Macau History

History
The first recorded Chinese inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols during the Southern Song under the Ming dynasty from 1368 until 1644. Macau was formerly a colony of the Portuguese Empire, after Ming China leased the territory as a trading post in 1557. Originally governing under Chinese authority and sovereignty, Portugal was given perpetual occupation rights for Macau in 1887. Macau remained under Portuguese control until 1999, when it was returned to China.

As a special administrative region, Macau maintains a separate political and economic system apart from mainland China. The People's Republic of China's obligation to run Macau as a special administrative region, per the Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau, expires on 20 December 2049.

Macau is the gambling capital of the world. Its economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism, and in 2006 it surpassed Las Vegas as the world's largest gambling center by revenue. It has a very high Human Development Index and the fourth-highest life expectancy in the world. Macau is among the world's richest regions and in 2015, Macau was ranked as the fastest growing metropolitan area in the world by the Brookings Institution. 

Timeline
1557 - The Portuguese established a permanent settlement in Macau 1576 - Pope Gregory XIII established the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau 1911 - Chinese Revolution was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty and established the Republic of China. 1943 - Japanese troops seized the British steamer Sian and the next month they demanded the installation of Japanese advisors under the threat of overt military occupation. The result was that a virtual Japanese protectorate was created over Macau 1999 - The Chinese government assumed formal sovereignty over Macau as a special administrative region after over 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule

Links

 * History of Macau (Britanica)
 * Culture of Macau (Everyculture.com)
 * Macau History (ibiblio.org)
 * Macau and its role as a Portuguese colony (Cordeiros.net)