2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (special administrative region of China)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 39,564/female 36,947) 15-64 years: 75.1% (male 160,957/female 176,386) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 14,713/female 20,631) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important, some of catch is exported to Hong Kong; most food requirements are met by imports, primarily from China

Airports

1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) Military Macau

Area

land

25.4 sq km

total

25.4 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. Geography Macau

Birth rate

8.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)

revenues

$1.84 billion

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Coastline

41 km

Constitution

Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Country name

conventional long form

Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form

Macau

local long form

Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

local short form

Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Currency (code)

pataca (MOP)

Currency code

MOP

Death rate

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$2.7 billion (2003)

Dependency status

special administrative region of China

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (special administrative region of China)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002 and 15.6% in 2003. During the first three quarters of 2004, Macau registered year-on-year GDP increases of more than 20 percent. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel, increased public works expenditures, and significant investment inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's gaming industry drove the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of government revenue. The three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory, which will boost GDP growth. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. Two new casinos were opened by new foreign gambling licensees in 2004; development of new infrastructure and facilities in preparation for Macau's hosting of the 2005 East Asian Games will bolster the construction sector. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland, and the range of products covered by CEPA was to be expanded on 1 January 2005.

Electricity - consumption

1.772 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

1 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

179.7 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

1.719 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Coloane Alto 172.4 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)

Exchange rates

patacas per US dollar - 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council consists of one government secretary, four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist

chief of state

President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)

election results

Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004; received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3 members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent

elections

chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for up to two five-year terms

head of government

Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)

Exports

$2.58 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2003)

Exports - commodities

clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Exports - partners

US 48.7%, China 13.9%, Germany 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.6%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Macau

Flag description

light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller Economy Macau

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

0.1%

industry

7.2%

services

92.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003)

GDP - real growth rate

15.6% (2003)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$9.1 billion (2003)

Geographic coordinates

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Geography - note

essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland People Macau

Government type

limited democracy

Highways

paved

341 km

total

341 km

unpaved

0 km (2002)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$2.76 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Imports - commodities

raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils

Imports - partners

China 44.4%, Hong Kong 10.6%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 4.9%, Singapore 4.1%, US 4.1% (2004)

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Infant mortality rate

female

4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

4.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (3rd quarter, 2004)

International organization participation

IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

Internet country code

.mo

Internet hosts

89 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

120,000 (2003) Transportation Macau

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Labor force

231,500 (3rd Quarter, 2004)

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing 18.3%, construction 8%, transport and communications 7%, wholesale and retail trade 16.2%, restaurants and hotels 10.9%, gambling 11.6%, public sector 8.8%, other services and agriculture 19.2% (2003 est.)

Land boundaries

regional border

China 0.34 km

total

0.34 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)

Legal system

based on Portuguese civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (29 seats; 12 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and seven appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - Development Union 12.8%, Macau Development Alliance 9%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, New Democratic Macau Association 18.2%, others na; seats by political group - Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, New Democratic Macau Association 2, New Hope 1, Union Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive

elections

last held 26 September 2005 (next in September 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.09 years (2005 est.)

male

79.29 years

total population

82.12 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

92% (2003 est.) Government Macau

male

97.2%

total population

94.5%

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Macau

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

not specified

Median age

female

35.4 years (2005 est.)

male

34.9 years

total

35.2 years

Military branches

China's People's Revolutionary Army (PLA) constitutes the only armed force in Macau; several police forces constitute the Security Forces of Macau (SFM) that are subordinate to the General Secretariat of Security, a body comparable to a ministry of interior (2004)

National holiday

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Nationality

adjective

Chinese

noun

Chinese

Natural hazards

typhoons

Natural resources

NEGL

Net migration rate

4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

449,198 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

0.87% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Macau

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

160,000 (1997)

Religions

Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services

international

country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

174,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

364,000 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2003)

Televisions

49,000 (1997)

Terrain

generally flat

Total fertility rate

0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.7% (3rd Quarter, 2004)