Macao was the oldest and last European colony in China

Macao was settled by Portuguese traders in the 16th century and transferred to the People’s Republic of China in 1999. It now is a Special Administrative Region of the PRC and operates with a certain degree of autonomy while being defended and represented by the federal government in Beijing.

The name “Macao” was derived by European settlers from native reference to a local temple named A-Ma-Gau. It has been a fishing center and a trading center. Most enduringly, it has been a cultural crossroads for East and West, an interaction that has forever established it in architecture, language, and custom as an intriguingly international place.

Canada and southern China connections are both enduring and growing

Chinese workmen from Guangdong Province helped build the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1800s and today Chinese-Canadians in Canada number more than a million. In 1999, the first Beijing-appointed administrator of the SAR was Canadian educated Edmundo Ho Hua-Wah.

Deemed to be one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Macao is 95 percent Chinese. The next largest national demographic is Portuguese, with 2 percent. As a burgeoning tourist destination, Macao’s visiting population is diverse, drawing visitors from the mainland China, the Asian Pacific region, and from around the world.

Macao has two official languages—Cantonese and Portuguese—but Mandarin and English are common second languages. A small surviving population speak the Macanese language of Patua. This multilingual and multicultural population naturally celebrates a mix of public events, ranging from the international Macao Grand Prix to the local A-Ma Festival.