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Chief Executive Fernando Chui Executive Council of Macau Chief of Cabinet Alexis Tam Sec. for Administration & Justice Florinda Chan Sec. for Economy & Finance Francis Tam Sec. for Security Cheong Kuoc Vá Sec. for Social Affairs & Culture Cheong U Sec. for Transport & Public Works Lau Si Io Principal Officials Com. Against Corruption Fong Man Chong Dir. of Audit Ho Vang On Pro-Gen. of Procuratorates Ho Chio Meng Com. Gen. of the Police Services José Proença Branco Com. of the Customs Choi Lai Hang
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The Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is the constitution of Macau, replacing the Estatuto Orgânico de Macau, which was effective since 1976, on 20 December 1999.

In accordance with Article 31 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, Macau has special administrative region status, which provides constitutional guarantees for implementing the policy of "one country, two systems" and the constitutional basis for enacting the Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region. The Macau Special Administrative Region is directly under the authority of the central government of China in Beijing, which controls the foreign affairs and defense of Macau but otherwise grants the region "a high degree of autonomy." The Basic Law took force on 20 December 1999, and is to remain in effect for 50 years.

See also[link]

• Basic Law
• Hong Kong Basic Law
• Macau security law

External links[link]

• Full text from Government Printing Bureau
• Full text from the University of Macau

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Macau Basic Law

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This Macau-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Former Senate of Macau

Macau law is broadly based on Portuguese law, and therefore part of the civil law tradition of continental European legal systems. Portuguese law is itself highly influenced by German law. However, many other influences are present, including Chinese law, Italian law, and some narrow aspects of common law.

Constitutional law[link]

The apex of the legal system is the Basic Law of the Macau SAR, a Chinese law approved in accordance with and due to the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau (an international treaty that is officially deposited at the UN) and with article 31 of the Constitution of the PRC. Within Macau, the Basic Law has constitutional rank. The Basic Law of Macau is modelled upon the Basic Law of Hong Kong, although it is not totally equal, as it namely is influenced by the Portuguese Constitution in some points as, for example, in some norms concerning fundamental rights. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights applies in Macau.

The transfer of power[link]

The legal system of Macau was not substantially modified in 1999, as a result of the transfer of power from Portugal to the PRC, given that there is a principle of continuity of the pre-existing legal system, according to which all sources in force prior to the transfer of sovereignty continued to apply, with some minor exceptions that were specified in December 1999.

Judicial system[link]

The courts of the Macau SAR are structured in three levels and have final power of adjudication, except in very narrow areas. The Court of Final Appeal has three judges, and the Court of Second Instance has five judges. Trial by jury is foreseen in the law, but is not used.

Prior to 1991, Macau judicial system was a sub-judiciary district of the judicial framework of the Portuguese legal system and was affiliated to the Judiciary District of Lisbon.^[1]

High Court[link]

The Higher Court of Justice (Superior Court of Justice) of Macau replaced the role of Court of Appeal of the Judiciary District of Lisbon. This highest court would be replaced by the current Court of Appeal in 1999.

The courts prior to the handover in 1999:

• Superior Council of Magistrates
• Superior Council of Public Prosecutors
• Court of Justice of Macau
• Criminal Preliminary Hearing Court of Macau
• Administrative Court of Macau
• Constitutional Court of the Republic of Portugal
• Supreme Administrative Court of the Republic of Portugal
• Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Portugal
• Audit Court of the Republic of Portugal

The courts of Macau consists of:

• Court of Final Appeal – 終審法院/Tribunal de Ultima Instância
• Court of General Competence
• Administrative Court (Tribunal Administrativo)
• Criminal Preliminary Hearing Court – (Juizos de Instruçao Criminal)
• Audit Court
• Higher Court of Justice
• Judiciary Council of Macau (Tribunal Judicial de Base)
• Court of Second Instance or Court of Appeal (Tribunal de Segunda Instância)
• Court of First Instance (Tribunais de Primeira Instância)
• Primary Court of Macau – 初級法院/(Tribunal Judícial de Base)
• Judiciary Council of Macau (Conselho dos Magistrados Judíciais)

Macau as a civil law legal system[link]

Macau is typically a civil law legal system, in that legislation is the main source of law and case law, while clearly relevant, is not a major source of law. Macau has the five 'classic' codifications: the Civil Code, the Commercial Code, the Civil Procedure Code, the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code. In addition, there are a number of other smaller codifications (e.g., in the field of administrative law).

