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Macau Cities with Hotels
Macau or Macao, overseas territory of
Portugal, on the southeastern coast of China, west of Hong Kong. It consists of
a peninsula and three islands-Coloane and the two Taipa islands, located on the
estuary of the Zhu Jiang, near its mouth on the South China Sea. Macau has a
total area of 16 sq km (6 sq mi).
Some of the hotels, motels and resorts available for
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Macau
The city of Macau occupies most of the
hilly peninsula; its border with the Chinese province of Guangdong is marked by
the massive Barrier Gate erected by the Portuguese in 1849. Macau is the
commercial and administrative center of the territory and has more than 80
percent of the total population. The islands are mostly rocky and contain
several villages and some small agricultural plots. The peninsula is linked by
bridge to one of the Taipa islands, which in turn is connected by causeway with
Coloane. Ongoing land reclamation projects are adding considerable area to the
small territory.
Macau is a free port, which means that all vessels may load
or unload there without paying import duties. Manufactures include textiles,
footwear, firecrackers, electronic equipment, precision instruments, and
handicrafts, and the city has an active fishing fleet and exports fish products.
Tourism is an important industry, with many visitors attracted by the gambling
casinos. Macau is connected by ferry to Guangzhou (Canton) and Hong Kong. The
Macau International Airport opened in December 1995. The population is about 95
percent Chinese.
First visited by Portuguese navigators in the early 16th
century, Macau was established as a trading colony in 1557. It soon flourished
as the principal trading port between China and the West. In 1849 the Portuguese
proclaimed sovereignty of the settlement; this act was formally recognized by
China in a treaty in 1887. By the end of the 19th century, with the silting of
its harbor and the growth of the port of Hong Kong, Macau lost its preeminence
in Chinese trade. As its trade declined, Macau gained a reputation as a
smuggling and gambling center. Its population was swelled by refugees from
Communist China after 1949. In 1967 the city experienced severe pro-Communist
riots. In the late 1970s Macau was given increased administrative and economic
independence. In 1987 Portuguese and Chinese negotiators reached agreement on
the return of Macau to China in 1999. Population (1989 estimate) 484,000.
"Macau," Microsoft® Encarta® 97 Encyclopedia.
© 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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December 03, 2008 01:01 PM. |