ability of Macau residents to change their government is significantly restricted.
Work had been underway to draft national security legislation, as required by Article 23 of the
Basic Law of Macau, but Chief Executive Edmund Ho announced that 2004 would not be the proper time for the government to propose Article 23 legislation. Ho indicated that the government would continue drafting the legislation and would conduct public consultations in good time.
Political Association
Political associations in the
Legislative Council of Macao are mainly including:
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.
Election
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.
 |
The administrative division within Macau |
Macau comprises two administrative subdivisions:
* The Macau District (澳門區):
The Macau Peninsula* The Islands District (離島區, 海島區):
Taipa and
ColoaneTerrain
Macau is 70 kilometres (43.5
mi) southwest of
Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) 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 17th 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.
The Macao
Peninsula is narrow in shape but varies in
terrain:
The East Ocean Watching Hill, West Ocean Watching Hill, Persimmon Hill, Lotus Hill, Luosi Hill and Qingzhou Hill are famous scenic spots in Macao. The Persimmon Hill used to be a
fortress surrounded by stone walls. The fortress, which resembles an imposing
European castle, is now a tourist attraction. Standing on the Persimmon Hill, one gains a panoramic view of both Macao and the nearby
Zhuhai.
The West Ocean Watching Hill, a tranquil scenic spot, is noted for the
cathedral and the
bishop's mansion on its top. Viewed from the Nanxi Bay in the distance, particularly against the evening glow, the cathedral and the mansion stand in their full splendor. From the top of the Persimmon Hill, one sees the Nanxi Bay and the high rise buildings there as well as the sea and the sea - spanning
bridge.
Climate
Macau is located on the northern fringe of the sub-tropical zone. Seasonal
climate is greatly influenced by the
monsoon. Prevailing winds and weather types change follow the
monsoon pattern. It is warm and moist when the southeast and southwest winds coming from
Pacific Ocean, and
typhoons are relatively common during summertime; and is dry and slightly cold when the north winds coming from
Siberia or the northern part of
Mainland China.
During the transition period from northeast
monsoon to southwest monsoon (March and April), the weather is moist and foggy. It is Macau's
spring season. Summer is from May to September, when the southeast and southwest monsoon prevailing. It is rather hot and rainy. The weather in autumn (the end of September and October) is sunny and warm, when the southwest
monsoon withdrawing gradually and the northeast monsoon advancing south. Winter is from November to February next year, when the northeast monsoon prevailing.
The average annual temperature of Macao is 22.3C. July is the hottest month, with average monthly temperature being 28.6C (mostly above 30.0C in reality). The coldest month is January, whose average monthly temperature is 14.5C Located in the coastal region of south
China, Macao has ample
rainfall, with average annual
precipitation being 2,030
millimeters.
Fresh Water
Relying on the water supply of
Xijiang River, Macau is at present suffering its worst ever crisis of salinity in
freshwater during dry season in late winter and early spring time. The
salinity level of
freshwater has recently aggrandized far above the standard set up by the
World Health Organization or
WHO.By the end of
2007, Macau will be able to solve the problem of tap-water supply with relatively high level of salinity after the completion of the
Ping Gang project. This project is aimed at shift the intake of raw-water on the
Xijiang River 20 km upstream in order to give a wide berth to the salt tide in the province of
Guangdong.
The
legal tender is the
pataca (MOP). Hong Kong dollars (HKD) are also accepted. Like
Hong Kong, traveller's cheques can be exchanged at any bank and major hotel.
Credit cards or Mastercards are widely accepted.
ATMs are widely available.
Preface
Macau's
economy is based largely on
tourism, namely
gambling. Other chief economic activities are export-geared
textile and
garment manufacturing,
banking and other
financial services. The
clothing industry has provided about three-fourths 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.
From 9.1 million in 2000, arrivals to Macau has grown to 18.7 million in 2005 [
2], 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. The average growth rate between 2001 and 2005 has been approximately 10% annually. The
GDP per capita in 2005 was
USD $24,300. In the last quarter of 2005, the
unemployment rate stood at 3.9 %.
Gaming, Offshore Banking, Investment
With the opening of the Sands Casino [
3] in 2004 gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were for the first time greater than those of
Las Vegas (each about $5 billion), making Macau one of the highest-volume gambling centres in the world. Other casinos slated to be opened through 2008 are the Wynn Macau Casino [
4] in 2006, the Venetian Macau [
5] in 2007, the Galaxy [
6], Crown Macau and others. As a result, the small economy is growing rapidly due to gambling related tourism from
mainland China and construction from the new casino entrants.
Amongst
Bermuda,
British Virgin Islands or
Bahamas, Macau is one of the most well-known
offshore financial centres and
tax havens in a worldwide sense.
Banco Nacional Ultramarino [
7] , Banco Delta Asia [
8] , Seng Heng Bank [
9] or Tai Fung Bank [
10] are among the most influential banks in Macau, to name a few. There are also many foreign banks registered and established in Macau as well, e.g.
Bank of America - Macau [
11] ,
HSBC - Macau [
12] , etc. Macau is a
free port and
no policy of monetary control [
13] is imposed.
