The Macao Special Administrative Region, commonly known as Macau or Macao, is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong. Macao lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east and south. The territory has thriving industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, and a notable tourist industry that boasts a wide range of hotels, resorts, stadiums, restaurants and casinos.
Macao was both the oldest and the last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macao in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on December 20, 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macao stipulate that Macao operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs, while Macao maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organizations and events. Macao is situated 60 kilometers (37 mi) southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometers (90 mi) from Guangzhou. It consists of the peninsula itself and the islands of Taipa and Coloane. The peninsula is formed by the Zhujiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xijiang (West River) on the west. It borders the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone in mainland China. The main border crossing between Macao and China is known as the Portas do Cerco (Barrier Gate) on the Macao side, and the Gongbei checkpoint on the Zhuhai side. Macao Peninsula was originally an island, but a connecting sandbar gradually turned into a narrow isthmus, thus changing Macao into a peninsula. Land reclamation in the 17th century transformed Macao into a peninsula with generally flat terrain, though numerous steep hills still mark the original land mass. Alto de Coloane is the highest point in Macao, with an altitude of 170.6 meters (559.7 ft). With a dense urban environment, Macao has no arable land, pastures, forest, or woodland.
Macao has a humid subtropical climate, with average humidity between 75% and 90%. Seasonal climate is greatly influenced by the monsoons and therefore temperature difference between summer and winter is significant. The average annual temperature of Macao is 22.3 °C (72.1 °F). July is the warmest month, with average temperature being 28.6 °C (83.5 °F). The coolest month is January, with average temperature 14.5 °C (58.1 °F). Located in the coastal region of south of China, Macao has ample rainfall, with average annual precipitation being 2,030 millimeters (80 in). However, winter is mostly dry due to the monsoon from mainland China. Autumn in Macao (i.e. October to December) is sunny and warm with low humidity. Winter (i.e. January to March) is relatively cold but sunny. In spring (i.e. start from April), the humidity starts to increase and in summer (i.e. May to September) the climate is warm to hot and humid with rain and occasional typhoons. |
