China Top Travel

The Macao Region, including the Macao Peninsula, Taipa Island and Coloane Island, is located south of Guangdong Province at the western bank of the Pearl River Estuary. It is contiguous to Gongpei of Zhuhai City, lying close to the South China Sea in the south. It is separated by a river from Wanchai of Zhuhai City in the west and faces Hong Kong in the east by the sea, with a distance of 42 nautical miles. There are passenger services of jet and other steamers between the two places. The Macao Peninsular, Taipa Island and Coloane Island are connected by the Friendship Bridge, Macao-Taipa Bridge and a highway.

Its total area covers 23.5 square kilometers.

Area code: 0853

Macao enjoys a subtropic maritime monsoon climate. It has a hot and humid summer, but a delightful winter. The annual mean temperature is 22.3 degrees Celsius. Four--fifths of Macao's annual rainfall falls within the summer rainy season. The annual average preciptation is 2031 mm.

Macao has a population of 420,000, of whom 97% are Chinese, 11,000 locally-born Portuguese and over 2,000 Portuguese.

Macau was a colony of Portugal for 442 years and today retains many cultural, architectural and culinary influences from the Portuguese rule. Macau was handed back to the Chinese in 1999 and is today a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.

Macao is a free port. It used to have such handicraft industries as firecrackers, matches and incense burners for worships, with gambling as the mainstay over many years.

Tourism is the backbone of Macao's economy and together with the gaming industry contributes 40 percent to Macao's GDP. The gaming industry, a key component of local tourism industry, saw its 40-year monopoly ended. Manufacturing Industry:  Textile and garment sectors are the key components of the local manufacturing industry, which are still adopting labour-intensive mode of production and export-oriented.

The main scenic spots include Pagode Da Barra, S. Paulo Archway, Grand Fort, Pipal Garden. famous Black Sand Beach, Macao Museum, etc.