2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (special administrative region of China)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 37,934/female 35,412) 15-64 years: 75.9% (male 163,975/female 179,830) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 15,099/female 20,875) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong

Airports

1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 (2006)

total

1

Area

land

28.2 sq km

total

28.2 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

less than one-sixth 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

8.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05/06)

revenues

$3.16 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

4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$3.1 billion (2004)

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

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 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 10.1% in 2002, 14.2% in 2003, and 28.6% in 2004 before slowing to 6.7% in 2005. The economic boom was powered by gambling, tourism, and the construction necessary to support such endeavours. China's decision to ease travel restrictions led to a rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors. The opening of Macau's gaming industry to foreign access in 2001 spurred an increase in public works expenditures. 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. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland due to the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependant on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. 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. The range of products covered by CEPA was expanded on 1 January 2005.

Electricity - consumption

2.159 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

340.8 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

2.027 billion kWh (2005)

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)

election results

Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent

elections

chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

head of government

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

Exports

$3.156 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2005)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)

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 (PPP)

$24,300 (2005)

GDP - real growth rate

6.7% (2005)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.56 billion (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$10 billion (2004)

Geographic coordinates

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Geography - note

essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges People Macau

Government type

limited democracy

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

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$3.912 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005)

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

4.54 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2005)

International organization participation

IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.mo

Internet hosts

108 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

201,000 (2004) Transportation Macau

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Labor force

248,000 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing 13.7%, construction 13.7%, transport and communications 5.9%, wholesale and retail trade 10.5%, restaurants and hotels 10.3%, gambling 5.9%, public sector 7.8%, other services and agriculture 19.3% (2005 est.)

Land boundaries

regional border

China 0.34 km

total

0.34 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (2005)

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 Assembly (29 seats; 12 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)

election results

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

elections

last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.17 years (2006 est.)

male

79.36 years

total population

82.19 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.)

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

not specified

Median age

female

36.4 years (2006 est.)

male

35.7 years

total

36.1 years

Military - note

defense is the responsiblity of China Transnational Issues Macau

Military branches

no regular military forces

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 gas - consumption

43.96 million cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural hazards

typhoons

Natural resources

NEGL

Net migration rate

4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

12,360 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

21 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

12,840 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2005 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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

453,125 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.86% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Macau Military 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.)

Roadways

paved

368 km (2005)

total

368 km

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

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

174,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

532,800 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2006)

Televisions

49,000 (1997)

Terrain

generally flat

Total fertility rate

1.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Macau is a transit and destination territory for women trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; most females in Macau's sizeable sex industry come from the interior regions of China or Mongolia, though a significant number also come from Russia, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and Vietnam; the majority of women in Macau's prostitution trade appear to have entered Macau and the sex trade voluntarily, though there is evidence that some are deceived or coerced into sexual servitude, often through the use of debt bondage; organized criminal syndicates are reportedly involved in bringing women to Macau, and fear of reprisals from these groups may prevent some women from seeking help

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - Macau is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking since 2004 This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Unemployment rate

4.1% (2005)