Facts at a Glance

Population: 500,000
Language: Portuguese (officially), but 95% of the population speaks Cantonese
Religion: Taoism and Buddhism. Nearly 500 years of Portuguese influence, though, has left its mark, and the Catholic church is very strong
Currency: patacas, which are pegged to the Hong Kong dollar (give or take a few cents). The Hong Kong dollar, in turn, is pegged at about 7.75 to the U.S. dollar
Visas: Most visitors only need a passport to enter Macau for up to 20 days
Climate: Similar to Hong Kong, with the warmest temperatures (about 88ºF) during the rainy season, from May through August
Time Zone: GMT/UTC+8
Telephone Area Code: 853