Macau
| Macao
| |
|---|---|
| Population | 650,000 (2020) |
Macau (also spelled Macao) is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China that was returned to Chinese rule after around 400 years of rule by Portugal. It is governed by a Basic Law similar to that of Hong Kong, but which takes into account its different legal system, culture and history. Its official languages are Portuguese and Chinese, although very few people actually speak the former. Its currency is the pataca, which is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar. Its main commercial activities are gambling and tourism, together with some light industry. Macau is famous for the Macau GP that occurs on the streets of Macao each year. The race runs to Formula 3 regulations and pits the best young and up and coming talent from around the world against each other. Previous winners include Mika Hakkinen, Edudado Mortara and Ayton Senna.