To operate offshore service business is entirely feasible in Macau as related offshore law has been in effect since 1999. The offshore finance business is regulated and supervised by the
Monetary Authority of Macao [
14], while the regulation and supervision of the offshore non-finance business is mainly controlled by the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute [
15].
Foreign investors from overseas who want to obtain the status of
permanent residence in Macau should purchase fixed assets with no less than 1 million Patacas. [
16] Besides, no less than additonal half million Patacas should be deposited in certain appointed
credit institutions in Macau before getting the landing papers. This governmental policy has been successfully attracted an influx of billions of
Pataca and foreign capital that created a positive effect in the Macau SAR's economy especially in the sphere of
real estate.
Trade with the EU
Given its status as a separate customs territory as stated in the
Basic Law, Macao continues to be treated by the
EU as a separate entity for trade policy purposes. The EU was Macao's third largest trading partner and absorbed about 23% of its total exports, while 12 % of Macao's imports came from the EU in 2003 (Macao trade statistics). Total bilateral trade between the EU and Macao reached €1 billion in 2002. Macao's trade surplus with the EU was €382 million (Eurostat). The EU was the third biggest investor in Macao after
Hong Kong and
China with 25 firms investing in the SAR in 2001. Total investment
stock amounted to over €400 million. Macao's membership in the World Trade Organization
WTO and liberal economic system offer favourable conditions for EU investments.
Trade with the US
U.S. investment in Macau, while small in the past, is expected to increase in coming years as the result of the 2002 awarding of two gaming concessions to consortia with U.S. interests. Though trade with Macau represents a small portion of U.S. trade, the
United States was Macau's second largest trading partner after
China. U.S. exports to and imports from Macau in 2002 were USD $79 million and USD $1.2 billion, respectively. After the Macau government ended the 40-year-old gaming
monopoly of the
Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau STDM Company [
17] in February 2002, the government awarded concessions to three consortia, including two with significant U.S. investment. The restructuring of the gaming industry remains the centerpiece of Macau - efforts to improve its international reputation and become a
Las Vegas-like gaming, convention, and family-oriented holiday destination. The possible new investment of USD $1.5-2.5 billion in the medium term will increase jobs and income and dramatically raise the U.S. business profile in Macau.
Trade with Mainland China
Macau and
Mainland China reached in
Beijing in June 2003 a broad consensus on the principles, mechanisms, contents and negotiating schedule of the future
Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement CEPA [
18] between the two sides. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, the Chief Executive, has expressed his Government's "unconditional" support to build a super-bridge (mega-project) between the east and west banks of the
Pearl River Delta,
China. Whatever its final design and routing, the bridge is seen by economists as a great chance to turn the
Pearl River Delta into a super-development zone on a global scale. This will require close co-operation among the estuary's starkly different jurisdiction - Macau,
Guangdong and
Hong Kong - in a wide range of business-related activities, such as the flow of public and private transport via the bridge and co-ordination in the movement of people, goods and services within the region that comprises some 40 million people.
The mega-project's social and economic impact on Macau will be tremendous. For the first time in its long history as a Chinese harbour and meeting place between East and West, Macau will have a direct road - and possibly even rail - link with the delta's economic
superpower,
Hong Kong. Macau's relatively small size and unique Sino-Latin heritage call for special measures by all parts involved to tackle the multifarious challenges expected to follow the opening of the bridge.
The bridge project, which promises to be one of the world's greatest engineering challenges at the start of the 21st century, should also be seen as part of Mainland China's
Closer Economic Partnership Arrangements CEPA with both Hong Kong and Macau, which will entail an ever-growing demand for more efficient transport networks within the delta.
The bridge project i.e.
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is just one facet of Macau's promising development in the coming years, including an innovative trans-border park in conjunction with the adjacent
Zhuhai Municipality and a host of large-scale infrastructure and entertainment projects, such as a two-level bridge between the Macau
Peninsula and
Taipa Island and several mega-casino resorts, convention centres and de luxe hotels.
Following its smooth return to the China, Macau has, indeed, become an integral part of the transformation of the
Pearl River Delta into one of the world's so-called "super zones." Macau is charging ahead to become important player in the New Pearl River Delta Super Zone, based on its centuries-long experience as a hub for trade, business services and cultural ties between China and the rest of the world.
Relationship with Lusophone countries
Given the language, culture and intimate relationships, Macao has been communicating with the
Portuguese-speaking countries through various channels for a long time. This can be reflected in the International Commercial Conference for Portuguese-speaking countries [
19] , which is held in Macao annually. Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) has a lot of co-operation protocols with the relevant organizations and commercial associations in
Brazil and
Mozambique. The organizations include the Portuguese Commercial Association in Macao, Portuguese Business Centre in Asia, Forum dos Empresarios de Lingua Portuguesa, Câmara de Comércio e Industria Luso-Chinesa, Portuguese Business Association and Portuguese Trade Commission.
