Macau Skyline from Macau Museum
The Macau Special Administrative Region (澳门特别行政区) lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta. Macau borders Guangdong province in the north and west, and faces 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. With a GDP per capita of US$59,451 in 2008, Macau is one of the richest cities in China and the world.
Macau was a Portuguese colony and both the first and last European colony in China.[6][7] 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.
Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the 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, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events.
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