Macao is located on the western side of the Pearl River estuary, it stands opposite Hong Kong, which is on the eastern side of the estuary. It comprises a small, narrow peninsula projecting from Guangdong Province and includes the island of Taipei and Coloane, with a total area of 17 square Km.
The first Portuguese ship anchored in the Pearl River estuary in 1513, and further Portuguese visits followed regularly. The Portuguese Government forced a rent of the territory in 1553, and Macao became the principal entrepot for international trade with China and Japan. After the Opium War, the Portuguese Government ceased paying the rent and simply seized the land by force. In 1987 Portugal and China reached an agreement to return Macao to Chinese rule in December 20, 1999.
