1513. First Portuguese ship anchors in the Pearl River estuary.
1557. Portuguese establish a trading post on the islands.
1849. Portugal proclaims Macau a free port.
1949. Communist party comes to power in China.
1951. Portugal officially makes Macau an overseas province.
1974. A military coup takes place in Portugal. The new democratic Portuguese government offers to return Macau to China.
1979. Portugal and China establish diplomatic relations.
1987. Portugal and China reach a formal agreement on future status of Macau.
1989. People demonstrate in Macau in support of the pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing.
1989. Chinese language is made an official language along with Portuguese.
1992. A new banking ordinance is introduced, opening the banking sector for international competition.
1997. Outbreak of contract killings and bombings indicate the beginning of the war between organized criminal groups.
1999. Macau officially returns to Chinese jurisdiction.
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