Overview

Macau, like Hong Kong, is one of China’s two special administrative areas in Eastern Asia. It is located on the western edge of the Pearl River Delta, adjacent to Guangdong and facing the South China Sea. Macau, which includes the Macau Peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane, is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) southwest of Hong Kong. The governance system is a restricted democracy, with the president of China serving as the chief of state and the chief executive serving as the head of government. China’s socialist economic system is not practised in Macau under the “one country, two systems” approach. Macau’s economy is market-based and service-oriented, with prices for goods and services regulated by a free price system.