In order to strengthen the economic co-operation and development between Chinese and Portuguese speaking countries and improve the international status of Macao SAR, the first "Economic Co-operation Forum between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries" was held by the Central Government of the People's Republic of China with the Macao SAR Government being the event coordinator. It is mainly for the economic co-operation and development of the both sides and is non-political. The "Economic Co-operation Forum between Chinese and Portuguese-speaking Countries" will be held every three years and the first was in Macao in October 2003.
Several Chinese
joint ventures have submitted proposals to build a tunnel between the Macau peninsula and
Taipa, construction of which is expected to begin in October 2006 and end in 2009. The proposals vary between 1.5 and 2.3 billion patacas and
construction deadlines will be needed to take 2 and half or up to 3 years. The tunnel, which will be 1.7
kilometers long, will bring the total number of bridges between the Macau peninsula and Taipa to four, three of which are bridges built respectively in the 1970s, 1990s and more recently after administration of the region was transferred from Portugal to China. The measures now being taken by the MSAR government to improve Macau's road
infrastructures in order to boost integration in the Great
Pearl River Delta region.
It was the first time for
Macau International Airport [
20] in 2004 reached the Top-100 (placed 82nd) in global standard for the total volume of goods transportation. In 2003, the airport has altogether processed 140,000 tons of cargo and in 2004, 220,000 tons of cargo. The capacity of cargos processing in the
airport largely grew more than 56%.In 2005
Macau International Airport had the honor to receive the prize of best airport in the
Asian and
Pacific area; again in 2006 received the remarkable prize of global air
freight.
In order to go together the need of public and give satisfaction for those passengers who would like to go to other places of
Zhujiang Delta; or to transfer to the mainland in a more convenient way, the policy of
Two Customs, One Checkpoint (or AIR-TO-LAND Flow Express Bus - Two Customs, One Checkpoint) was introduced by
Macau International Airport. Passenger can request the "Express Link" service at the check-in counter of that airline . When arriving at
Macau International Airport, they may follow the "Express Link" (i.e. signages to gate No.8) for registration and boarding the Air-to-Land transfer. No immigration and customs procedure are required for passengers taking Express Bus until the final destination have been reached.
Bus
In Macau visitors will find an efficient bus service, not only in the city but also in the islands. Visitors can look for the destinations, itineraries and stops in the information panels located at every
bus stop. All the buses have
air conditioning. Between Macau and
Taipa visitors can catch buses 11, 22, 28A, 30, 33, 34 and also the airport bus AP1. Buses 21, 21A, 25, 26, and 26A connect Macau, Taipa and Coloane. There are other buses circulating around the
Macau peninsula.
Taxi
There are plenty of
taxis, the flagfall charge is MOP$11.00. There is no surcharge between Macau and
Taipa island, but between
Taipa and
Coloane, a MOP$2.00 surcharge applies. Between Macau and Coloane there is a MOP$5.00 surcharge. Moreover there is a MOP$3.00 surcharge for each piece of luggage carried in the boot.In order to 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. When used together with a map, this guide will reduce many of the usual misunderstandings.
Junk trips
In the past,
Macau Maritime Museum [
21] used to arrange 2 sailing vessels in which they were re-modelled into a new shape from the ancient one, touring the inner and outer harbours. Along the trip, the general lifestyle and custom of boat dwellers was introduced. Food and drink were occasionally provided in that trip. However, due to the
land reclamation works in the harbour and the boat maintenance, all junk trips have been temporarily suspended. The exhibition building and the open-air café
esplanade of the Maritime Museum are open as usual (close on Tuesdays).
Tricycle
This kind of transportation is quite unique. Its design is immemorial and the speed of ride is pretty slow. Nowadays
jinrikisha has not served as the tool of
mass transit in Macao anymore. However, it is a good idea to use the jinrikisha to roam in particular area of Nanwan or other interesting places. There is no standard fee for such kind of service and thus one may need to negotiate first with the tricycle owner.
Car Hire
Anyone who wishes to hire a car will have to provide an I.D. or
passport, valid
driver's licence (or international driving licence for some countries), a
credit card for deposit and one must be 21 years of age or above.
Considered as a special administrative region or
dependency, Macau is one of the
most densely populated regions in the world.
Introduction
Macau's population is 95%
Chinese, primarily
Cantonese, Fujianese as well as some
Hakka, Shanghainese and overseas Chinese immigrants from Southeast Asia and elsewhere. The remainder are of
Portuguese or mixed Chinese-Portuguese ancestry, the so-called
Macanese, as well as several thousand
Filipino and
Thai nationals.
Languages
The
official languages are
Portuguese and
Chinese.
Though the residents commonly speak
Cantonese, both Cantonese and
Mandarin are
de facto official.
English is widely taught and used as a language of instruction in schools and tertiary education establishments and widely spoken in tourism, trade and other businesses, being Macau's
de facto "lingua franca" among its different ethnic communities.
Macanese (
Patuá), a
Portuguese-Asian Creole dating back to the mid-16th century, is nowadays spoken by just several dozen, mostly elderly residents. FIlipinos invariably speak
English as well as
Tagalog, while the Thais generally speak
Thai or other Thai language.
