Macau

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

0 note: TV programs received from Hong Kong

Televisions

34,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, vegetables

Budget

revenues: $305 million expenditures: $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Currency

1 pataca (P) = 100 avos

Debt - external

$0 (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - 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

260,000 kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,750 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

1.2 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

patacas (P) per US$1 - 7.962 (1996), 8.034 (1993-95), 7.973 (1992); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Exports

total value: $1.99 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles, clothing, toys partners: US 42%, Hong Kong 10%, Germany 9.9%, China 9.6%, France 8%, UK 7.2% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $13,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value : $1.99 billion (c.i.f.,1996 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 price index

5.5% (first half 1996)

Labor force

total : 180,000 (1986) by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate

2% (1992 est.)

Area

total : 16 sq km land: 16 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Coastline

40 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to: Ozone Layer Protection (extended from Portugal) signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other : 100% (1993 est.)

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

not specified

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

generally flat

Administrative divisions

2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Ilhas, Macau

Constitution

17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing, promulgated 31 March 1993

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Macau local long form: none local short form : Ilha de Macau

Data code

MC

Dependency status

overseas territory of Portugal; note - scheduled to revert to China on 20 December 1999

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)

Executive branch

chief of state: President of Portugal Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) head of government: Governor General Vasco Joachim Rocha VIERA (since 20 March 1991) 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 elections: none; governor general appointed by the president of Portugal after consultation with the Legislative Assembly

Flag description

the flag of Portugal is used

Government type

NA

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), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

Portuguese civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the governor; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

National capital

Macau

National holiday

Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)

Political parties and leaders

Association to Defend the Interests of Macau, leader NA; Macau Democratic Center, leader NA; Group to Study the Development of Macau, leader NA; Macau Independent Group, leader NA

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Portugal

Military branches

NA

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 144,117 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males : 79,819 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 23% (male 60,270; female 56,803) 15-64 years: 68% (male 169,850; female 171,551) 65 years and over: 9% (male 18,208; female 25,643) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

13.78 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

4.41 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%

Infant mortality rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 80.05 years male: 77.57 years female : 82.65 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.)

Nationality

noun: Macanese (singular and plural) adjective: Macau

Net migration rate

1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

502,325 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.05% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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 population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.53 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none MACEDONIA, Yugoslav Republic of]

Airports

1

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 97 km paved : 97 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Macau

Railways

0 km