1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline
40 km
Comparative area
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Disputes
none
Environment
essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
Land area
16 km2
Land boundaries
0.34 km; China 0.34 km
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Maritime claims
not known
Natural resources
negligible
Note
27 km west-southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China
Terrain
generally flat
Total area
16 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
17 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate
8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
180,000 (1986)
Languages
Portuguese (official); Cantonese is the language of commerce
Life expectancy at birth
78 years male, 84 years female (1992)
Literacy
90% (male 93%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
Nationality
noun - Macanese (singular and plural); adjective - Macau
Net migration rate
4 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
none
Population
473,333 (July 1992), growth rate 1.7% (1992)
Religions
Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)
Total fertility rate
1.6 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Ilhas, Macau
Capital
Macau
Chief of State
President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986)
Constitution
17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing awaiting final approval
Diplomatic representation
as Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, Macanese interests in the US are represented by Portugal US: the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
Executive branch
President of Portugal, governor, Consultative Council (cabinet)
Flag
the flag of Portugal is used
Head of Government
Governor Gen. Vasco Joachim Rocha VIEIRA (since 20 March 1991)
Independence
none (territory of Portugal); Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to China on 20 December 1999; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
Portuguese civil law system
Legislative Assembly
last held on 10 March 1991; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (23 total; 8 elected by universal suffrage, 8 by indirect suffrage, and 7 appointed by the governor) number of seats by party NA
Legislative branch
Legislative Assembly
Long-form name
none
Member of
IMO (associate), WTO (associate)
National holiday
Day of Portugal, 10 June
Other political or pressure groups
wealthy Macanese and Chinese representing local interests, wealthy pro-Communist merchants representing China's interests; in January 1967 the Macau Government acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over administration
Political parties and leaders
Association to Defend the Interests of Macau; Macau Democratic Center; Group to Study the Development of Macau; Macau Independent Group
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
overseas territory of Portugal; scheduled to revert to China in 1999
Economy
Agriculture
rice, vegetables; food shortages - rice, vegetables, meat; depends mostly on imports for food requirements
Budget
revenues $305 million; expenditures $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Currency
pataca (plural - patacas); 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Economic aid
none
Electricity
220,000 kW capacity; 520 million kWh produced, 1,165 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991), 8.024 (1990), 8.030 (1989), 8.044 (1988), 7.993 (1987); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar
Exports
$1.5 billion (1990 est.) commodities: textiles, clothing, toys partners: US 33%, Hong Kong 15%, FRG 12%, France 10% (1987)
External debt
$91 million (1985)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $3.1 billion, per capita $6,900; real growth rate 6% (1991 est.)
Imports
$1.8 billion (1990 est.) commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods partners: Hong Kong 39%, China 21%, Japan 10% (1987)
Industrial production
NA
Industries
clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.8% (1990 est.)
Overview
The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of export earnings; the gambling industry represented 36% of GDP in 1991. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods.
Unemployment rate
2% (1989 est.)
Communications
Airports
none useable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
42 km paved
Ports
Macau
Telecommunications
fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services; 52,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 75,000 radio receivers (est.); international high-frequency radio communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 135,923; 76,414 fit for military service
Note
defense is responsibility of Portugal