Macao (or Macau) is one of two Special Administrative Regions in the People’s Republic of China, along with Hong Kong. Macao is located on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, opposite Hong Kong, near to China’s Guangdong (formerly Canton) province. Like Hong Kong, Macao was a long-time European-run enclave before being transferred back to Chinese control in the late 1990s.
While Hong Kong was a British colony from the 1840s until 1997, Macao was an even older Portuguese settlement. The Portuguese first established a trading post there in the 16th century. For about 300 years the Portuguese paid rent to China’s government for the right to occupy Macao. But in the 19th century, as China weakened and suffered a series of defeats by foreign powers, Portugal won more control over Macao.
Later, in the 1970s, a dictatorship in Portugal was overthrown. The new regime sought to withdraw Portugal from its foreign colonies, including Guinea-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique in Africa, as well as Macao. Negotiations began between China and Portugal, regarding the transfer of the territory back to Chinese control. In 1999 China formally took control over the territory.
This document contains a short description of Macao in the 1870s, when it was still under Portuguese administration.
While Hong Kong was a British colony from the 1840s until 1997, Macao was an even older Portuguese settlement. The Portuguese first established a trading post there in the 16th century. For about 300 years the Portuguese paid rent to China’s government for the right to occupy Macao. But in the 19th century, as China weakened and suffered a series of defeats by foreign powers, Portugal won more control over Macao.
Later, in the 1970s, a dictatorship in Portugal was overthrown. The new regime sought to withdraw Portugal from its foreign colonies, including Guinea-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique in Africa, as well as Macao. Negotiations began between China and Portugal, regarding the transfer of the territory back to Chinese control. In 1999 China formally took control over the territory.
This document contains a short description of Macao in the 1870s, when it was still under Portuguese administration.
