From the ‘Las Vegas of the East’ to the world’s most densely populated region, these are the most interesting facts about Macau.
Fast facts
Official name: Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR)
Population: 644,426
Area: 28 sq km
Capital city: Macau
Major languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, English
Major religions: Folk, Buddhism, Christianity
Time zone: UTC+8 (Macau Standard Time)
Interesting facts about Macau
1. Macau (also spelled Macao) is a Special Administrative Region of China and a city-state located on the south coast of China in Eastern Asia.
2. Macau is located on a narrow peninsula of mainland China, and the islands of Taipa and Coloane are joined by a stretch of reclaimed land known as Cotai.
3. Macau is governed by the “one country, two systems” model, in which China allows Macau to have its own government and local currency and control its own legal and financial affairs, including legal gambling.
4. Due to its enormous gambling and casino industry, Macau has been called ‘Asia’s Monte Carlo’, the ‘Las Vegas of the East’ and the ‘Vegas of China’.
5. Macau is the only place where casino gambling is legal in China.
6. Macau tops the leaderboard when it comes to gambling. In 2023, gross gaming revenue (GGR) soared to MOP180 billion ($22.3 billion).
7. With 21,338 people per sq km of land area, Macau is the world’s most densely populated region.
8. Macau was the first and last European colony in mainland Asia. It was first leased to Portugal in 1557 – and became a full colony in 1887 – and was returned to China in 1999.
9. Macau’s flag is made up of a green background with a lotus flower above a white bridge and water. Above is an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars. The lotus is the emblem of Macau, and its three petals represent Macau’s peninsula and two islands. The five stars reflect those on China’s flag.
See how Macau’s flag compares to other Asian flags.
10. At 83 years, Macau has one of the world’s highest life expectancies.
11. Macau has the world’s lowest fertility rate, at just 0.7 births per woman.
12. Macau is connected to Hong Kong via the world’s longest sea bridge. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge spans 55km and includes 6.7km of undersea tunnel to allow ships to pass.
13. Macau is a popular destination for tourists. Visitor arrivals reached 28.2 million in 2023, 71.6 percent of its pre-pandemic levels.
14. The Historic Center of Macau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old city center is recognized for its historic streets and a blend of Eastern and Western architecture.
15. The ruins of the Church of St Paul are one of the most famous sites in Macau. The church was built between 1602 and 1640, but today, only its facade and stairway remain.
16. Beginning with the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), Macau was ruled by successive Chinese dynasties until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century AD.
17. The oldest lighthouse in China is in Macau. The Guia Lighthouse was built around 1865.
18. The 338m (1,109ft) Macau Tower is home to the world’s highest commercial bungee jump facility at 232m (763ft).
19. The highest bungee jump from a building of 199m (652ft) was made at the Macau Tower. It was completed by AJ Hackett (from New Zealand), who jumped off a platform at 233 m (764 ft) in 2006.
20. Macau’s name is believed to derive from the A-Ma Temple, which was known locally as “Maa Gok”, which became “Macau” in Portuguese.
21. The Venetian Macao is the world’s second-largest casino, Asia’s largest single-structure hotel, and the world’s seventh-largest building by floor area.
22. Archaeological finds suggest that Macau has been inhabited for around 3,000 to 4,000 years.
23. On 20 December 1999, Macau was officially returned to China, marking the end of 442 years of Portuguese rule.
24. Patuá, a Macanese patois, is a Portuguese-based creole language which is in endanger of disappearing if it hasn’t already. In 2000, UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger placed the number of speakers at just 50.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.