|
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. In this agreement, China promised that, under its 'one
country, two systems' formula, China's socialist economic system would not
be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50
years. |
|
Location: |
Eastern Asia, bordering the
South China Sea and China |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
22 10 N, 113 33 E |
|
Map references: |
Southeast Asia |
|
Area: |
total: 28.2 sq km
land: 28.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
less than one-sixth the size of
Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km |
|
Coastline: |
41 km |
|
Maritime claims: |
not specified |
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Climate: |
subtropical; marine with cool
winters, warm summers |
|
Terrain: |
generally flat |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: South
China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
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Natural resources: |
NEGL |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
NA |
|
Natural hazards: |
typhoons |
|
Environment - current issues: |
NA |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Marine Dumping
(associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member) |
|
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 |
|
Population: |
460,823 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 14.7% (male
35,107/female 32,756)
15-64 years: 77.1% (male 169,317/female
186,069)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 16,053/female 21,521)
(2008 est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 37 years
male: 36.4 years
female: 37.5 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
0.83% (2008 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
8.73 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
4.72 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
4.28 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 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: 0.75
male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 4.3 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 82.35
years
male: 79.52 years
female: 85.33 years (2008
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
1.05 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed
Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census) |
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Religions: |
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic
15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) |
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Languages: |
Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%,
Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 95.3%
female: 87.8% (2001 census)
|
|
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) |
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Dependency status: |
special administrative region
of China |
|
Government type: |
limited democracy |
|
Administrative divisions: |
none (special administrative
region of China) |
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Independence: |
none (special administrative
region of China) |
|
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 |
|
Constitution: |
Basic Law, approved on 31 March
1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's 'mini-constitution'
|
|
Legal system: |
based on Portuguese civil law
system |
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Suffrage: |
direct election 18 years of age
for some non-executive positions, 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: |
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: |
unicameral Legislative Assembly
(29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7
appointed by the chief executive; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)
election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau
Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for
Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development
Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic
Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for
Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance
1, others 3; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven
members appointed by chief executive |
|
Judicial branch: |
Court of Final Appeal in Macau
Special Administrative Region |
|
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
note: there is no political party ordinance, so
there are no registered political parties; politically active groups
register as societies or companies |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
|
International organization participation: |
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO
(correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (special administrative
region of China) |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
the US has no offices in Macau;
US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to 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 - overview: |
Macau's economy has enjoyed
strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and
gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to
foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted tens of billions
of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the
world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed
that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of
total government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and China's
decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized
Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in
2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put
pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet
their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who
totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some
segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has
been in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles and garments
generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross gaming
receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the mainland
because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which
provided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more
dependent on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth.
However, 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. Macau's currency,
the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely
accepted in the territory. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$12.5 billion (2006) |
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$14.3 billion (2006) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
16.6% (2006) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$28,400 (2006) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 3.9%
services: 96% (2006 est.) |
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Labor force: |
275,000 (2006) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
manufacturing 11.1%,
construction 11.7%, transport and communications 6.3%, wholesale and
retail trade 13.7%, restaurants and hotels 11.3%, gambling 19.8%, public
sector 7.7%, financial services 2.6%, other services and agriculture 15.7%
(2006 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
3.1% (2006) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
7.2% (2006) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $4.6 billion
expenditures: $3.4 billion (2006) |
|
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 |
|
Industries: |
tourism, gambling, clothing,
textiles, electronics, footwear, toys |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
3.8% (2006) |
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Electricity - production: |
1.67 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
|
|
Electricity - consumption: |
2.37 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2006) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
964.4 million kWh (2006) |
|
Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
13,920 bbl/day (2006 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports: |
21 bbl/day (2005) |
|
Oil - imports: |
13,870 bbl/day (2006) |
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Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2008) |
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2006 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2006 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2006 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2006) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
|
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Exports: |
$2.557 billion f.o.b.; note -
includes reexports (2006) |
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Exports - commodities: |
clothing, textiles, footwear,
toys, electronics, machinery and parts |
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Exports - partners: |
US 44.1%, China 14.8%, Hong
Kong 11.3%, Germany 7.3%, UK 4.1% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$4.559 billion c.i.f. (2006)
|
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Imports - commodities: |
raw materials and
semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco),
capital goods, mineral fuels and oils |
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Imports - partners: |
China 45.2%, Hong Kong 10.2%,
Japan 8.4%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1%, France 4% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$13.7 million (2004) |
|
Debt - external: |
$0 (2006) |
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$6.5 billion (2006 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$1.1 billion (2006) |
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$413.1 million (2004) |
|
Currency (code): |
pataca (MOP) |
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Currency code: |
MOP |
|
Exchange rates: |
patacas per US dollar - 8.011
(2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
178,013 (2007) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
794,323 (2007) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and
international services
domestic: termination of monopoly over
mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in
subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 140 per 100
persons in 2006; fixed-line teledensity about 40 per 100 persons
international: country code - 853; landing point for the
SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the
Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
|
|
Radios: |
160,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
1 (2006) |
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Televisions: |
49,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.mo |
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Internet hosts: |
232 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
300,000 (2007) |
|
Airports: |
1 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 1
over
3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
|
Heliports: |
1 (2007) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 384 km
paved: 384 km (2006) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Macau |
|
Military branches: |
no regular military forces
|
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 121,825
(2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 100,826
(2008 est.) |
|
Military - note: |
defense is the responsibility
of China |
| Transnational Issues |
Macau |
|
Disputes - international: |
none |
|
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 |
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Illicit drugs: |
transshipment point for drugs
going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines
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