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General Information Area: 23.80 sq km (9.18 sq miles). Population: 437,455 (1999). 96 per cent of the population is Chinese and four per cent Portuguese, European and from other regions. Population Density: 18,380 per sq km. Capital: Macau. GEOGRAPHY: Macau is situated on a tiny peninsula at the mouth of the Pearl River. Two bridges of 2.5km (1.5 miles) and 4.5km (2.8 miles) respectively link it to its nearest island, Taipa, which in turn is joined to the island of Côloane by a 2.2 km-long (1.3 mile) causeway. At the extreme northern end of the peninsula, on a narrow isthmus, is the imposing gateway (Portas do Cerco, or Border Gate), which leads to the Zhuhai and Zhongshan areas of the People’s Republic of China. Some 60km (37.5 miles) to the east-northeast, across the mouth of the river, is Hong Kong. Government: Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China since 1999. Head of State: President Jiang Zemin since 1999. Head of Government: Chief Executive Edmund H W Ho. Language: The official languages are Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese. English is widely spoken by those engaged in trade, tourism and commerce. Religion: The main religions are Buddhism, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. The majority are Buddhists while seven per cent are Catholics. Time: GMT + 8. Electricity: Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Telephone IDD service is available. Country code: 853. Outgoing international code: 00. International facilities are available at the General Post Office at Leal Senado Square, Macau City, the Central Post Offices in Taipa and Colôane, as well as all phone booths. Mobile telephone Dual band GSM network covers the whole territory. Main operators include CTM (website: www.macau.ctm.net) and Hutchison Telephone Company (website: www.hutchisonmacau.com) and SmarTone (website: www.smartone.com.mo). Fax Hotels have facilities. Internet ISPs include MacauWeb (www.macauweb.com). Telegram Services available at larger hotels and telecommunication offices, as well as all phone booths. Post Airmail to Europe takes three to five days. Automatic vending machines are available at various locations for stamps. Press Newspapers are in Portuguese or Chinese. There are English-language papers from Hong Kong. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.36 9.740 6.195 3.915 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 17.74 11.71 9.645 6.110 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.