Private law[link]

Private law in Macau is basically codified in two separate codes: the 1999 Civil Code and the 1999 Commercial code. A number of other pieces of legislation, such as the law on standard contract terms, are also of importance. The Commercial Code has been translated into English and is freely available in the website of the Macau Official Printing House (see link below). For a partial translation of the Civil Code, see the bibliography below.

Legal education[link]

The Faculty of Law of the University of Macau was created in the late 1980s and currently offers law degrees and master programmes conducted in Chinese and Portuguese languages. It also offers two master and postgraduate programmes in English, one in EU, international and comparative law, and the other in international business law [2]. In addition, it offers PhD programs in law.

Legal Department[link]

The Department of Public Prosecution (Ministerio Publico) is the judicial authorities of Macau. It is led by the Prosecutor General and assisted by the Assistant-Prosecutor General. Day to day legal activities are performed by general prosecutors.

Gaming law[link]

Macau gaming law is discussed in a separate entry.

See also[link]

• Legal systems of the world
• Civil law (legal system)
• Civil code
• Commercial code
• Immigration to Macau

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Macau

• Macau Law Directory (Government Printing Bureau)
  • (Chinese) Traditional Chinese version
  • (Portuguese) Portuguese version
  • (English) English version
  • (Chinese) (Portuguese) Macau Courts
  • (English) Faculty of Law, University of Macau
  • (English) Personal page of Prof. Jorge Godinho, University of Macau
  • (English) Links to sites of legal interest
• Brief Introduction of Judicial System of Macau

Coordinates: 22°10′N 113°33′E / 22.167°N 113.55°E / 22.167; 113.55

Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China[1] 中華人民共和國澳門特別行政區 Região Administrativa Especial de Macau da República Popular da China (Portuguese) Flag Emblem Anthem: March of the Volunteers 《義勇軍進行曲》 Marcha dos Voluntários Clockwise from top right: Ruins of St. Paul's; Casino Lisboa; St Joseph Seminary Church; Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge; A-Ma Temple; Guia Fortress; Macau Tower. Official language(s) Chinese, Portuguese[2] Spoken languages Cantonese, Portuguese, Macanese (Patuá) Writing systems Traditional Chinese, Latin alphabet Demonym Macanese Government Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China  -  Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On  -  President of the Court of Final Appeal Sam Hou Fai  -  President of the Legislative Assembly Lau Cheok Va Legislature Legislative Assembly Establishment  -  Portugal-administered trading post 1557   -  Portuguese colony 1 December 1887   -  Transfer of sovereignty to the PRC 20 December 1999  Area  -  Total 29.5 km2 (229th) 11.39 sq mi   -  Water (%) 0 Population  -  2010 (2nd qtr) estimate 544,600[3] (165th)  -  2001 census 435,235[4]   -  Density 18,568/km2 (1st) 48,092/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate  -  Total US$31.271 billion (99th)  -  Per capita US$59,451 (2nd) GDP (nominal) 2009 estimate  -  Total US$21.700 billion (94th)  -  Per capita US$39,800 (18th) HDI (2007) 0.944[5] (very high) (25th) Currency Macanese pataca (MOP$) (MOP) Time zone MST (UTC+8)  -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC) Drives on the left ISO 3166 code MO Internet TLD .mo Calling code +853 Macau Chinese name Traditional Chinese 澳門 Simplified Chinese 澳门 Cantonese Jyutping ou3mun4*2 Cantonese Yale Oumùhn Hanyu Pinyin Àomén Literal meaning Bay gate Transcriptions Hakka - Romanization Àu-mûn Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Àomén - IPA [ɑ̂ʊ̯mə̌n] Min - Hokkien POJ Ò-mn̂g - Min-dong BUC Ó̤-muòng Wu - Romanization au去men平 Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping ou3mun4*2 - IPA [ʔōu mǔːn] - Yale Romanization Oumùhn Macao Special Administrative Region Traditional Chinese 澳門特別行政區 (or 澳門特區) Simplified Chinese 澳门特别行政区 (or 澳门特区) Transcriptions Hakka - Romanization Àu-mûn Thi̍t-phe̍t Hàng-tsṳn-khî Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū (Àomén Tèqū) Min - Hokkien POJ Ò-mn̂g Te̍k-pia̍t Hêng-chèng-khu Wu - Romanization au去men平 deh入bih入 ghan平tsen去chiu平 Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Ou3mun4*2 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3 Keoi1 Portuguese name Portuguese Região Administrativa Especial de Macau for "Macau Special Administrative Region" This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Macau (Chinese: 澳門), also spelled Macao ( /məˈkaʊ/), 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 across from Hong-Kong which is to the east, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south.^[6]

