The Macau Special Administrative Region (Macau) facing the South China Sea consists of the Macau Peninsula, which borders China, and a unified island formed by reclaimed land that connects Taipa and Coloane islands. The area developed from land reclamation is called Cotai. The peninsula and the island are connected by three bridges. Macau is densely packed with hotels and modern architecture, as well as buildings from the Portuguese colonial era. With a population of approximately 680,000 (in 2019), Macau has the highest population density in the world. Its casinos, a number of world cultural heritage sites and the Macau Grand Prix street circuit racing event have made Macau one of the world's leading tourist destinations. The number of tourists visiting Macau reached 39.4 million in 2019. Macau does not have rail-based transportation. Since buses and taxis are the daily means of transportation, traffic jams and environmental pollution are becoming major concerns. The Macau government began researching countermeasures in 2002 aimed at solving the urban traffic concerns. In 2011, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (MHIENG) was awarded an order for the rolling stock and related systems of the Macau Light Rapid Transit (MLRT). The following is an overview of the rolling stock and related systems of the MLRT Taipa Line, which started operation in December 2019.
