MACAU
- CHINA |
| |
The
Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China,
shortened to Macau or Macao (See Names), is a small territory on the
southern coast of China. It is 70 km southwest of Hong Kong and 145 km from
Guangzhou. It was the oldest European colony in China, dating back to the
16th century. The Portuguese government transferred sovereignty over Macau
to the People's Republic of China in 1999 and is now run as a Special
Administrative Region of the PRC. Residents of Macau mostly speak Cantonese
natively.
Broadly, Macanese refers to all permanent inhabitants of Macau. But narrowly,
it refers to an ethnic group in Macau originating from Portuguese descent,
usually mixed with Chinese blood. |
|
Besides historical colonial relics, the
biggest attractions in Macau are the casinos. Though many forms of gambling
are legal there, the most popular game is Pai Gow, a game played with
Chinese dominoes. Gamblers from Hong Kong often take a one-day excursion to
the city. Ferry service by hydrofoil between Hong Kong and Macau is
available 24 hours a day, every day.
Politics
The chief executive is appointed by the People's Republic of China's central
government after selection by an election committee, whose members are
nominated by corporate bodies. The chief executive appears before a cabinet,
the Executive Council, of between 7 and 11 members. Edmund Ho, a community
leader and banker, is the first China-appointed chief executive of the Macau
SAR, having replaced General de Rocha Vieira on December 20, 1999.
The legislative organ of the territory is the Legislative Assembly, a 23-member
body comprising eight directly elected members, eight appointed members
representing functional constituencies and seven members appointed by the
chief executive. The Legislative Assembly is responsible for general
lawmaking. The city of Macau and the islands of Taipa and Coloane each have
a municipal council.
The legal system is based largely on Portuguese law. The territory has its
own independent judicial system, with a high court - the Court of Final
Appeal (CFA). Judges are selected by a committee and appointed by the chief
executive.
Subdivisions
Macau comprises two administrative subdivisions:
The Northern District: Macao proper
The Islands District: Taipa and Coloane
Although the phrase "Northern District", broadly speaking, may refer to the
entire Macau peninsula, some of the people in Macau use the phrase "Northern
District" more narrowly. It refers to the northern part of the Macau
peninsula, and the northern part of the Macau peninsula is situated near the
border of China. In this way, a lot of people travel to and from China by
land (i.e. on foot or all sorts of land transportation) through the northern
district.
Demographics
Considered as a "dependency", Macau is the most densely populated of the
countries/dependencies in the world.
Macau's population is 95% Chinese, primarily Cantonese and some Hakka, both
from nearby Guangdong Province. The remainder are of Portuguese or mixed
Chinese-Portuguese ancestry, or the so-called Macanese. The official
languages are Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese, though the residents commonly
speak Cantonese Chinese. English is spoken in tourist areas.
Culture
Landmarks
Ruins of Saint Paul's Cathedral
Casino Lisboa
Macau Tower |
|