The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism, but also includes manufacturing.

Macau is a former Portuguese colony, and is both the first and last European colony in China.^[7][8] Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 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.^[9] Macau was first lent by the Chinese empire as a trading port in the 16th century, and had to administer the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty. In 1887, Macau became a colony of the Portuguese empire and its sovereignty transferred to the Portuguese.

Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the PRC's 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, and immigration policy. Macau participates in many international organizations and events that do not require members to possess national sovereignty.^[9][10] According to The World Factbook, Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world.^[11]

Etymology[link]

Before the Portuguese settlement in the early 16th century, Macau was known as Haojing (濠鏡, literally "Oyster Mirror") or Jinghai (鏡海, literally "Mirror Sea").^[12] The name Macau is thought to be derived from the A-Ma Temple (Chinese: 媽閣廟; Mandarin Pinyin: Māgé Miào; Jyutping: Maa1 Gok3 Miu6), 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 "媽閣" (Mandarin Pinyin: Māgé; Jyutping: Maa1 Gok3). The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macau".^[13] The present Chinese name (澳門, Àomén) means "Inlet Gates".

History[link]

Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral, by George Chinnery (1774–1852). The cathedral was built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835. Only the southern stone façade remains today.

Macau, c. 1870

The history of Macau is traced back to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), when the region now called Macau came under the jurisdiction of Panyu county, in Nanhai prefecture (present day Guangdong).^[12] The first recorded inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols during the Southern Song Dynasty.^[14] Under the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD), fishermen migrated to Macau from Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

Flag of the Government of Portuguese Macau (1976–1999)

Macau did not develop as a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century.^[15] In 1535, Portuguese traders obtained the rights to anchor ships in Macau's harbours and to carry out trading activities, though not the right to stay onshore.^[16] Around 1552–1553, they obtained temporary permission to erect storage sheds onshore, in order to dry out goods drenched by sea water;^[17] they soon built rudimentary stone houses around the area now called Nam Van. In 1557, the Portuguese established a permanent settlement in Macau, paying an annual rent of 500 taels ( 20 kilograms / 44 pounds ) of silver.^[17] The Portuguese continued to pay an annual tribute up to 1863 in order to stay in Macau.^[18]

In 1564, Portugal commanded the trade of India, Japan, and China, though the Portuguese pride was deeply shocked at the supreme indifference with which the Chinese treated them. The senate of Macao complained to the viceroy of Goa, of the contempt with which the Chinese authorities treated them, confessing however that “it was owing more to the Portuguese themselves than to the Chinese”. The Chinese were obliged to restrict the commerce of Portugal to the port of Macao, in 1631.^[19]

During the 17th century some 5,000 slaves lived in Macao, in addition to 2,000 Portuguese and 20,000 Chinese.^[20][21][22]

As more Portuguese settled in Macau to engage in trading, they made demands for self-administration; but this was not achieved until the 1840s.^[23] In 1576, Pope Gregory XIII established the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau.^[24] 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,^[25] but there was no transfer of sovereignty.^[14]

