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  Macau
(special administrative region of China)
 
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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
 Government
 Economy
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This page was last updated on 18 January, 2007


Map of Macau



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Macau Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Southeast Asia
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 28.2 sq km
land: 28.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
41 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
not specified
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
generally flat
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
NEGL
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
453,125 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 36.1 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.86% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 82.19 years
male: 79.36 years
female: 85.17 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.)
   Government    Macau Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
special administrative region of China
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
limited democracy
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
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
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on Portuguese civil law system
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
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
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 one government secretary, three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing educator
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)
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)
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, United Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$10 billion (2004)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$11.56 billion (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.7% (2005)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$24,300 (2005)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 7.2%
services: 92.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
248,000 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.1% (2005)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.4% (2005)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $3.16 billion
expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05/06)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
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
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.027 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.159 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
1 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
340.8 million kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12,360 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12,840 bbl/day (2005)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
43.96 million cu m (2005 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.156 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2005)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.912 billion c.i.f. (2005)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.1 billion (2004)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
pataca (MOP)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Macau Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
174,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
532,800 (2005)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2006)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.mo
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
108 (2006)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
201,000 (2004)
   Transportation    Macau Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 368 km
paved: 368 km (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Macau
   Military    Macau Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsiblity of China
   Transnational Issues    Macau Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Trafficking in persons:
Definition Field Listing
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 18 January, 2007


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