Selected Maps and Views of Macau

1655-1764

Dutch Atlas of China, 1655

Map of Quantung (Guangdong) Province, showing the coastal location of Macau. This provincial map and the maps of other Chinese provinces in this atlas were based on the cartographic compilations of the Jesuit missionary Martino Martini and published by the noted Dutch publisher Joan Blaeu.

British Buccaneer Atlas, 1696

Prepared for and used by the notorious British pirate Bartholomew Sharpe, this manuscript atlas depicts the east coast of Africa and the Asian coast from the Red Sea along India, Ceylon, the East Indies, and Southeast Asia to China. Soundings are indicated in the coastal waters. Macau is shown on this linked page, which covers part of the coast of southern China and Aynam (Hainan) Island.

French Atlas of China, 1737

Map of Quang-Tong (Guangdong) Province from a mid-eighteenth-century French atlas of China. The cartouche highlights the European trading connections with the Chinese merchants in this region.

French Plan of Macau, 1764

This generalized map of the city and port of Macau, which appeared in a multi-volume maritime atlas published by the French publisher, Jacques Nicolas Bellin, provides one the earliest depictions of the city's street pattern and the location of some of the important buildings. It also identifies a "Chinese village" adjacent to the European city.

1787-1806

Scroll Map of China Coast, Late Eighteenth Century

Scroll map of the China coast unrolled to show the mouth of the Pearl (Zhu) River and the exaggerated importance of the Macau area. Translation of text from the map: "The coastal region of Xing Hui and Hu Men in Canton Province consists of an important strategic point which should be given sufficient defense attention. This region is heavily infested with inner river bandits and sea pirates who can sail in and out freely. It also shares a border with Macao, where foreign boats and ships visit frequently. Those foreign vessels are always to be guarded against."

British Chart of Macau Harbor, 1796

This navigational chart, prepared to illustrate the voyage of Lord Macartney to China, provides a detailed map of the city of Macau and its harbor. Relief is shown pictorially and numerous soundings are recorded in the adjacent waters. Important buildings (forts, parishes, colleges, convents, and chapels) are identified by number.

Macau City View from French Expedition, 1787

Setting out from France in 1785 to circumnavigate the globe, Jean-François Galaup de la Pérouse made extensive explorations in the Pacific Basin before his ships were lost in a storm early in 1788. From his recovered documents and reports, this atlas was published to illustrate the voyage. It includes a view of Macau, which he visited in 1787.

Macau City View from Russian Expedition, 1803-6

Based on his exploration of the northwest portion of the Pacific Basin, Russian explorer Ivan F. Kreuzenstern published an atlas of maps, views, and ethnographic illustrations. One of these views, shown here, illustrates his visit to Macau.

1834-1952

German Coastal Chart, 1834

Prepared by the noted German geographer Heinrich Berghaus for inclusion in his Asian atlas, this chart covers part of the southern Chinese coast, focusing on the area from Canton (Guangzhou) to Macau and Hong Kong. Insets include a detailed map of Macau and five illustrations of important scenes in Macau.

Portuguese Map, 1889

Published in Portugal by the Geographical Society of Lisbon two years after China recognized Portugal's claim to the city by treaty, this beautifully colored map shows the street pattern, important buildings, cemeteries, physical relief by shading and contour, and agricultural fields by various green patterns.

Tourist Map, 1936

Published in Macau, this map focuses on the city of Macau, naming streets in Portuguese and incorporating drawings of the major tourist sites at their actual locations. There are also photographs in the map border of the major tourist sites. There is extensive text on the verso describing the city's history, industry, commerce, and tourist sites.

Chinese Street Map, 1952

This generalized street map identifies place names with Chinese characters.

1988-1991

Chinese Tourist Map Published in Peking, 1988

Published in Beijing, this map carries only street and place names in Chinese. On the verso, there are selected pictures of the more important buildings.

Chinese Tourist Map Published in Hong Kong, 1990

Published in Hong Kong, this map has both a Chinese and an English title, with street names provided in Chinese and Portuguese and introductory text in English and Chinese. A tourist map, it identifies important government buildings, hotels, and religious sites.

Modern Map of City of Macau, 1990

This large-scale map (1:5,000) published by the Portuguese cartographic service in Macau provides a detailed depiction of the streets and other urban developments within the city of Macau. Street names are provided in Chinese and English.

Modern Map of the Territory of Macau, 1991

Published in Macau by the Portuguese cartographic service, this map shows the three areas that constitute the Territory of Macau–the peninsula of Macau, and the islands of Taipa and Colôane, which are connected by causeways. This detailed map, at a scale of 1:20,000, portrays physical relief with contours, which are overlaid by a variety of symbols in black depicting the urban development within the territory.