Macao's border check-points recorded 2.5 million crossings during the Chinese lunar New Year holiday, according to statistics issued here on Monday.

The figures from the Immigration Department (ID) showed that the number of border crossings logged from Jan. 28 to Feb. 5, nearly five times of the region's population, which stood at 482, 000 in September, 2005.

The ID figures displayed that the number of border crossings included 1.42 million entries and exits by visitors, mostly the Chinese mainlanders and Hong Kongers.

Macao, one of Asia's tourism destinations famed for its casino gaming industry, boasted a record 18.4 million tourist arrivals in 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2006)