Topography and climate of Macao Province

Macau includes the Macau Peninsula, Taipa Island, and Coloane Island.

The Macau Peninsula is a long and narrow strip shaped like a boot. The peninsula tilts from northeast to southwest, running in the same direction as the Sinian mountain range along the South China coast. There are mountains such as Lotus Mountain, Guia Mountain (Songshan), Fortress Mountain, Guia Mountain and A-Ma Mountain on the peninsula. The highest one is Songshan with an altitude of 93 meters. Most of the others are around 50-75 meters above sea level. Most of the peninsula is hilly except for the island-connected sandbanks and associated accumulation areas, which are relatively flat. Due to the continuous reclamation of mountains and seas, the area of ??the peninsula is also increasing. Almost half of the land is caused by reclamation. The east and west coasts of the peninsula have different terrains. The east coast faces the sea and has strong winds and waves. There are many sea cliffs and sea caves due to seawater erosion. The west coast has a relatively straight coastline and faces an inland river. It is affected by the sedimentation and siltation of the Xijiang River. The southern coast is surrounded by seawater. It is relatively deep, the embankment is circuitous, and some areas in the northeast have long been filled in.

The mountains of Taipa Island are mainly composed of granite, running from northeast to southwest, and dominate the undulating hills of the island. The highest among them is Taipa Mountain (Chicken Neck Mountain), with an altitude of 159.1 meters. The whole island was originally composed of two small islands, Taipa Taipa and Taipa Petit, which were later connected by islands and sandbanks due to river and sea alluvial erosion. The water on the northwest coast of Taipa Island is shallow. ?

The terrain of Coloane Island is the highest in Australia. The entire island is undulating hills, most of which are over 100 meters high. Most of them are concentrated in the central and eastern parts. The rock properties are mainly granite and volcanic rock. Dieshitang Mountain, with an altitude of 176.45 meters, is the highest point on Coloane Island and the highest mountain in Australia. Because Coloane is far away from the South China coast, the accumulation is slightly slower than that of Taipa, and the sea water along the coast is deeper. The north shore is a cliff, and the south faces the ocean to the west, with alternating capes and beaches.

The following are the conditions of various mountains in Macau:

Mopan Mountain

The Mopan mentioned in the Qing Dynasty poet Qiu Fengjia's poem about Nanhuan written more than 100 years ago The mountain is the top of the hill today. In 1900, Qiu Fengjia was dispatched by the Guangdong government to investigate the overseas Chinese in Nanyang and conduct liaison work. He once came to Macao and lived here. At that time, there were no obstacles of high-rise buildings. From the top of the hill, he could overlook the waves of Nan Bay as flat as a mirror, and the lights at night were as bright as the stars. Therefore, he became interested in poetry. Among the 15 poems in "Macau Miscellaneous Poems", one of them was about this scenery. Contained in "Ling Yun Hai Ri Lou Poetry Copy". There is an annotation in the original poem, and the annotation is: "The South Ring is where Hu Jia live, and I live on Mopan Mountain. At night, I look at the lights like stars." This poem is: "The golden towers surround the South Ring, and thousands of lights are left on at night. It's full of lights. The fireworks on the ground are like spring, and people stand on Mopan Mountain at midnight."

Bei'ao Mountain

is located on the north side of Taipa Island. The altitude is 64 meters. The highest university in Macau, the University of Macau (formerly known as East Asia University), is located on the mountain. There is a stone cliff on the seaside at the west foot, where a Guanyin Temple is built, hence the name Guanyin Rock. The Hyatt Regency Hotel is located at its southwest foot.

Taipa Mountain

Located in the eastern part of Taipa Island, it is also known as Taipa Mountain and Chicken Neck Mountain. The altitude is 159 meters. To the south and north are the termini of the Cotai-Taipa Highway and the Friendship Bridge respectively. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the Macau International Airport was built on reclamation to the east. The new site of the Macao Geophysical and Meteorological Observatory was built on the east slope of the mountain.

