Macau

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.mo

Internet users

101,000 (2002)

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: 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

176,902 (November 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular

158,251 (November 2001)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2003)

Agriculture - products

vegetables, livestock

Budget

revenues: $1.41 billion expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194 million (2002)

Currency

pataca (MOP)

Currency code

MOP

Debt - external

$255 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 39% 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 an estimated 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 63% of government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may contribute to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP - 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. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early government forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

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)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998)

Exports

$2.36 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9.5% (2002 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 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea 5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force

214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation

restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,000 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% (2002)

Area

total: 25.4 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 25.4 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 border countries: China 0.34 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 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

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 short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de 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) elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)

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

ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

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 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms) 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 elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)

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

there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs

Political pressure groups and leaders

Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, 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

no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118) 15-64 years: 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 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: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.87 years male: 79.05 years female: 84.82 years (2003 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: 33.1 years male: 32.9 years female: 33.3 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese

Net migration rate

8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

469,903 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.72% (2003 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: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

Macau

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none