Macau prospered as a port but was the target of repeated failed attempts^[26] by the Dutch to conquer it in the 17th century. On June 24, 1622, the Dutch attacked Macau in the Battle of Macau, expecting to turn it into a Dutch possession after its conquest. The Portuguese repulsed their attack and the Dutch never tried to conquer Macau. The majority of the defenders were Africans slaves, with only a few Portuguese soldiers and priests. Captain Kornelis Reyerszoon was commander of the 800 Dutch strong invasion force.^{[27][28][29][30]}

The Dutch Governor Jan Coen said after the defeat that "The slaves of the Portuguese at Macao served them so well and faithfully, that it was they who defeated and drove away our people there last year", and "Our people saw very few Portuguese" during the battle.^{[31][32][33][34]}

Following the Opium War (1839–42), Portugal occupied Taipa and Coloane in 1851 and 1864 respectively. On 1 December 1887, the Qing and Portuguese governments signed the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce, under which China ceded the right of "perpetual occupation and government of Macau by Portugal" in compliance with the statements of the Protocol of Lisbon. In return, Macau Government would cooperate with Hong Kong's smuggle of Indian opium and China would be able to increase profits through customs taxes. Portugal was also obliged "never to alienate Macau without previous agreement with China", therefore ensuring that negotiation between Portugal and France (regarding a possible exchange of Macau and Portuguese Guinea with the French Congo) or with other countries would not go forward – so that the British commercial interests would be secured; Macau officially became a territory under Portuguese administration.^[14]

In 1928, after the Qing Dynasty had been overthrown following the Xinhai Revolution, the Kuomintang (KMT) government officially notified Portugal that it was abrogating the Treaty of Amity and Commerce;^[35] the two powers signed a new Sino-Portuguese Friendship and Trade Treaty in place of the abrogated treaty. Making only a few provisions concerning tariff principles and matters relating to business affairs, the new treaty did not alter the sovereignty of Macau and Portuguese government of Macau remained unchanged.^[36]

In the Second World War, unlike in the case of Portuguese Timor which was occupied by the Japanese in 1942 along with Dutch Timor, the Japanese respected Portuguese neutrality in Macau, but only up to a point. As such, Macau enjoyed a brief period of economic prosperity as the only neutral port in South China, after the Japanese had occupied Guangzhou (Canton) and Hong Kong. In August 1943, Japanese troops seized the British steamer Sian in Macao and killed about 20 guards. The next month they demanded the installation of Japanese "advisors" under the alternative of military occupation. The result was that a virtual Japanese protectorate was created over Macau.

When it was discovered that neutral Macau was planning to sell aviation fuel to Japan, aircraft from the USS Enterprise bombed and strafed the hangar of the Naval Aviation Centre on 16 January 1945 to destroy the fuel. American air raids on targets in Macau were also made on 25 February and 11 June 1945. Following Portuguese government protest, in 1950 the United States paid US$20,255,952 to the government of Portugal.^[37] Japanese domination ended in August 1945.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Beijing government declared the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce 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.^[38]

Influenced by the Cultural Revolution in mainland China and by general dissatisfaction with Portuguese government, riots broke out in Macau in 1966. In the most serious, the so-called 12-3 incident, 6 people were killed and more than 200 people were injured.^[39][40] On 28 January 1967, the Portuguese government issued a formal apology.

Shortly after the overthrow of the Portuguese dictatorship in 1974 in Lisbon, the new Portuguese government determined it would 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. Three years later, Portugal and China agreed to regard Macau as "a Chinese territory under (temporary) Portuguese administration".^[14][41] The Chinese and Portuguese governments commenced negotiations on the question of Macau in June 1986. The two signed a Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration the next year, making Macau a special administrative region (SAR) of China.^[42] The Chinese government assumed formal sovereignty over Macau on 20 December 1999.^[43] The economy since then has continued to prosper with the sustained growth of tourism from mainland China and the construction of new casinos.

Government and politics[link]

Headquarters of the Government of Macau, previously the Governor's House until 1999.