Fortress Hill

is located in the middle of the Macau Peninsula. It was originally called Persimmon Mountain because there used to be many persimmon trees on the mountain. Later, a large fort was built on the mountain and the name was changed to its current name. The altitude is 57.3 meters. Although the mountain is not high, it is located in the center of the peninsula and can control all sides of the Macau Peninsula. The situation is dangerous. The Portuguese built a large fort on the mountain in the early 17th century. The fort covers an area of ??about 2,000 square meters. It was first built in 1617 (the forty-fifth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty) and took 10 years to complete in 1626 (the sixth year of Qi's reign in the Ming Dynasty). It used to be a military restricted area and was turned into a tourist area about 30 years ago. Because it is a famous historical site and is located in the center of the Macau Peninsula, offering a panoramic view of the entire Macau, it is a must-see for tourists. The Macau Geophysical and Meteorological Observatory, originally located here, moved to Taipa in 1996. The Macau Museum was built here in 1998. Another famous monument in Macau, the Ruins of St. Paul's, is located on its eastern slope. The arch was originally the stone front wall of St. Paul's Church. The mountain is low and has a gentle slope, and houses have long been built on the slopes on all sides.

Islands connected to islands

On the 1919 map of Macau, Taipa was still two separate islands, with Grand Taipa in the east and Little Taipa in the west.

The large area of ??flat land between Daji Mountain and Xiaotang Mountain today was still flooded by sea water at that time. The two islands are only about a hundred meters apart at their narrowest point, right between today's Hyatt Regency Hotel and New Century Hotel. Since the 1920s, due to increased siltation and artificial reclamation, Taipa and Taipa have been connected. Therefore, Taipa is actually an “island connected to an island”. An artificial seawall built in 1969, the Cotai-Taipa Highway, connects the two islands of Taipa and Coloane. To a certain extent, it is an island-to-island connection. After the large-scale reclamation project on the west side of the Cotai-Taipa Highway is completed, the two outlying islands will be connected to become a veritable island-to-island.

Guia Mountain

Slopes in the eastern part of the Macau Peninsula. Because its horizontal shape resembles a Yaoqin, it was called Qinshan in ancient times. Before the completion of the new port reclamation process in the 1920s, the steep cliffs at its southeastern foot approached the seaside, forming a barrier to the eastern part of the Macau Peninsula.

Today, the foot of the mountain is two kilometers away from the coast. The mountain is long and narrow, running from northeast to southwest, stretching for more than two kilometers, and is obviously divided into two sections. The northern section is higher, and the main peak is 91 meters above sea level, making it the highest peak on the Macau Peninsula. There is an ancient fort on top, and the first lighthouse in the Far East built in 1865 stands on it. Next to the lighthouse is the chapel of Our Lady of the Snows built in 1626. The mountain was originally a barren hill and was planted with masson pine more than 100 years ago. The mountain is lined with green trees, so it is also called Songshan. It is the largest green area on the Macau Peninsula (see color illustration page 7). There are springs at the northwest foothills and Erlonghou Park. The southern section is shorter, also known as Ruoxian Mountain, with an altitude of only more than 40 meters and a flat top. The government hospital (Earl Jeanne Hospital, commonly known as the Peak Hospital) is built on the mountain. In November 1990, a 285-meter-long driving tunnel (the Songshan Tunnel) was built in the northern section, which greatly facilitated transportation in the northern, western and southeastern parts of the Macau Peninsula.

Lianfeng Mountain

Also known as Lianhua Mountain. There is Wangxia Village in the south of the mountain, so it is also famous as Wangxia Mountain. Located in the northern part of the Macau Peninsula. The "Pictures of Guangdong" compiled during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty (1862-1874) stated: "Lianfeng Mountain is located in the sea one hundred and thirty-five miles southeast of (Xiangshan County) City, and is expected to have floods in Xiamen." According to one explanation, Macao was called Macao in the Ming Dynasty. Lotus Island, so the mountain is called Lianfeng; it is also said that the mountain is named after its shape resembles a lotus. The mountain is 62 meters high, with Haojiang in the east, the sea in the west, Macau in the south, and the mainland in the north. At the end of the lotus stem, it rises abruptly, like a flower ball. It looks like Guanyin sitting on her lotus arms, with other rocks contrasting like clouds, making it look more like a lotus in bloom. There is the Lianfeng Temple at the northern foot and the Guanyin Ancient Temple at the southern foot, both of which have hundreds of years of history. There is a Macau TV station at the southeastern foothills and an ancient Wangxia Fort on the top of the mountain, which is now abandoned. In 1997, the Macau City Hall built Wangxia Park here. There is now the Macau Institute for Tourism Studies and a small hotel at the foot of the mountain.

