2020 Edition

Background

Portuguese ships began arriving in 1513. In the 1550s, Portuguese paying tribute to China settled in Macau, which became the official entrepôt for all international trade with China and Japan and the first European settlement in the Far East.  The first governor was appointed in the 17th century, but the Portuguese remained largely under the control of the Chinese. In the 1930s and ’40s Macau was declared a neutral territory during the Sino-Japanese War and World War II and became a refuge for both Chinese and Europeans. Portugal officially made Macau an overseas province in 1951.   In April 1987, Portugal and China reached an agreement to return Macau to Chinese rule in 1999, using the Hong Kong Joint Declaration between China and the UK as a model. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's political and economic system would not be imposed on Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign affairs and defense for the next 50 years. However, after China's multi-year crackdown against the pro-democracy movement in nearby Hong Kong, the governments of China and the Macau Special Administrative Region worked to limit Macau's political autonomy by suppressing opposition activity in the 2021 legislative elections.

Area

land

28.2 sq km

total

28 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Coastline

41 km

Elevation

highest point

Alto Coloane 172 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Geography - note

primarily urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km (2 sq mi) and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

regional borders

China 3 km

total

3 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2022 est.)

forest

0% (2022 est.)

other

100% (2022 est.)

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

not specified

Natural hazards

typhoons

Natural resources

NEGL

Population distribution

population fairly equally distributed

Terrain

generally flat

Age structure

0-14 years

14.4% (male 47,346/female 45,216)

15-64 years

69.9% (male 210,059/female 240,577)

65 years and over

15.7% (2024 est.) (male 47,583/female 53,645)

Birth rate

8.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

22.5 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

4.5 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

43 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

20.5 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

Education expenditure

6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 89.4%, Chinese and Portuguese 1%, Portuguese 0.8%, Chinese and non-Portuguese 0.2%, Portuguese and others 0.2%, other 8.5% (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.61 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Cantonese 81%, Mandarin 4.7%, other Chinese dialects 5.4%, English 3.6%, Tagalog 2.9%, Portuguese 0.6%, other 1.8% (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s)

世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

88.3 years

male

82.5 years

total population

85.3 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

682,000 Macau (2023)

Median age

female

43.1 years

male

41.5 years

total

43 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Chinese

noun

Chinese

Net migration rate

3.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

female

339,438

male

304,988

total

644,426 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

0.64% (2025 est.)

Religions

folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

19 years (2021)

male

17 years

total

18 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.89 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Citizenship

see China

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Macau Special Administrative Region; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Assembly of Macau, approval by two thirds of Macau's deputies to the NPC, and consent of the Macau chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

history

previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority); latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution)

Country name

conventional long form

Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form

Macau

etymology

name derived from the Chinese ama-gao, or “Bay of Ama,” for Ama, the patron goddess of sailors

official long form

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

official short form

Aomen (Chinese)/ Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (Special Administrative Region of China)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council appointed by the chief executive

chief of state

President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

election results

2024: Sam Hou FAI (unopposed; received 394 out of 400 votes) 2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes)

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

expected date of next election

president: March 2028 chief executive: 2029

head of government

Chief Executive Sam Hou FAI (since 20 December 2024)

most recent election date

president: 10 March 2023 chief executive: 13 October 2024

Flag

description: green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, under an arc of five five-pointed gold stars meaning: the lotus is the national floral emblem, and the three petals represent the country's peninsula and two islands; the five stars echo the Chinese flag

Government type

executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation

ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region (consists of the court president and 2 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the Macau chief executive upon the recommendation of an independent commission of judges, lawyers, and "eminent" persons; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts

Court of Second Instance; Court of First instance; Lower Court; Administrative Court

Legal system

civil law system based on the Portuguese model

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed

expected date of next election

September 2025

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Legislative Assembly (Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau)

most recent election date

9/12/2021

number of seats

33 (14 directly elected, 12 indirectly elected, 7 appointed)

parties elected and seats per party

United Citizens Association of Macau (ACUM) (3); Union for Development (UPD) (2); Macau-Guangdong Union (UGM) (2); Union for Promoting Progress (UPP) (2); Alliance for a Happy Home (ABL) (2); New Hope (NE) (2); Association of Synergy of Macau (PS) (1)

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a Special Administrative Region of China

lyrics/music

TIAN Han/NIE Er

title

"Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers)

National color(s)

green, white, yellow

National holiday

National Day (anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949)

National symbol(s)

lotus blossom

Political parties

Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL Association of Synergy of Macau ("Synergy Power" or Poder da Singeria) or PS  Macau-Guangdong Union or UGM  New Hope or NE  Union for Development or UPD  Union for Promoting Progress or UPP or UNIPRO  United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM

Suffrage

18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past 7 years

Agricultural products

pork, chicken, beef, eggs, pork offal, pork fat, pepper, beef offal, cattle hides, goose meat (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$11.509 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$12.513 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$2.705 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$3.476 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$14.38 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, Chinese special administrative region economy; known for apparel exports and gambling tourism; currency pegged to Hong Kong dollar; significant recession due to 2015 Chinese anticorruption campaign; COVID-19 further halved economic activity

Exchange rates

Currency

patacas (MOP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

7.989 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

8.006 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

8.065 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

8.063 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

8.037 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$28.163 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$21.097 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$41.839 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

jewelry, garments, broadcasting equipment, precious metal watches, video and card games (2023)

Exports - partners

Hong Kong 73%, China 6%, USA 6%, Philippines 3%, Singapore 1% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

89.8% (2024 est.)

government consumption

12.2% (2024 est.)

household consumption

29% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-45.4% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13.8% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

industry

5.4% (2023 est.)

services

91.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$50.183 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$23.77 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$20.923 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$23.205 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

jewelry, garments, trunks and cases, broadcasting equipment, electricity (2023)

Imports - partners

China 36%, Hong Kong 17%, USA 6%, France 6%, Japan 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

6.8% (2023 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

0% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

1% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

0.5% (2023 est.)

Labor force

382,100 (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

0% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$40.699 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$71.248 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$77.524 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-19.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

75.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

8.8% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$60,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$105,000 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$112,800 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$25.971 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$27.771 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$29.392 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

2.5% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.3% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.6% (2024 est.)

male

9.4% (2024 est.)

total

7.2% (2024 est.)

Coal

exports

600 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

7 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

5.659 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

5.327 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

427,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

161.125 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

41.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

58.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

64.641 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

121.747 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

121.716 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

30 (2023 est.)

total

212,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

local government dominates broadcast media; 2 TV stations operated by the government, with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin; 1 cable TV and 4 satellite TV services available; 3 radio stations broadcasting, of which 2 are government-operated (2019)

Internet country code

.mo

Internet users

percent of population

89% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

87,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

175 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.37 million (2023 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

B-M

Heliports

4 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

other 5

total

5 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Macau

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

0

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of China; the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) maintains a garrison in Macau

Military and security forces

Macau Public Security Police Force

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Macau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Macau remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/macau

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

-1,239 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

238,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.358 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

1.595 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution; coastal water pollution; solid-waste disposal; noise pollution

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

377,900 tons (2024 est.)