Macao Special Administrative Region, China

Macao Special Administrative Region, China

The Macao SAR lies on the western side of the Pearl River estuary in southern China, bordering Zhuhai in Guangdong Province. It returned to Chinese sovereignty on 20 December 1999 and operates under 'One Country, Two Systems', 'Macao people administering Macao' and a high degree of autonomy. Macao is a world centre of tourism and leisure and a service platform for commercial co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Land reclamation has expanded its area from 11.6 km² in 1912 to about 33.4 km².

Administrative seat

Macao Peninsula (Government Headquarters)

Population

688,300

Area

33.4 km²

Currency

Macanese pataca (MOP)

Official language

Chinese (traditional) · Portuguese

Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR

Representative office of the Central People's Government

Performs its duties under the Constitution and the Basic Law and does not interfere in affairs the SAR administers on its own.

Macao Federation of Trade Unions

Patriotic social organisation and labour group

Focuses on labour rights, social services and 'patriots administering Macao'.

Founded

1950

Sam Hou Fai

Sixth Chief Executive of the Macao SAR

A law graduate of Peking University, he served as President of the Court of Final Appeal of the Macao SAR from 20 December 1999 to August 2024 and was appointed the sixth Chief Executive in October 2024, taking office on 20 December 2024.

As of

2026-10

Term

Since 20 December 2024