Work Force
Work force in Macau SAR is mainly composed of
manufacturing 16.4%;
construction 8.3%;
wholesale and
retail trade, repair, hotels and restaurants 27.1%;
financial services,
real estate, and other business activities 8.6%;
public administration, other communities, social and personal services, including gaming 31.8%; transport, storage and
communications 6.8%.
Other Surveys
According to the recent survey conducted by the
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mc.html], Macau has always been one of the longest
life expectancy at birth in the world. The
birth rate and the
total fertility rate also are one of the lowest in the world. The
infant mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world and the
population growth rate in Macau SAR is always less than 1%.
These above figures have been verified that the general
standard of living and the qualities of medical technologies/facilities for public utilities in Macau are quite comparable to any industrial nation in the
developed world.
Nationality
The nationality of people with Chinese descent living in Macau and/or those who are qualified to apply for Macau SAR passports [
22] are considered as Chinese. Although
dual nationality is not recognized by the government of Macau SAR, foreign passport can be freely used as a piece of travel document without restriction, regardless one's nationality. Nevertheless, dual nationality is recognised in a disguised form if one does not want to declare one's nationality which was obtained from overseas.
Also, prior to the 1999 transfer or sovereignty, Portugal offered full citizenship to qualifiying Macau Permanent Residents; many still travel using Portuguese passports. This policy stood in stark contrast to the
British disposition towards residents of Hong Kong; a small number of persons were granted full British
citizenship, while most others were classified as British National (Overseas), or
BNO in which
no right of abode in the
U.K. would be given.
A distinct feature in Macau has been the fusion between the
Portuguese and
Chinese cultures. With most of the population being Chinese, one would expect the total assimilation of the Portuguese over the past four centuries (as seen in [ortuguese
Goa in India). However, this has not been the case at least until the past decade or so. Before 1974, Portugal had a permanent military stationed in Macau. Hence, there were always Portuguese men sent to Macau to complete their compulsory military service. Many decided to stay and settle down after their service was completed.
Chinese Traditional Medicine
Chinese medicine (i.e. medical practice) is not only a nonremovable part of culture in the sphere of medical education but also a very common and alternative choice of
treatment in Macau for both wealthy class and grassroots. With over 90 percent of its population as Chinese
ancestry, Macau has a long history of using Chinese medicine, and Chinese traditional treatment has enjoyed a great popularity. The Faculty of Chinese Medicine [
23] , Macau University of Science and Technology [
24] was set up in the year of 2000.
A
Pan-Pearl River Delta Forum and Exhibition for Chinese Medicine was held in Macau from June 21st to 23rd, 2005, which would hopefully raise Macao's ambition to act as an access for
Chinese traditional medicine leading to the international market.
Mass Media
Most of pop music that can be heard on the channel
TDM Teledifusao de Macau (澳廣視 Est. 1982) [
25] is imported from
Hong Kong or overseas (e.g. mainly
Japan ). However, more and more local songs are being recorded by locals in Macau.
Music
Macau International Music Festival -
MIMF [
26] is basically conducted by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macau SAR Government every year. The 20th anniversary of the MIMF is celebrated with a touch of
romanticism.
Jazz,
classical,
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.[
27]
Classic
Macanese (i.e. with Portuguese descent)
literature is a multi-dimensional art. Their literature appeared as early as in the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of well-known
writers have appeared: 李安樂的詩集《孤獨之路》-
Anthology "Lonely Road", 《美麗的蛋家女》(TancareiraBela)，《沉思的蛋家女》(Tancareira Pensativa)及《蛋家女之歌》(CancāoDe Tancareira) - Leanel Alves. 若瑟(阿德)的詩集《澳門，受祝福的花'》- Anthology "blessed garden, Macao" -
Jose dos Santos Ferreira. 江""的短篇小說集《長衫》- Short
fiction : "The Gown" written by Deolinda de Conceição [
28]飛歷奇的長篇小說《愛情與小脚趾》'《大辫子的誘惑》- Long fiction: "Love and small toes" & "The enticement of big braid" written by Henrique de Senna Fernandes [
29]. 馬若龍的詩集《一日中的四季》- Anthology "four seasons in one day" - Carlos Marreiros [
30]
"Chinese Urheen - 《中國二胡》"
Camilo Pessanha (庇山耶) 1867 - 1926
"Collection of Cathedral of Saint Paul -《三巴集》" WuLi (清代 • 吳曆) 1632 - 1718
Renowned
playwright Tang Xianzu [
31] (明代 • 湯顯祖 1550 - 1616). His works covered "XiangAo Meets Jia Hu" - 《香澳逢賈胡》、"Listens to Xiangshan - Translator" one, "Listens to Xiangshan - Translator" two - 《聼香山譯者 1, 2 》, 《香山驗香所採香口號》, "South Haijiang" -《南海江》 and so on. These works mainly reflected and depicted Macau's local scenery at that time (late
Ming dynasty), the human sentiment and international trade.
"The Chart of Maritime Countries - 《海國圖志》" , "Listens to the
Dulcimer & Song playing by a foreign lady in the Aomen Garden - 《澳门花园听夷女洋琴歌》" written by WeiYuan (清代 • 魏源 1794 - 1857 ), has displayed his personal feeling and understanding of the
Western music.
