1996 Edition

Description

the flag of Portugal is used

Location

22 10 N, 113 33 E -- Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China Flag ----

Area

comparative area

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

land area

16 sq km

total area

16 sq km

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Coastline

40 km

Environment

current issues

NA

international agreements

party to - Ozone Layer Protection (extended from Portugal)

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

border country

China 0.34 km

total

0.34 km

Land use

arable land

0%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

0%

other

100%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

not specified

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

generally flat

highest point

Coloane Alto 174 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 60,709; female 57,004) 15-64 years: 68% (male 167,466; female 169,486) 65 years and over: 8% (male 17,569; female 24,603) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

14.16 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

4.31 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%

Infant mortality rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Portuguese (official) 4%, Chinese (Cantonese) is the language of commerce

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.54 years (1996 est.)

male

77.49 years

total population

79.95 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)

female

86%

male

93%

total population

90%

Nationality

adjective

Macau

noun

Macanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

496,837 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.15% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.51 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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 promulgated 31 March 1993

Data code

MC

Diplomatic representation in US

none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)

Executive branch

cabinet

Consultative Council consists of a total of 15 members - five appointed by the governor, two nominated by the governor, five elected for a four-year term (two represent administrative bodies, one represents moral, cultural, and welfare interests, and two represent economic interests), and three statutory members

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) was appointed by the President of Portugal after consultation with the Legislative Assembly

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 years after transition)

International organization participation

CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WToO (associate), WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, consisting of five magistrates including the president; lower court judges appointed for three years by governor

Legal system

Portuguese civil law system

Legislative Assembly

elections last held 10 March 1991 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (23 total, 8 elected by direct vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the governor) number of seats by party NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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 procommunist 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 of government

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

Agriculture

rice, vegetables

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$305 million

Currency

1 pataca (P) = 100 avos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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 probably represents over 40% of GDP. 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.

Electricity

capacity

258,000 kW

consumption per capita

2,093 kWh (1993)

production

950 million kWh

Exchange rates

patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991-95), 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

$1.9 billion (1995 est.)

commodities

textiles, clothing, toys

partners

US 35%, Hong Kong 12.5%, Germany 12%, China 9.9%, France 8% (1992 est.)

External debt

$0 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$13,000 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4% (1995 est.)

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)

8.6% (1995 est.)

Labor force

180,000 (1986)

by occupation

NA

Unemployment rate

2% (1992 est.)

Branches

NA

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of Portugal

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

142,704

males fit for military service

79,225 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

135,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services

domestic

NA

international

HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones

170,021 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

note

TV programs received from Hong Kong

Televisions

34,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

new international airport completed in 1995; 1 seaplane station

Highways

paved

42 km

total

90 km

unpaved

48 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Macau

Railways

0 km