The handover of Macau to China in 1999 ended European colonialism in Asia and ushered in a new era for the tiny enclave that thus far has been marked by gambling, tourism and rapid economic growth.
一九九九年澳門回歸中國，結束了歐洲在亞洲的殖民，並開啟了澳門特區的嶄新未來。澳門到目前為止一直是以其博奕、觀光與快速的經濟成長著稱。
Closer look: 說古論今
Macau exemplifies Communist China's commitment to achieving rapid economic growth through unbridled capitalism and demonstrates how far it's willing to move away from what Mao Zedong had in mind when he dreamed of building a socialist state.
PHOTO: AFP
In recent years, Macau has enjoyed a sudden influx in tourists that largely stems from the special administrative region's special gambling laws. Gambling is illegal in the rest of China, so Chinese looking to play the tables usually end up choosing Macau. Over 22 million tourists visited Macau in 2006, most of whom came from Hong Kong and other parts of China.
Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah has overseen Macau's transformation from a quiet colony of Portugal to a center for tourism and gambling. He enjoys a high popularity rating because of the economic growth and the decrease in gang-related crime that has happened during his tenure.
There are concerns, however, about the hopes for democracy in Macau. Ho ran unchallenged in 2004 and was picked by a 300-member Beijing approved committee. In addition, Beijing has only pledged to uphold western-style freedoms for Macau's residents for 50 years.
PHOTO: AFP
Some also lament that the blend of Portuguese and Chinese character that was so unique to Macau is fading. Much Mediterranean architecture remains, but it seems out of place considering that over 95% of the populace is Chinese.(Michael Kearney, Staff Writer)
澳門證明了共產中國透過自由資本主義實現快速經濟成長的承諾，也顯現了中國現行政策與毛澤東當年夢想要建立的社會主義國家已是背道而馳。
近年來，澳門行政特區因頒佈了《承投賭博娛樂章程》，大批觀光客迅速湧入。在中國其他地區，賭博是違法行為，所以想賭一下試手氣的中國民眾，通常會選擇澳門。二００六年澳門觀光客人數超過兩千兩百萬人，其中多數來自香港及中國其他地區。
澳門的行政長官何厚鏵看著澳門從一個安靜的葡萄牙殖民地轉變為今日的博奕與觀光勝地。何厚鏵任內，在經濟成長與減少黑幫犯罪問題兩方面都有著傑出的表現，因此他擁有相當高的民意基礎。
然而，仍有人擔憂澳門的民主發展。因為何厚鏵二ＯＯ四年在無其他競爭候選人的情況下，被北京政府核可的三百人組成的選舉委員會選出。另外，北京當局只保證維持澳門人民五十年的西方民主自由不變。
有些人也替澳門原本融合葡萄牙與中國的特質逐漸褪色而感到惋惜。許多地中海風格的建築仍然受到保存，但卻與當地超過百分之九十五的中國居民不太搭調。
（翻譯：袁星塵）
Who knew? 你知道嗎?
Macau, which the Portuguese began to occupy in the 1550s, turned out to be a lucrative settlement.
In the 1500s, China banned direct trade with Japan because of Japanese belligerence, and by the 1600s the Portuguese began to act as middlemen. Portugal bought silk from the Chinese and then sold it to the Japanese. They used the money to buy Japanese silver, which they then sold to the Chinese, who valued silver more than the Japanese.
For years the Chinese tacitly allowed Portugal to use Macau as a trading base. In 1887 China, which was ruled by the Manchus at the time, signed the Protocol of Lisbon, which formally recognized Portugal's right to the settlement.
The Communists renounced the Protocol of Lisbon when they took control of China in 1949, saying it was invalid because it was signed by a foreign occupier.
澳門從一五五Ｏ年代被葡萄牙佔領後，就成為一個替葡國賺錢的租界地。
一五ＯＯ年代，由於中日兩國間的戰爭，中國禁止人民與日本直接貿易。到了一六ＯＯ年代，葡萄牙人開始成為兩國貿易的中間人。葡國從中國買進絲綢賣給日本，用這筆收入自日本收購價格較低的白銀，再轉賣給中國，賺取差額。
長期以來，中國默許葡萄牙利用澳門作為其貿易基地的行為。到了一八八七年，清朝與葡國簽訂了《中葡里斯本草約》，正式承認葡國享有管理澳門的權利。
一九四九年，中國共產黨統治中國後，他們拒絕承認這份草約，並宣稱這是由外來侵占者簽署之約定，因此他們視為無效。
What time is it there? 現在那裡幾點
It's the same time in Macau as it is in Taiwan.
澳門與台灣沒有時差。
FLAG 旗幟
When Macau was handed over to China, it adopted a new flag. The present flag of Macau is adorned with a lotus flower on top of an abstract bridge with water. Above the lotus flower are five stars, one of which is larger than the other four - just like in China's flag.
當中國接管澳門後，採用了一面新的旗幟。目前代表澳門的旗幟上有一朵蓮花，蓮花下方則是一座抽象的橋和流水。在蓮花上方有五顆星星，其中一顆特別大，形似中國五星旗。
About Macau 國家概況
Size: 28.2 km2, or about one 10th the size of Taipei City
Location: eastern Asia
Border province: Guangdong
Capital: none
Population: about 460,000
Languages: Cantonese (87.9%), Hokkien (4.4%), Mandarin (1.6%), other Chinese dialects (3.1%) and other (3%)
Government: limited democracy
Currency: 1 Macau pataca is worth about NT$4
面積：二十八點二平方公里，約等於台北市面積的十分之一
位置：東亞
鄰省：中國廣東省
首都：無
人口：約四十六萬人
語言：廣東話(87.9%)，福建話(4.4%)，普通話(1.6%)，其他中國方言(3.1%)，其他(3%)
政體：有限的民主行政特區
貨幣：一澳門幣約等於新台幣四元
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