By the numbers - 30 tasty tidbits about the games

1 The first large-scale multi-sports event to be held in Macau, but not the last. In 2006 there will be the first Lusofonia Games - the first mini-Olympics for the 10 Portuguese-speaking National Olympic Committees - and in 2007 it's the second Asian Indoor Games, featuring the 45 members of the Olympic Council of Asia.

2 250 limousines, provided by games sponsor BMW to make sure the VIPs and guests travel in comfort and style.

3 391,555 is the number of tickets available for the competitions and two ceremonies. The cheapest ticket for a sports event is HK$40 and the most expensive is HK$2,000, for a package for the opening ceremony.

4 Macau will stage the fourth East Asian Games. The previous hosts were Shanghai (1993), Pusan, Korea (1997) and Osaka, Japan (2001).

5 Around 55,000 items of official clothing are being manufactured for all the volunteers, organising committee members and staff.

6 November 6, the date of the closing ceremony, when Macau will pass the East Asian Games Association flag to Hong Kong and preparations will start for the 2009 edition here.

7 Almost 7,000 athletes, officials, administrative staff, judges, guests and members of the media will attend, making Macau the capital of east Asian sporting activity for the duration of the games.

8 Shut that door! Inside the Macau East Asian Games Dome there are around 800 doors, so the phrase 'after you' may be one of the most heard inside the 'Egg'.

9 96,166 meals will be provided in the three canteens at the three competition zones, for staff, volunteers and media. All free of charge.

10 Ten gold medals will be available in dance sport, to be held on November 5. But quickstep down to the ticket office because we're not jiving when we say it's going to be a sell-out.

11 The number of Olympic sports in the programme, including the 'big two' - swimming and athletics.

12 There will be 12 venues, built or refurbished, and equipped at a total cost of 2.88 billion patacas, or US$360 million.

13 The number of new four-star and five-star hotels that are set to open after these games and before Macau stages the second Asian Indoor Games in the autumn of 2007. That's at least 6,700 more deluxe rooms coming on stream in the space of just two years.

14 Gang of 14 ... the number of movers, shakers and decision-makers who are on the Meagoc consultative committee putting the games together.

15 151,000 square metres of weeds and sludge were removed from the Nam Van Lake before the six-lane nautical centre was built to stage the dragon boat and rowing events.

16 Total income, from sponsors, TV and ticket sales, will be 160 million patacas, or US$20 million.

17 The number of sports on the nine-day programme. There will be 234 events and 731 medals to hand out.

18 More than 18,000 volunteers have registered to assist, highlighting the community spirit in Macau.

19 1996, the year Macau was awarded the games ... just over nine years ago.

20 20,000 tons of steel were used to build the Macau East Asian Games Dome - enough to make 20,000 saloon cars.

21 The most popular number in Macau's casinos, and the one which EAG visitors will be aiming for if they fancy a flutter.

22 Athletes will start arriving on October 22, giving the early birds a full week to prepare for the start of the games. They take their soft tennis seriously in Taiwan.

23 The organising committee has booked 23 hotels to accommodate the athletes, officials and media - an occupancy rate of around 60 per cent of the total number of rooms available in Macau.

24 24:00 hours: You'll be up until midnight and beyond watching the 73 hours and 30 minutes of coverage planned by host broadcaster CCTV, 13 hours by local channel TDM and 17 hours on Hong Kong's TVB. North Koreans will see just four hours.

25 The local police will be out in force to make the games as safe as possible - 2,515 officers in all.

26 The total number of people involved in the event will be 26,500, including volunteers and 889 organising committee staff.

27 27,418 of the 391,555 tickets available will be reserved for sponsors, leaving plenty for the rest of us.

28 The total length of cables inside the East Asian Games Dome is enough to extend from Macau to Shanghai. Work that one out for yourself!

29 October 29, the day of the opening ceremony - a spectacular evening can be expected.

30 30 minutes: the maximum time it takes to reach the most distant venue from any of the team hotels, turning Macau into an Olympic Village in itself.