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.^[9] Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all areas except in defence and foreign affairs.^[9] 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.^[44] Macau maintains its own separate currency, customs territory, immigration and border controls, and police force.^[45][46]

Executive[link]

The government in Macau 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.^[47] The chief executive's cabinet is made up of five policy secretaries and is advised by the Executive Council that has between seven and eleven members.^[48] Edmund Ho Hau Wah, a community leader and former banker, was the first chief executive of the Macau SAR, replacing General Vasco Rocha Vieira at midnight on 20 December 1999. Fernando Chui Sai On is the current Chief Executive.^[49] The chief executive and the cabinet have their offices in the Macau Government Headquarters, located in the former area of the St. Lawrence Parish.

Legislature[link]

Office building of the Legislative Assembly of Macau.

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.^[50] Any permanent residents at or over 18 years of age are eligible to vote in direct elections.^[51] Indirect election is limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" and a 300-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies.^[52]

Judiciary[link]

The original framework of the legal system, based largely on Portuguese law or Portuguese civil law system, was 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.^[53]

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.^[54] In February 2009, the Legislative Assembly passed a security bill based on the withdrawn security legislation previously introduced in Hong Kong.^[55] Democracy advocates feared that the bill's excessively broad scope could lead to abuses, a concern which has been heightened after a number of prominent supporters of democracy in Hong Kong were denied entry into Macau in the run-up to the bill's passage.^[56]

Military[link]

Under Portuguese rule, Macau often served as an expeditionary base to Japan and other regions of East Asia from the 16th century onwards, while maintaining a strong garrison mainly to repel Dutch and mainland Chinese attacks. However since the allied British settled Hong Kong, the need for a strong military presence in Macau dimmed and it became very limited and ceased in 1974. In 1999, upon handover to the PRC, a substantial garrison of the People's Liberation Army was established in the city itself, with a large portion of the forces stationed in neighbouring Zhuhai as well.

Geography[link]

The map of Macau, showing Macau Peninsula, Cotai, Taipa and Coloane.

Landscape of Penha Hill in Macau.

Macau viewed from Macau Museum.

Macau is situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) from Guangzhou. It also has 41 kilometres (25 mi) of coastline, yet only 310 metres (1,000 ft) of land border with Guangdong.^[6][57] It consists of the Macau Peninsula itself and the islands of Taipa and Coloane, which are now connected by landfill forming the Cotai Strip. The peninsula is formed by the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xi Jiang (West River) on the west.^[57] 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 Port of Entry on the Zhuhai side.^[58]

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.^[57] Alto de Coloane is the highest point in Macau, with an altitude of 170.6 metres (559.7 ft).^[6] With a dense urban environment, Macau has no arable land, pastures, forest, or woodland.

Climate[link]

Macau has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), with average relative humidity between 75% and 90%.^[59] Similar to much of South China, seasonal climate is greatly influenced by the monsoons, and differences in temperature and humidity between summer and winter are noticeable, though not as great as inland China. The average annual temperature of Macau is 22.7 °C (72.9 °F).^[60] July is the warmest month, with average temperature being 28.9 °C (84.0 °F). The coolest month is January, with a mean temperature of 15.0 °C (59.0 °F).^[59]

Located on China's southern coast, Macau has ample rainfall, with average annual precipitation being 2,120 millimetres (83 in). However, winter is mostly dry due to the influence of the vast Siberian High affecting much of East Asia. Autumn in Macau, from October to November, is sunny and still pleasantly warm with low humidity. Winter (December to early March) is generally mild with temperature above 10°C most of the time, although it could also drop to below 5°C at times. Humidity starts to increase from late March. Summer is very warm to hot (often rising above 30 °C (86 °F) at daytime). The hot weather is often followed by heavy rain, thunderstorms and occasional typhoons.^[59]

Economy[link]

Graphical depiction of Macao's product exports in 28 color coded categories.

Tourism and gambling have been the primary drivers of Macau's economy.

Nightview of Macau Tower, a communication tower.

The central business district of Macau. The building shown is the BNU tower.

Ruins of St. Paul's, façade originally of The Cathedral of St. Paul built in 1602.

Macau's economy is based largely on tourism. Other chief economic activities in Macau are export-geared textile and garment manufacturing, banking and other financial services.^[63] 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.^[48]

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.^[64] The World Bank classifies Macau as a high income economy^[65] 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.^[66]

In a World Tourism Organization report of international tourism for 2006, Macau ranked 21st in the number of tourists and 24th in terms of tourism receipts.^[67] 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,^[68] with over 50% of the arrivals coming from mainland China and another 30% from Hong Kong.