Cantonese Opera
Cantonese Opera [
32] is quite popular especially in the group of eldery. In 2003, the
Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.R Government, in collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the
Hong Kong S.A.R organized the exhibition "
Fong Yim Fun - The Life and Work of a
Cantonese Opera Artiste" [
33] . The part of her works (
as a well-known actress and opera artiste in Canton, Hong Kong and Macao, Fong Yim Fun performed in more than 150 operas and films) was exhibited in the Museum of Macao [
34] at that time.
Facilities
Macao Cultural Centre [
35](i.e. Centro Cultural de Macau) established in 1999 for the purpose of offering unique venues for artistic events, international conferences and exhibitions, enhancing cultural exchange and helping to expand culture horizon amongst Macau residents. Hundred and thousand programs and events launch almost every single day, e.g.
martial arts performance, Chinese traditional music, foreign music, varies types of dancing, etc.
Macau Ricci Institute is a recent foundation of the
Jesuits in Macau. Its aim is to continue the process of friendly encounter between
Chinese and
Western cultures and traditions, which was begun by
Matteo Ricci 1552-1610 many years ago. [
36]
Figures
According to recent census figures, of the more than 355,000 persons surveyed, 60.9 percent had no religious affiliation, 16.8 percent were
Buddhist, 13.9 percent were "other" (followers of a combination of
Buddhist,
Taoist, and
Confucian beliefs), 6.7 percent were
Roman Catholic, and 1.7 percent were
Protestant. The number of active
Falun Gong practitioners declined from approximately 100 persons to approximately 20 after the movement was banned in
mainland China in July 1999. There are about 100
Muslims in Macau.
Protection by the Basic Law
On
December 20,
1999, Macau reverted from Portuguese to
Chinese administration and became the Macau Special Administrative Region of the
People's Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy, including the sphere of religious practice. The
Basic Law of Macau provides for
freedom of conscience,
freedom of religious belief,
freedom to preach, and
freedom to conduct and
participate in religious activities. The Freedom of Religion
Ordinance, which remained in effect after the handover, provides for
freedom of religion, privacy of
religious belief, freedom of religious assembly, freedom to hold religious processions, and freedom of
religious education. The Macau Government generally respects these rights in practice.
Under the
Basic Law of Macau,
Mainland China does not govern religious practices in Macau. The Basic Law states that "The Government of Macau
Special Administrative Region, consistent with the principle of religious freedom, shall not interfere in the internal affairs of religious organizations or in the efforts of religious organizations and believers in Macau to maintain and develop relations with their counterparts outside Macau, or restrict religious activities which do not contravene the laws of the Region.
The Religious Freedom Ordinance requires religious organizations to register with Macau's Identification Services Office. There have been no reports of discrimination in the registration process.
The Freedom of Religion Ordinance stipulates that religious groups may maintain and develop relations with religious groups abroad.
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism
Most Macau people believe in the 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 40 to 50 temples of various sizes in Macao. Most of them were built about 100 years ago, and some of them have a history of 500 years. 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 be appeared at the same
temple. The most famous ones are the
Puji Temple, the
A-Ma Temple and, in particular, the
Lotus Temple. Built in 1592, the Lotus Temple has a history of over 400 years.
Christianity
The
Catholic Diocese of Macau was established on 23rd 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 five per cent of Macau's population is Catholic.
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.
Missionaries are free to conduct
missionary activities and are active in Macau. More than 30,000 children are enrolled in
Catholic schools, and a large number of influential non-Christians have received a
Christian education. Religious entities may use electronic media to preach.
The
Victoria Diocese of the Anglican Communion, established in 1849, included Macau as well as Hong Kong. When the Diocese of Chung Hwa Sheng Kung Hwei was established in 1912, Macau were included with
Hong Kong and
Guangdong. In 1951, following the change of the Chinese government, Hong Kong and Macau left the Diocese and established the
The Sheng Kung Hui Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau. At the end of British administration in Hong Kong, the Diocese was succeeded by the
Province of
Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (also called the Hong Kong Anglican Church).
Macau was also the first station of the
Protestant church for mission in China.
Other
Macau has a small number of
Falun Gong practitioners.
Falun Gong practitioners continued their daily exercises in public parks where the police occasionally observed them once or twice a month, and checked identification. There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees or forced
religious conversion.
Relations among the various religious communities get along each others. People in Macau generally are very tolerant of other religious views and practices. Public ceremonies and dedications often include prayers by both
Christian and
Buddhist groups.
Macao is a city of tourism with multicultural blend providing a broad sense and international perspective for college students. The free academic atmosphere and its profound and unique foundation in culture also created favorable conditions for higher education. Most curricula, teachers or the general quality of teaching already reached an international level.
English or
Chinese are mainly conducted in universities, some courses or programs are conducted in
Portuguese.