A-Ma Mountain

Located at the southern end of the Macau Peninsula, it is named after A-Ma Pavilion. The altitude is 73 meters. It faces the sea on three sides in the east, south and west, and is bordered by Xiwang Mountain in the north, which is lush and green and has a beautiful environment. At the southwest foot is the Santiago Hotel, which was converted from an ancient fort. There are many high-end residences built on the eastern and southern foot of the mountain with the mountain behind and the sea. .

Ma Kau Shek

It was originally a pile of rocks protruding into the sea not far from the northeastern corner of the Macau Peninsula. The first reclamation project of Areia Preta in the 1920s connected it with the Macau Peninsula. It no longer exists and is located roughly at the east end of Fisherman's Street.

Majiao Rock Mountain

is located in the northeastern part of the Macau Peninsula. 49 meters above sea level. In the past, both the south and north were adjacent to the ocean, protruding like a small corner in the northeast of the Macau Peninsula. It faces Wangxia Mountain in the northwest and Dongwangyang Mountain in the southwest. It forms two bays with them. The former is larger and is called Heishahuan (Bay); the latter is smaller and is called Daogouhuan (Bay). After years of land reclamation, the former has become an urban area with crisscrossed streets, while the latter has become part of the new port reservoir. There are also ancient forts on the mountain. At the east end of the mountain is a small recreational area called Haijiao Youyun. It was originally a promontory on the edge of the cliff where the waves beat. Now you can only look at the ocean from here. At the northeastern foothills is the Tin Hau Ancient Temple (see Majiao Shek Tin Hau Ancient Temple). Not far to the northeast, there used to be a pile of stones protruding into the sea, called Majiao Stone, but they no longer exist after reclamation.

Qingzhou Mountain

is located in the northwest of the Macau Peninsula. The altitude is 57 meters. It was originally a small hill hanging alone in the Hao River, surrounded by rivers, with beautiful scenery and green trees, so it was named Qingzhou. In the past, it was also called Green Island, and "Green Island Misty Rain" was once one of the "Ten Haojing Sceneries".

In 1890 (the 16th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty), a dike was built near the Lianfeng Temple to connect it to the Macau Peninsula. Later, the sea was gradually reclaimed around the foothills.

Tap Shek Tong Hill

Located in the west of Coloane Island, it is also known as Tap Shek Tong Hill. The altitude is 171 meters. It is the main peak of Coloane Island and the highest peak in Macau. There is Coloane Country Park on the northwest slope and a quarry on the northern foot. There is a road leading to the top of the mountain and a mountaintop park. A 19.99-meter-high stone statue of Mazu was built on the mountain in 1998.

Guiyang Mountain

is located in the southwest of the Macau Peninsula. The altitude is 62.7 meters. It faces the Inner Harbor to the west, faces Wangyang Mountain to the east across Nanwan to the northeast, and is connected to Ma Ge Mountain to the south. The Mazu Pavilion, which has a history of hundreds of years, is located at the southwest foot of the mountain. The granite egg landform is developed on the hillside behind the temple, and there are many stone carvings inscribed by famous people. On the top of the mountain is the Notre Dame Church built in 1622 and the Bishop's Palace added in 1935, so Mount Xiguayang is commonly known as Bishop's Hill. There are green trees and beautiful scenery on the mountain. There are many villas with Southern European architectural style. It is one of the high-end residential areas in Macau. The main building of the historic Fengjing Hotel is built at its east foot.

Little Taipa Mountain

Located in the west of Taipa Island, it is also known as Little Tam Mountain. The altitude is 111 meters. To the north is the end point of the Macao-Taiwan Bridge. There are large reliefs on the hillside facing the bridge. A racecourse is built on a large area of ??reclaimed land in Shannan. New Century Hotel and Bodhi Garden are at its east foot.

A Grain of Rice

A small island located not far from the east end of Taipa Island, with a very small area. It was connected to Taipa during the reclamation and construction of the Macau International Airport.