1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 16 sq km land area: 16 sq km comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline
40 km
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Ozone Layer Protection (extended from Portugal)
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
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
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
not specified
Natural resources
negligible
Note
essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
Terrain
generally flat
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 24% (female 56,991; male 60,944) 15-64 years: 68% (female 167,366; male 165,168) 65 years and over: 8% (female 23,537; male 16,895) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
14.5 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
4.21 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate
5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
180,000 (1986) by occupation: NA
Languages
Portuguese (official), Cantonese is the language of commerce
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.86 years male: 77.41 years female: 82.43 years (1995 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
2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
490,901 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
1.25% (1995 est.)
Religions
Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)
Total fertility rate
1.49 children born/woman (1995 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
none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)
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
Flag
the flag of Portugal is used
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
Legal system
Portuguese civil law system
Legislative Assembly
elections last held on 10 March 1991 (next to be held NA); 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
Member of
CCC, 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)
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 est.)
Currency
1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Economic aid
none
Electricity
capacity: 258,000 kW production: 950 million kWh consumption per capita: 2,093 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991-94), 8.024 (1990), 8.030 (1989); 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 35%, Hong Kong 12.5%, Germany 12%, China 9.9%, France 8% (1992 est.)
External debt
$91 million (1985)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$2 billion (1992 est.) commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods partners: Hong Kong 33%, China 20%, Japan 18% (1992 est.)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7.7% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$10,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
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% (1992 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: 115,000
Telephone system
52,000 telephones; fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services local: NA intercity: NA international: high-frequency radio communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 0; note - TV programs received from Hong Kong televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
none usable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station
Highways
total: 42 km paved: 42 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Macau
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
NA
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 141,160; males fit for military service 78,578 (1995 est.)
Note
defense is responsibility of Portugal ________________________________________________________________________ MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF