1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 16 km2 land area: 16 km2 comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline
40 km
Environment
essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
total 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%
Location
East Asia, 27 km west-southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China bordering the South China Sea
Map references
Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
not specified
Natural resources
negligible
Terrain
generally flat
People and Society
Birth rate
14.99 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
4.05 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate
5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
180,000 (1986) by occupation: NA
Languages
Portuguese (official), Cantonese is the language of commerce
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.64 years male: 77.24 years female: 82.17 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1981) total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86%
Nationality
noun: Macanese (singular and plural) adjective: Macau
Net migration rate
3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
477,850 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.44% (1993 est.)
Religions
Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)
Total fertility rate
1.44 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Ilhas, Macau
Capital
Macau
Constitution
17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing awaiting final approval
Digraph
MC
Diplomatic representation in US
as Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, Macanese interests in the US are represented by Portugal
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 year after transition)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Leaders
Chief of State: President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986)
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
unicameral Legislative Assembly
Member of
ESCAP (associate), GATT, IMO (associate), WTO (associate)
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Macau local long form: none local short form: Ilha de Macau
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
18 years of age; universal
Type
overseas territory of Portugal scheduled to revert to China in 1999
US diplomatic representation
the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
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
1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Economic aid
none
Electricity
258,000 kW capacity; 855 million kWh produced, 1,806 kWh per capita (1992)
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
$1.8 billion (1992 est.) commodities: textiles, clothing, toys partners: US 36%, Hong Kong 13%, Germany 12%, France 8% (1991)
External debt
$91 million (1985)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$2.0 billion (1992 est.) commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods partners: Hong Kong 35%, China 22%, Japan 17% (1991)
Industrial production
NA
Industries
clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.2% (1991 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.1 billion (1991)
National product per capita
$6,700 (1991)
National product real growth rate
3.1% (1991)
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 well over 40% of GDP in 1992. 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% (1991 est.)
Communications
Airports
none useable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station
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 (TV programs received from Hong Kong); 115,000 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 age 15-49 137,738; fit for military service 77,159 (1993 est.)
Note
defense is responsibility of Portugal