Online application is now possible to make in the
University of Macau [
37]
Gaming Management is an unique program newly offered under the umbrella of the faculty of
business administration. Besides, there are many other traditional options for students to choose namely
accounting, business
information systems,
economics and
international finance,
finance,
international business,
management,
marketing. For
English studies, teaching areas cover English
literature,
linguistics and
translation, etc. For
communication, it basically includes
journalism,
public relations,
advertising,
video production.
Entrance examination is a must for the admission of
undergraduate/
graduate programs in the
University of Macau and sometimes, personal interview may also be required. Candidates may check their results/marks of the entrance examination online although results will be sent to individual applicants by mail at the beginning of June. As quotas are set every year and competition is keen, one who meets the minimum score of entrance examination or other requirements of admission may
NOT automatically be offer a place.
Recently Macau University of Science and Technology [
38] (MUST) together with
colleges/
universities from
Europe,
Australia,
New Zealand and other countries signed agreements of co-operation that they will use the model of 2+2 or 3+1 in which students may get double
degrees after graduation in Macau and aboard.
Asian Indoor Games
The right to host the second edition of the spectacular
Asian Indoor Games in 2007 was granted to Macao at the
Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly Meeting, which was held in
Kuwait on
24 January 2003. At the same meeting, the locally designed
emblem of the Macao 2007, 2nd Asian Indoor Games was also unanimously approved. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has established the Asian Indoor Games, a competition that will take place every two years, in which will be composed by sports with TV broadcasting potential and not included in the
Asian Games and Winter Asian Games Programs and are not Olympic sports. The sports program will comprise of six to eight exciting sports with strong television appeal, including
extreme sports,
aerobics,
acrobatics, indoor
athletics,
dancesport,
futsal,
inline hockey,
finswimming, and 25 metres short course
swimming.
Grand Prix
Macau Grand Prix [
39]
Each November, hundreds of racing drivers (i.e. including both
cars and
motorcycles ) will take part the
Formula 3 event in Macau.
Macau Grand Prix has become a stepping stone for future
Formula 1 drivers. Famous drivers include
Ayrton Senna,
Michael Schumacher,
Mika Häkkinen,
David Coulthard and
Ralf Schumacher. All these Formula 1 drivers having graduated from the narrow, twisting Guia street circuit.
Grand Prix Museum in Macao is available for those who want to visit and feel back on track. The museum encourages a closer relationship between the local people and this sports event as well as to enable foreign visitors to know more about this famous international championship. Many internationally famous race car drivers came here and participated in the races since the beginning of 1954. Today, it has become an exciting international sports event in Macau.
More than 20 racing cars famous for being driven by world class drivers, electric-operated motor cars and accessories related to the Grand Prix displayed in the museum. Visitor can carry up the history of car race in Macau in the past 40 years. The museum also displays many historical pictures of wonderful car races. 2 racing
simulators will be provided for visitors who feel interested in
car racing [
40] .
East Asian Games
The 11th
East Asian Games Association (EAGA) Council meeting held in
Guam in March 1996 awarded Macau the right to host the 4th East Asian Games. They were held between
October 29 2005 and
November 6 2005.
China,
Japan,
South Korea,
North Korea,
Hong Kong,
Mongolia,
Chinese Taipei,
Guam sent a total of more than 2,800 athletes and officials.
There were 17 sports and 235 events at the games, which included:
Aquatics,
Athletics,
Basketball,
Bowling,
Dancesport,
Dragon boat [
41] ,
Football,
Gymnastics,
Hockey,
Rowing,
Karate-do[
42],
Shooting, Soft tennis,
Taekwondo,
Tennis,
Weightlifting, and
Wushu [
43]
By utilizing and swirling the five symbolic colors from the
Olympic Rings together, the emblem of the games displayed the Olympic Spirit in a new guise.[
44] It also reflected the dynamic power of the
Five Elements -
Metal,
Wood,
Water,
Fire and
Earth.
The Mascot of 4th East Asian Games [
45]was a squirrel called "
Pak Pak (柏柏)". "
Pak Pak" comes from Macau's Guia Hill where there are lots of
Fir trees, and is also the site of the oldest
lighthouse on the Chinese coast - the
Guia Lighthouse.
Facilities
Facilities for large-scale of events and sportsMacao
East Asian Games Dome situated in
Cotai [
46] , the Macao
East Asian Games Dome [
47] will be Macao's largest and most modern sport facility, a three-story multi-purpose sport complex covering a total area of 45,000 m2 and has been designed with two separate functional indoor
pavilions ideal for different indoor sports and activities, as well as a large exhibition hall that can accommodate up to 2,000 people.
Pavilion 1:With a total seating capacity of more than 7,000, one of this pavilion's main features is the dedicated indoor
track and field set-up; ideal for different activities, from the important ceremonies to various sporting events.
Pavilion 2:This pavilion can seat up to 2,000 and is designed with a central stage that offers an U-shaped spectators seats setting, audiences are provided with a perfect view of the exciting activities on the stage, especially suitable for different exhibition sports, including
dance sport and others.
