Foto: The facade of Saint Pauls Cathedral in Macau (bron: -)
Macau - Macau or Macao is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China located in Southeast Asia (like Hong Kong). It lies 70 kilometers southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometers from Guangzhou. Macau originally consisted of three islands connected by bridges and dams: the main island Macau, the middle island Taipa, and the southernmost island Coloane. Taipa and Coloane have since been merged by land reclamation. The reclaimed area is called Cotai, a portmanteau of Coloane and Taipa. Macau was founded by the Portuguese in 1557, making it the oldest European colony in China. The Portuguese government handed sovereignty over to the People’s Republic of China in 1999. The native language of Macau’s inhabitants is Cantonese. Traditional Chinese characters are used in writing. Besides historic colonial remains, Macau’s biggest attractions are its casinos. In 2005, Macau’s historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.