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| Study
Abroad - Macao |
The Macao Special
Administrative Region (MSAR) is a part of China’s
territory. It is located on the Southeast coast of China
to the west of the Pearl River Delta. Bordering on Guangdong
Province, it locates 60km from Hong Kong and 145km from
the city of Guangzhou. Local time is eight hours ahead
of Greenwich Mean Time
Climate
Macao’s climate is warm and humid with a fairly
wide variation in temperature over the year. From June
to September, the temperature can rise to over 30ºC
while it can drop to less than 10ºC from November
to February. The average temperature seldom falls below
14ºC. Macao’s weather is also influenced
by tropical cyclones from the South China Sea and North
Western Pacific Ocean during the typhoon season between
May and September
Area
Due to land reclamation along its coastline, Macao has
grown in land area from 10.28km2 in the 19th century
to 28.6 km2 today
Language
The main language of Macao is Chinese, which is spoken
by 97% of the population. Officially 0.7% speak Portuguese.
Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages of
Macao. English is not spoken by many natives, but is
the major International language spoken in some sectors,
such as the gaming industry |
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History
Fishermen from Fujian and farmers from Guangdong were
the first known settlers in Macau, when it was known
as Ou Mun, or 'trading gate', because of its location
at the mouth of the Pearl River downstream from Guangzhou
(Canton). During ancient times port city was part of
the Silk Road on the Sea
Even after China ceased to be a world trade centre,
Guangzhou prospered from seaborne business with the
countries of Southeast Asia, so local entrepreneurs
welcomed the arrival of Portuguese merchant-explorers.
They followed in the wake of Jorge Alvares, who landed
in southern China in 1513, and set about finding suitable
trading posts.
In the early 1550s the Portuguese reached Ou Mun, which
the locals also called A Ma Gao, ‘place of A Ma’,
in honour of the Goddess of Seafarers, whose temple
stood at the entrance to the sheltered Inner Harbour.
The Portuguese adopted the name, which gradually change
into the name Macao, and with the permission of Guangdong's
mandarins, established a city that within a short time
had become a major entrepot for trade between China,
Japan, India and Europe |
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The
Gaming Industry
With a history dating back to the mid 19th century,
gaming is one of Macao's oldest industries. Entering
the 21st century, the gaming industry has developed
a very close relation with the tourism industry and
became a pillar of Macao's economy. It has also earned
Macao an appellation of "Monte Carlo of the Orient".
With the opening of several new casinos, Macao now takes
more revenue than Las Vegas!
The gross revenue generated by Macao’s gaming
sector was MOP54.998 billion (USD6.87 billion) in 2006.
It contributed MOP19.788 billion (USD2.47 billion) in
direct tax to the MSAR. In the second quarter of 2007,
the gross revenue of the gaming sector was MOP19.772
billion |
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In
addition to offering highest quality tuition in a
beautifully preserved historic setting, Macao has
become a favourite stopover for international travellers,
writers and artists. Additionally, Excel Head Office
is located nearby in the City of Foshan, guaranteeing
there will always be a point of independent contact
and support, should you need a friend with local knowledge
who is able to give best advice |
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| Related
Pages: Portuguese Language,
Portuguese Language
Courses, Study in Macao |
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