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MACAU > FACTS ABOUT THE COUNTRY
Macau is located on the southeastern coast of China, at latitude 22° 14' North and longitude 113° 35'. It was until 1999 administered by Portugal as an overseas province. Like its formerly British neighbour Hong Kong, Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Macau is geographically divided into three main regions: a peninsula and two islands.
Macau Peninsula (7.49 sq. km, including the Praia Grande reclamation project) is the northernmost region, connecting to the Chinese mainland. It is the center of most tourist activity and is densely crowded.
Taipa (5.79 sq. km including the airport) is an island to the south of the peninsula, accessible via three bridges. It is a major residential center and is the location of Macau's International Airport.
Coloane (7.81 sq. km) is an island further to the south. It is considerably less developed than the other regions, with two beaches, several hiking trails and a resort. It is also the location of Macau's only golf course, though a second one is being built on the Cotai landfill.
The city of Macau is built on the peninsula; two bridges of 2.5 kms and 4.5 kms respectively link it to its nearest island of Taipa, which in turn is joined to Coloane by a 2.2 km-long causeway. At the extreme northern end of the peninsula, on a narrow isthmus, is the imposing gateway (Portas do Cerco, or Border Gate), which leads to the Zhuhai and Zhongshan areas of China.
Climate
The general climate of Macau is moderate to hot, with an average annual temperature of just over 20°C (68°F) and a yearly mean variation between 16°C (50°F) and 25°C (77°F). The humidity is high with an average range between 75% and 90%. Rainfall is also high with the yearly total between 40 and 80 ins. The best season is autumn (October - December) when days are sunny and warm and the humidity is low. The winter (January March) is cold but sunny. In April, the humidity starts to build up and from May to September the climate is hot and humid with rain and occasional tropical storms (typhoons).
Population
The total population is estimated at approximately 455,000 with about 95% of the population Chinese and 5% Portuguese, Europeans and from other regions.
Language
Potuguese and Chinese are the two official languages, with Cantonese the most widely spoken. English is Macau's third language and is generally used in trade, tourism and commerce.
Currency
The pataca (composed of 100 avos) is the of ficial unit of currency in Macau. It is available in coins and banknotes in denominations of:
Coins: 10, 20, 50, avos; 1 & 5 patacas.
Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, & 1000 patacas. |