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 Macao,^[69] in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006,^[70] gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were greatly prosperous.^[71][72][73] In 2007, Venetian Macau, at the time the second (now sixth) largest building in the world by floor space, opened its doors to the public, followed by MGM Grand Macau. Numerous other hotel casinos, including Galaxy Cotai Megaresort, 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 Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (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.^[69][74][75] Gambling revenue has made Macau the world's top casino market, surpassing Las Vegas.^[76]

In the early 2010s, Macau also ramped up show and entertainments in additional to gambling business, including the famous show House of Dancing Water,^[77] concerts, industry trade shows and international art crossovers.^[78]

Macau is an offshore financial centre, a tax haven, and a free port with no foreign exchange control regimes.^[79][80][81] The Monetary Authority of Macau regulates offshore finance,^[82] while the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute provides services for investment in Macau.^[83] 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'.^[84]

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 strives 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.^[85]

Monetary system[link]

In Macau, the unit of currency is the pataca which is currently pegged to the Hong Kong dollar at a rate of HK$1 = MOP1.03. The name pataca is a Portuguese word which was applied to the Mexican dollars that were the main circulating coin in the wider region in the second half of the 19th century. In the year 1894, the pataca was introduced in both Macau and Portuguese Timor as a unit of account for the Mexican dollar and the other silver dollar coins in circulation. In 1901 it was decided to grant the Banco Nacional Ultramarino the exclusive rights to issue banknotes denominated in patacas, and in the year 1906, these notes went into circulation at an official equivalent rate of 2 shillings and 4 pence sterling, and all foreign coins were outlawed. However, the Chinese were suspicious of these paper patacas, being so accustomed to using silver for barter, and as such, the paper patacas circulated at a discount in relation to the silver dollar coins. In the year 1935, when China and Hong Kong abandoned the silver standard, the Hong Kong dollar was pegged to sterling at the fixed rate of 1 shilling and 3 pence, whereas the pataca was pegged to the Portuguese escudo at a sterling equivalent rate of only 1 shilling. From 1945 to 1951 fractional coins of the pataca were minted for issue in Portuguese Timor, and in 1952 similar issues were minted for Macau including an actual pataca coin for the first time.

Demographics[link]

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

Many signs and establishments make use of Chinese and Portuguese names with English becoming commonplace as well.

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).^[87] 95% of Macau's population is Chinese; another 2% is of Portuguese and/or mixed Chinese/Portuguese descent, an ethnic group often referred to as Macanese.^[86] According to the 2006 by-census, 47% of the residents were born in mainland China, of whom 74.1% were 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.^[86]

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.^[88] According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Macau is the top country/region for life expectancy at birth with an average of 84.36 years,^[89] while its infant mortality rate ranks among the lowest in the world.^[90]

Both Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are Macau's official languages.^[91] Other languages such as Mandarin, English and Hokkien are also spoken by some local communities.^[92] The Macanese language, a distinctive creole generally known as Patuá, is still spoken by several dozen Macanese.^[93]

Most Chinese in Macau are profoundly influenced by their own tradition and culture, of which most take part in Chinese folk religion, of which the faiths of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, form an integral part.^[48] Macau has a sizable Christian community; Roman Catholics and Protestants constitute 7% and 2% of the population respectively. In addition, 17% of the population follow original Mahayana Buddhism.^[94]

Since Macau has an economy driven by tourism, 14.6% of the workforce is employed in restaurants and hotels, and 10.3% in the gambling industry.^[92] With the opening of several casino resorts and other major constructions underway, many sectors reportedly experience a shortage of labor, and the government seeks to import labor from neighboring regions.

