DECODING A 25-YEAR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL MIRACLE

City's success linked to proximity to mainland, strong integration

It has only taken Macao 25 years to place its name alongside the world's most successful cities.

The Macao Special Administrative Region, spanning a land area of 33.3 square kilometers, slightly smaller than Beijing Capital International Airport, proudly sits near the top global rankings for per capita gross domestic product, life expectancy of its residents and the extent of its social welfare system.

These are among many of the city's achievements after its return to the motherland on Dec 20, 1999. Since then, Macao has developed into a world-class tourism destination with boutique hotels, attractive monuments and a wide variety of cuisine appealing to almost every taste.