Macao Olympic Aquatic Centre [
48]Inaugurated on 28 March 2003, the Macao Olympic Aquatic Centre is covering a total area of 3,220 m2 and has a seating capacity of 1,500, the Aquatic Centre has been built with a diving pool of 25 meters by 25 meters that has an adjustable base reaching a maximum depth of 5 meters, and a 10-lane standard
swimming pool, 50 meters in length.
IPM Multi-sport
Pavilion [
49]The state-of-the art IPM Multisport Pavilion covers a total area of over 6,200 m2 and has a seating capacity of 3,800. This modern Pavilion is ideal for different indoor sports, from a variety of sports to assorted
ball games. It is connected to the adjacent Macao Forum via a
flyover and a short underground passage.
Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion [
50] [
51]A modern indoor multi-sport complex that will cover a total area of more than 5,500 m2, it is built within a couple of minutes walk from a separate warm-up hall and offers a seating capacity of more than 4,000. This pavilion is suitable for a variety of indoor sports, from
aerobics,
gymnastics to different ball games.
Macao Forum [
52]Connected to the adjacent IPM Multisport Pavilion and Media Centre, the Macao Forum is a popular and functional indoor venue, and has two pavilions and ample exhibition space. The main pavilion can seat up to 4,000 and offers a competition area of 45
meters by 25 meters and a ceiling height of 12 meters, it is ideal for different sports and cultural activities. The second pavilion offers a space of 30 meters by 15 meters, with its
theatre style-seating format, which can accommodate over 300 people; this is suitable for different
spectator sports and shows.
*
Ruins of Saint Paul's Cathedral*
Casino Lisboa *
Macau Tower *
Macau Fisherman's Wharf*
Old Protestant CemeterySome 24 historic monuments and eight public squares, together forming the "
Historic Centre of Macau", has been inscribed onto the
World Heritage List of
UNESCO, on 15 July 2005.
 |
A fountain in the shape of a lotus which is the symbol of Macau, outside the Macau Tower. |
Honours System
Grand Insignia of Lotus Flower, the highest award under the MSAR honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's life-long and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Macau.
Honourable Insignia of Golden Lotus Flower is awarded to outstanding persons who have given very distinguished services to the community or who have rendered public or voluntary services of a very high degree of merit.
Honourable Insignia of Silver Lotus Flower is awarded to persons who have taken a leading part in public affairs and/or voluntary work over a long period of time.
Order of MeritMedal of Excellent ServiceCertificate of MeritEvents and Festivals
FEBRUARY (or
JANUARY)
Chinese New Year The Chinese in Macau celebrate the same religious festivals as their counterparts in
Hong Kong and other regions in
Asia.
MARCHFeast of the God Toutei Tou Tei is the
Earth God and he is said to be everywhere. Celebrations are held at the Pou Tai Un Temple on Taipa.
Procession of the
Passion of our Lord, The Good
Jesus This is where a statue of Christ is paraded through the streets to the Macau Cathedral.
Macau Arts Festival The Provisional Municipal Council of Macau and the Cultural Institute organizes this festival every year. It is the time when most of the cultural associations and institutes of Macau display their best shows. Normally the program includes
concerts,
dance, painting exhibitions, Chinese
opera,
theatre etc. It is an occasion when the cultural diversity of Macau comes to the stage.
APRILChing Ming or
Qingming FestivalThis Chinese
tradition goes back thousand of years where on this day, families will visit the
cemeteries to pay their respect and to sweep the graves of their
ancestors. They will also burn joss sticks and paper objects, believing that the dead will receive these items "on the other side." Families will also present roast piglets, fruit and other food to the deceased but the food is not wasted for at the end of the day, there will be a family feast.
Easter Holidays
Anniversary of
1974 Portuguese RevolutionThis day celebrates Portugal's left-wing military coup.
A-Ma Festival A-Ma is a Taoist goddess and is particularly revered in Macau. Also known as Tin Hau, she is the
deity of fisher folk and other seafarers. Legend told of the story where a junk, while sailing across the South China Sea, was caught in a tremendous storm and was about to sink. All aboard were terrified but at the last minute, a beautiful young woman stood up and ordered the elements to calm down. It did and the junk reached land safely. This mysterious woman is none other than the Goddess A-Ma. A temple was built on the spot where she landed and it is still there to this day, on the Inner Harbor. The name Macau came to be when many centuries later, when Portuguese soldiers asked for the name of the place, the locals replied "A-Ma-Gao" (Bay of A-Ma). It was eventually shortened to Macau. In recent times, a statue of A-Ma was erected on the highest point of Coloane Island. During the A-Ma Festival, offerings are made. There are also performances of Chinese opera.
MAYFeast of
Buddha The birthday of Prince
Siddhartha, founder of Buddhism, is marked by devotees bathing his image. Born a prince, Siddhartha embarked on years of wandering to seek enlightenment. By resisting all temptations, he found that to attain true knowledge and peace, man had to renounce all of earthly desires and eliminate the self.
Feast of the Drunken DragonThis is an unusual local festival that is observed by fish traders on the eighth day of the eighth moon. The festive occasion starts from Kwan Tai Temple (near Leal Senado square) where groups of intoxicated men will dance their way through markets and lanes while waving wooden
dragons' heads and tails. The performance has also been interpreted as an
exorcism or a
fertility rite.
