1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Ilhas, Macau

Affiliation

(overseas territory of Portugal)

Agriculture

rice, vegetables; food shortages - rice, vegetables, meat; depends mostly on imports for food requirements

Airports

none usable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station

Area

total area: 16 sq km land area: 16 sq km comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Birth rate

14.78 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Budget

revenues: $305 million expenditures: $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Capital

Macau

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Coastline

40 km

Constitution

17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing awaiting final approval

Currency

1 pataca (P) = 100 avos

Death rate

4.12 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Digraph

MC

Diplomatic representation in US

none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)

Economic aid

none

Electricity

capacity: 258,000 kW production: 855 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,806 kWh (1992)

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Ozone Layer Protection

Ethnic divisions

Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%

Exchange rates

patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991-93), 8.024 (1990), 8.030 (1989); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Executive branch

chief of state: President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986) head of government: Governor Gen. Vasco Joachim Rocha VIEIRA (since 20 March 1991) cabinet: Consultative Council; consists of five members appointed by the governor, two nominated by the governor, five members elected for a four-year term (2 represent administrative bodies, 1 represents moral, cultural, and welfare interests, and 2 economic interests), and three statuatory members

Exports

$1.8 billion (1992 est.) commodities: textiles, clothing, toys partners: US 35%, Hong Kong 12.5%, Germany 12%, China 9.9%, France 8% (1992 est.)

External debt

$91 million (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag

the flag of Portugal is used

Highways

total: 42 km paved: 42 km

Imports

$2 billion (1992 est.) commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods partners: Hong Kong 33%, China 20%, Japan 18% (1992 est.)

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)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism

Infant mortality rate

5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.7% (1992 est.)

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Labor force

180,000 (1986) by occupation: NA

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%

Languages

Portuguese (official), Cantonese is the language of commerce

Legal system

Portuguese civil law system

Legislative Assembly

elections 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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.75 years male: 77.33 years female: 82.3 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1981) total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86%

Location

Eastern Asia, 27 km west-southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China bordering the South China Sea

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 139,499; fit for military service 77,887

Map references

Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

not specified

Member of

ESCAP (associate), GATT, IMO (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), 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 (1580)

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.5 billion (1992 est.)

National product per capita

$7,300 (1992)

National product real growth rate

12% (1992)

Nationality

noun: Macanese (singular and plural) adjective: Macau

Natural resources

negligible

Net migration rate

2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland

defense is responsibility of Portugal

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

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.

Political parties and leaders

Association to Defend the Interests of Macau; Macau Democratic Center; Group to Study the Development of Macau; Macau Independent Group

Population

484,557 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

1.35% (1994 est.)

Ports

Macau

Religions

Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

Terrain

generally flat

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

overseas territory of Portugal scheduled to revert to China in 1999

Unemployment rate

2% (1992 est.)

US diplomatic representation

the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong