Macau

Internet country code

.mo

Internet hosts

89 (2003)

Internet users

120,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: NA 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)

Agriculture - products

vegetables, livestock

Budget

revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $1.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $194 million (2002)

Currency

pataca (MOP)

Currency code

MOP

Debt - external

$121 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

NA (1997)

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. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for roughly 41% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. 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. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel 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 liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly contributes to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory. 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. The government estimated GDP growth at 4% in 2003 with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), but private sector analysts think the figure may have been higher because of the continuing boom in tourism.

Electricity - consumption

1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

193 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates

patacas per US dollar - 8.0212 (2003), 8.0334 (2002), 8.0335 (2001), 8.0259 (2000), 7.9919 (1999)

Exports

$2.356 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Exports - partners

US 49.4%, China 14.1%, Germany 8.1%, Hong Kong 6.7%, UK 4.5% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1% industry: 12% services: 87% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities

clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital goods

Imports - partners

China 43%, Hong Kong 12.7%, Japan 8.7%, Taiwan 5.6% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-2.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force

214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing 20%, construction 7%, transport and communications 6%, wholesale and retail trade 15%, restaurants and hotels 12%, gambling 7%, public sector 8%, other services and agriculture 25% (2002 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

6.3% (2003)

Area

total: 25.4 sq km land: 25.4 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

41 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Environment - current issues

NA

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

not specified

Natural hazards

typhoons

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

generally flat

Administrative divisions

none (special administrative region of China)

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)

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)

Executive branch

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of all one government secretary, four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms 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

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

Government type

limited democracy

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

Legal system

based on Portuguese civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and sevem appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms); number of legislators will increase to 29 from September 2005 elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be September 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1

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

Political parties and leaders

Some civic associations operate as de facto political parties: Electoral Union; Pro-Macao and Flower of Friendship and Development of Macao; Associacao para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macao; Centro Democratico de Macao; Grupo Independente de Macao; Macau Economic Promotion Association; Progress Promotion Union; Development Union

Political pressure groups and leaders

Catholic Church [LAI Hung-sing, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

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

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.

Military branches

responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there are local police forces

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 125,060 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 68,913 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 41,460; female 38,595) 15-64 years: 74.2% (male 157,629; female 172,810) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 14,380; female 20,412) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

8.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.03 years male: 79.2 years female: 84.99 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 35.2 years male: 34.9 years female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese

Net migration rate

4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

445,286 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.87% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

0.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

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

Highways

total: 271 km paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Macau