Macau, also spelled Macao, 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. The total
area of Macau covers 29.7 sq km, with the population 544,600 (in 2010)
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. 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. 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.