I was in Macao early this month, just to visit the oldest permanent European settlement in East Asia. Macao was established as a Chinese territory under Portuguese administration in 1974. This joint agreement, signed in 1987, returns Macao to Chinese sovereignty with effect from 20 December 1999. Official Name: Macao Special Administrative Region Capital: Macao Government Type: Limited democracy Population: 456,989 Languages: Cantonese, Hokkien, Mandarin, other Chinese dialects Literacy: Total Population: [91%] Male: [95%]; Female: [88%] Year of Independence: none; special administrative region of China Until Portugal returned Macao to Chinese rule in 1999, the island had a reputation for violence, gangs, prostitution and pawn shops, as much as gambling. With an eye to changing that, Beijing broke the gambling monopoly of Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, controlled by Stanley Ho, a Hong Kong billionaire who owns extensive real estate and other investments in Macao.Now, Macao has become b