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Portuguese Macau

Macau
澳門
Portuguese colony
1557–1999
Tierced per mantel: I argent, five quinas shields azure and argent; II azure, a Chinese dragon Or holding a quinas shield azure with five plates; and III barry wavy of azure and argent
Flag of the Govt of
Portuguese Macau
(1976–99)
Coat of arms of
Portuguese Macau
(1935–99)
Anthem
"Hymno Patriótico" (1808-1826)
Patriotic Anthem

"Hino da Carta" (1826-1911)
Hymn of the Charter

"A Portuguesa" (1911-1999)
The Portuguese
Capital Macau
Languages
Political structure Colony
Head of state
 •  1557 King John III (first)
 •  1996–1999 President Jorge Sampaio (last)
Governor
 •  1557–1558 Francisco Martins (First)
 •  1991–1999 Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira (Last)
Legislature Legislative Assembly
Historical era First wave of European colonization
 •  Permanent Portuguese settlement established 1557
 •  Colony proclaimed 1847
 •  Treaty of Peking December 1, 1887
 •  Joint Declaration April 13, 1987
 •  Transferred to China December 20, 1999 1999
Currency Macanese pataca (from 1894)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Ming dynasty
Macau

Portuguese Macau was the period of Macau as a Portuguese colony and later, an overseas province under Portuguese administration from 1557 to 1999. Macau was both the first and last European colony in China.

Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century. In 1557 Macau was rented to Portugal by the Chinese empire as a trading port. The Portuguese administered the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty until 1887, when Macau became a colony of the Portuguese empire. Sovereignty over Macau was transferred back to China on 20 December 1999.

The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau and the Macau Basic Law stipulate that Macau operate with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer.

Portuguese Macau around 1665

A 1912 map of Macau

Portas do Cerco in 1890


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Wikipedia

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