Why is Portuguese an official language in Macau?

Macau had its first contact with the Portuguese language in 1557 when the territory was established as a trade center of Portugal to other parts of Asia. The language largely entered Macau in the 19th century when China ceded Macau to Portugal and Macau was declared a formal Portuguese province.

Why did Portugal return Macau?

One of these internal matters is the control of territory belonging to China from antiquity. So the pressure from the Chinese government, most assuredly through application of its soft power, was significant enough for Portugal to return Macau to its “rightful” owner.

Do people in Macau have Portuguese citizenship?

Portugal had extended its nationality laws to Macau with those born before 1981 acquiring nationality by jus soli and by jus sanguinis after 1981. Many residents of Macau (either of Chinese & Portuguese descent) hold Portuguese citizenship on this basis.

When did Macau stop being Portuguese?

1999
The Portuguese controlled Macau from 1557 to December 20, 1999.

What is the official language of Macau?

Portuguese
Chinese
Macao/Official languages

When was Macau returned to China?

In April 1987 Portugal and China reached an agreement to return Macau to Chinese rule in 1999, using the Hong Kong Joint Declaration between Britain and China as a model. They agreed to provisions under the Basic Law that would ensure the autonomy of Macau for 50 years after the start of Chinese rule.

Is Macau under Chinese control?

On December 20, 1999, Macau became a special administrative region under Chinese sovereignty, as Hong Kong had in 1997. The period since reunification has been peaceful and marked by increasing prosperity.

Why did China give Macau to Portugal?

After the Second Opium War, the Portuguese government, along with a British representative, signed the 1887 Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking that gave Portugal perpetual colonial rights to Macau on the condition that Portugal would cooperate in efforts to end the smuggling of opium.