Tam Kong Looked upon by fisherfolk, worshippers at the shrines of
Taoist child god, Tam Kung, pray for health, wealth, knowledge and wisdom-and calm seas. It was said that during the
Qing Dynasty, the orphan Tam Kung who was raised by his grandmother attained extraordinary power at the age of 12, thus making him the subject of worship. He could heal the sick and control the weather. Just by tossing a handful of peas into the air, he could bring rain. And to stop a fire, he would simply throw water into the air. During this festival, Chinese opera will be staged at Coloane village where there is a temple dedicated to Tam Kung.
Procession of Our Lady
Fatima An annual procession of devotees from S. Domingos Church to the Penha Chapel where an open-air mass is said. The event commemorated the miracle of Fátima in Portugal in 1913.
JUNEDragon Boat Festival The
Dragon Boat Festival is held on Nam Van Lakes. A spectacular competition, it commemorates a
3rd century BC court adviser who drowned himself in protest against a decision by the emperor to go to war with a neighboring state. Wat Yuen was said to have left behind a beautiful poem before jumping into the river. In order to protect his body from being eaten by fishes, the people quickly launched their boats, splashed the water with paddles and tossed rice dumplings into the water.
Feast of Kuan Tai
Feast of Na Cha
AUGUSTVolleyball Grand PrixMacau stages a section of the volleyball matches in the spacious Forum stadium with international teams battling to qualify for the finals.
Feast of Maidens Sometimes referred to as the Lovers' Festival, it falls on the seventh day of the seventh moon on the lunar calendar and has deep meaning for unmarried women. The festival celebrates the only day in the year when the legendary Heavenly Weaver can meet her lover, the Cowherd, over a bridge of birds spanning the
Milky Way.
Feast of Hungry
GhostsAppease the restless spirits by burning paper and food offering by the roadsides for it is said that during this month, the ghosts are freed from the underworld and is free to roam the world every year for a
lunar month. This festival also feature local celebrations such as Chinese
opera.
SEPTEMBER Mid-Autumn Festival This is one very important festival for the Chinese people and also one of the loveliest nights of the year. It was done in memory of a
14th century uprising against the Mongols when rebels wrote the call to revolt on pieces of paper and embedded them in cakes, which was then smuggled to compatriots. Today, in commemoration of the festival, people eat special sweet cakes known as
Mooncake made of ground
lotus and
sesame. Children also get to play with colored lanterns and watch the huge autumn moon rise.
International
Fireworks Festival The International Fireworks Festival is normally held around the end of
September to the beginning of
October. It is a unique innovation with experts from different countries invited to compete with spectacles of
fireworks.
OCTOBERMacau International Music Festival The Macau International Music Festival is a perfect blend of East and West-a prestigious event with international impact. One factor that makes this festival unique: the Macau International Music Festival is performed at unique locations.
Festival of Ancestors (Chung Yeung) During the Festival of Ascending Heights, or
Double Ninth Festival, families offer prayers at the graves of their ancestors and climb hills in the belief that this will avoid disaster.
NOVEMBERAll Souls Day Macau Grand Prix The Macau Grand Prix is one of the biggest events in Macau's year. You'll get to see Formula 3 cars, motorcycles and saloon cars compete in this annual spectacle. The exciting event will take place at the tough Guia circuit.
DECEMBERMacau International Marathon and Macau International Half Marathon Running of the International Marathon over a full course that circles the peninsula and crosses to Taipa and Coloane Islands. Runners from overseas will join hundreds of Macau and Hong Kong athletes.
Feast of Immaculate ConceptionIt is a traditional Christian festival with special
masses. A public holiday as well.
Winter SolsticeA traditional Chinese celebration, the Winter Solstice is a public holiday as well.
Other
* Like
Hong Kong and the
United Kingdom, but unlike both
mainland China and
Portugal, traffic in Macau travels on the left, and the majority of vehicles are
right hand drive. (Portugal and southern provinces of China also originally drove on the left.)
* Like Hong Kong, Macau also has a flower to represent the territory. While the representative flower of Hong Kong is the
Bauhinia, the representative flower of Macau is the
lotus. The lotus is always used as a symbol of the Macau Special Administrative Region.
*
Sister cities [
53]
**
Concelho de Macau*
Lisbon Portugal*
Porto Portugal*
Brussels Belgium (Friendship Agreement)
*
São Paulo Brazil**
Concelho das Ilhas *
Coimbra Portugal*
Linköping SwedenMacau boasts eight Chinese-language and three Portuguese-language dailies, as well as one English-language daily (
The Macau Post Daily).
{
*
Communications in Macau*
Crime and Police in Macau*
Education in Macau*
Gambling in Macau*
Foreign relations of Macau
* Legal system of Macau
* List of universities in Macau
* Macau Grand Prix
* Macau Law
* Macau gaming law |
* Military of Macau
* Transportation in Macau
* Postage stamps and postal history of Macau
* The Scout Association of Macau
* MSAR passport | 
