MACAO, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The launch ceremony and compilation sharing session for the Macao Gazetteer Series: Book of Geography were held on Monday at the University of Macao.

The Macao Gazetteer Series: Book of Geography was the first gazetteer of Macao completed since the founding of the People's Republic of China, said Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

It covered various aspects of the city, including its history, natural environment, demographic transformations, urban planning, transportation, public utilities, and environmental protection status, said Ho.

The chief executive said that compiling the Macao Gazetteer was one of the most important cultural projects since the establishment of the Macao SAR.

The book's publication underscored the Macao SAR's respect for national tradition and provided support for developing Macao into a base for exchange and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist, he said.

Ho also expressed hope that the publication will help foster a sense of belonging to both the country and Macao among Macao residents.

Ho officiated the ceremony together with Zheng Xincong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Liu Xianfa, commissioner of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR, Ao Ieong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of the SAR government, and Song Yonghua, rector of the university.

For his part, Song expressed gratitude to experts and scholars who have done in-depth research on Macao and have experience compiling local chronicles, as well as various departments of the SAR government and people from different sectors in Macao for their active participation and strong support in the compilation process.

In the sharing session, members of the compilation committee shared the main contents of the Macao Gazetteer Series: Book of Geography, which is divided into two volumes with eight chapters covering different topics. It contains 1.3 million words and 1,500 pages. ■