The number of imported workers stood at a record high of 98,505 in the second quarter of 2008, representing more than 25% of the labor force in Macau.^[95] Some local workers complain about the lack of jobs due to the influx of cheap imported labor. Some also claim that the problem of illegal labor is severe.^[96] 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, rose from 0.43 in 1998 to 0.48 in 2006. It is higher than those of neighboring regions, such as mainland China (0.447), South Korea (0.316) and Singapore (0.425).^[97]

Education[link]

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 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 literacy rate of above 99%.^[86] 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.^[48] In 2006, the Programme for International Student Assessment, a worldwide 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.^[98] 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.^[86]

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.^[85]

Health Care[link]

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.^[99]

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

Taxi in Macau

Currently none of the Macau hospitals are 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.^[48] Local nurses are trained at the Macau Polytechnic Institute and the Kiang Wu Nursing College.^[100][101] 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.^[102] The Macau 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.^[103]

Transport[link]

In Macau traffic drives on the left, unlike either mainland China or Portugal. 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 three companies, namely Transmac, Transportas Companhia de Macau and Reolian Public Transport Co., operate franchised public bus services in Macau.^[104] The trishaw, a hybrid of the tricycle and the rickshaw, is also available, though it is mainly for sightseeing purposes. The newest public bus operator, Reolian Public Transport Co., entered service on August 1, 2011. This new bus operator operates on the existing routes by Transmac and Transportas Companhia de Macau.

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.^[105]

Macau has one active international airport, known as Macau International Airport located at the eastern end of Taipa and neighbouring waters. The airport used to serve as one of the main transit hubs for passengers travelling between mainland China and Taiwan, but now with the introduction of direct flights between those two regions, passenger traffic in this regard has lessened.^[106][107] It is the primary hub for Air Macau. In 2006, the airport handled about 5 million passengers.^[108]

Culture[link]

The Statue of Guanyin, a blend between the traditional images of the bodhisattva Guanyin 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,^[109] 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,^[110] the International Fireworks Display Contest in September,^[111] the International Music festival in October and/or November,^[112] and the Macau International Marathon in December.^[113]

The Lunar Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival and celebration normally takes place in late January or early February.^[114][115] 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 Saint Austin's Church to the Cathedral, also taking place in February.^[57]

A-Ma Temple, which honours the Goddess Matsu, is in full swing in April with many worshippers celebrating the A-Ma festival. In May it is common to see dancing dragons at the Feast of the Drunken Dragon and twinkling-clean Buddhas at the Feast of the Bathing of Lord Buddha. In Coloane Village, the Taoist god Tam Kong is also honoured on the same day.^[57] 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.^[113]

Local cooking in Macau consists of a blend of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines.^[116] 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.^[117] Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices and flavours including turmeric, coconut milk, cinnamon and bacalhau, giving special aromas and tastes.^[118] 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.^[119]

Macau preserves many historical properties in the urban area. The Historic Centre of Macau, which includes some twenty-five historic locations, was officially listed as a World Heritage Site UNESCO on 15 July 2005 during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Durban, South Africa.^[120]

Sports[link]

Football has the greatest popularity in Macau, which has a representative international side, Macau national football team. Another common sport is Rink Hockey, which is often practiced by the Portuguese. The national team of Macau is the most powerful of Asia and has many Rink Hockey Asian Championship titles. The last Championship was conquered in Dalian, China, on the 13th Asian Roller hockey Championship.

Macau always participate in the Rink Hockey World Championship in B category. The automobile racing Macau Grand Prix is arguably the most important international sporting event in Macau, mainly with Formula 3, Motorcycle Road Racing and Touring Car races.

International relations[link]

Twin towns – Sister cities[link]

Macau is twinned with^[121][122]:

• São Paulo, Brazil
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Kolkata, India
• Brasília, Brasil
• Porto, Portugal
• Brussels, Belgium
• Coimbra, Portugal
• Luanda, Angola
• Linköping, Sweden
• Maputo, Mozambique
• Hong Kong
• Recife, Brazil

See also[link]

	Geography portal
	Asia portal
	China portal
	People's Republic of China portal
	Macau portal

• Outline of Macau
• Index of Macau-related articles
• Visa requirements for Chinese citizens of Macau
• Visa policy of Macau
• Foreign relations of Macau
• List of bridges and tunnels in Macau
• Macao Science Center

Notes[link]