Macau

Broadcast media

local government dominates broadcast media; 2 television stations operated by the government with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin; 1 cable TV and 4 satellite TV services available; 3 radio stations broadcasting, of which 2 are government-operated (2015)

Internet country code

.mo

Internet users

total: 460,000 | percent of population: 77.6% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150

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 exceeding 300 per 100 persons; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline | 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) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total: 142,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 1.896 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 320 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

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

Budget

revenues: $12.81 billion | expenditures: $10.11 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

6.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.25% (31 December 2016 est.) | 5.25% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Current account balance

$12.31 billion (2016 est.) | $11.56 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Debt - external

$0 (31 December 2013) | $0 (31 December 2012) | country comparison to the world: 204

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35 (2013) | 38 (2008) | country comparison to the world: 94

Economy - overview

Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, Macau has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming the territory into one of the world's largest gaming centers. Macau's gaming and tourism businesses were fueled by China's decision to relax travel restrictions on Chinese citizens wishing to visit Macau. In 2016, Macau's gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 76% of total government revenue. | Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but strong growth resumed in the 2010-13 period, largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. In 2015, this city of 646,800 hosted nearly 30.7 million visitors. Almost 67% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. Services export — primarily gaming — increasingly has driven Macau’s economic performance. Mainland China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign has brought Macau’s gambling boom to a halt, with spending in casinos contracting 34.3% in 2015. As a result, Macau's inflation-adjusted GDP contracted 20.3% in 2015, down from double-digit expansion rates in the period 2010-13, and another 4.7% in 2016. | Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry, risks from money-laundering activities, and the need to diversify the economy away from heavy dependence on gaming revenues. Macau's currency, the pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.

Exchange rates

patacas (MOP) per US dollar - | 7.9951 (2016 est.) | 7.9951 (2015 est.) | 7.985 (2014 est.) | 7.9871 (2013 est.) | 7.99 (2012 est.)

Exports

$1.137 billion (2013 est.) | $1.959 billion (2015 est.) | note: includes reexports | country comparison to the world: 155

Exports - commodities

clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Exports - partners

Hong Kong 64.1%, China 20.2% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$44.86 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$63.75 billion (2016 est.) | $64.32 billion (2015 est.) | $81.1 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 104

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 26.6% | government consumption: 10.3% | investment in fixed capital: 21.6% | investment in inventories: 0.4% | exports of goods and services: 75.7% | imports of goods and services: -34.7% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0% | industry: 12.2% | services: 87.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$98,800 (2016 est.) | $100,700 (2015 est.) | $130,500 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

GDP - real growth rate

-2.1% (2016 est.) | -21.5% (2015 est.) | -1.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$14.2 billion (2014 est.) | $10.13 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Imports - commodities

raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, garments and footwear, motor vehicles), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils

Imports - partners

China 36.7%, Hong Kong 8.6%, Italy 7.9%, Switzerland 7.6%, France 7.4%, Japan 6.3%, US 5.8% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2016 est.) | 4.6% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Labor force

397,800 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing: 2.5% | construction: 9.8% | transport and communications: 4.4% | wholesale and retail trade: 12.4% | restaurants and hotels: 15% | gambling: 25.9% | public sector: 7.1% | financial services: 2.6% | other services: 20.3% (2013 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$85.5 billion (2 March 2012 est.) | $46.1 billion (31 February 2011 est.) | $2.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

0% of GDP (2016 est.) | 0% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$19.49 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $18.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | note: the Fiscal Reserves Act that came into force on 1 January 2012 requires the fiscal reserves to be separated from the foreign exchange reserves and to be managed separately; the transfer of assets took place in February 2012 | country comparison to the world: 63

Stock of broad money

$66.57 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $59.21 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.166 billion (2012 est.) | $667.8 million (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$18.91 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | $14.91 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Stock of domestic credit

$17.16 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $10.09 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93

Stock of narrow money

$7.783 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $7.561 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Taxes and other revenues

29% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Unemployment rate

1.9% (2016 est.) | 1.8% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.8 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity - consumption

4.834 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - imports

4.306 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Electricity - installed generating capacity

472,000 kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - production

904 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity access

population without electricity: 59,742 | electrification - total population: 91% | electrification - urban areas: 91% | electrification - rural areas: 72% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption

355,000 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - imports

371,000 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 165

Refined petroleum products - consumption

12,700 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Refined petroleum products - imports

10,760 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168

Area

total: 28.2 sq km | land: 28.2 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 238

Area - comparative

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Coastline

41 km

Elevation

mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m | highest point: Alto Coloane 172 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution; coastal waters pollution; insufficient policies in reducing and recycling solid wastes; increasing population density worsening noise pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geographic coordinates

22 10 N, 113 33 E

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 3 km | regional border(s) (1): China 3 km

Land use

agricultural land: 0% | arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0% | forest: 0% | other: 100% (urban area) (2011 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

Population - distribution

population fairly equally distributed

Terrain

generally flat

Administrative divisions

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

Citizenship

see China

Constitution

previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority); latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution); amended 2005, 2012 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region | conventional short form: Macau | official long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) | official short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) | etymology: name is thought to derive from the A-Ma Temple - built in 1488 and dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of seafarers and fishermen - which is referred to locally as "Maa Gok" - and in Portuguese became "Macau"; the Chinese name Aomen means "inlet gates"

Dependency status

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (Special Administrative Region of China)

Executive branch

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) | head of government: Chief Executive Fernando CHUI Sai On (since 20 December 2009) | cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the chief executive | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 August 2014 (next to be held in 2019); note - the Legislative Assembly in August 2012 voted to expand the Election Committee to 400 from 300 seats for the 2014 election | election results: Fernando CHUI Sai On reelected chief executive; Election Committee vote count - 380 of 396

Flag description

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 the center of the arc and two smaller on either side; the lotus is the floral emblem of Macau, the three petals represent the peninsula and two islands that make up Macau; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

Government type

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation

ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region (consists of the court president and 2 associate justices) | judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the Macau chief executive upon the recommendation of an independent commission of judges, lawyers, and "eminent" persons; judge tenure NA | subordinate courts: Court of Second Instance; Court of First instance; Lower Court; Administrative Court

Legal system

civil law system based on the Portuguese model

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Legislative Council or Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (33 seats; 14 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 12 indirectly elected by an electoral college of professional and commercial interest groups, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 17 September 2017 (next to be held in 2021) | election results: percent of vote - UMG 10%, UPD 9.7%, ACUM 8.6%, NE 8.3%, UPP 7.2, ANMD 6.6%, NUDM 6.1%, ACDM 5.9%, APMD 5.8%, Civic Watch 5.6%, ABL 5.5%, ANPM 5.3%, other 15.4%; seats by political group - UMG 2, UPD 2, ABL 1, ACDM 1, ACUM 1, ANMD 1, ANPM 1, APMD 1, Civic Watch 1, NE 1, NUDM 1, UPP 1; 12 seats filled by professional and business groups; 7 members appointed by the chief executive

National anthem

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see 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

National symbol(s)

lotus blossom; national colors: green, white, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Change or APM [Melinda CHAN Mei-yi] | Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng] (an electoral list of UPP) | Civic Watch or Civico [Agnes LAM Iok-fong] | Macau-Guangdong Union or UMG [MAK Soi-kun] | Macau Citizens' Development Association or ACDM [Becky SONG Pek-kei] (an electoral list of ACUM) | New Democratic Macau Association or ANMD [AU Kam-san] | New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO] | New Macau Association or AMN [Sulu SOU Ka-hou] | New Union for Macau's Development or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei] | Prosperous Democratic Macau Association or APMD (an electoral list of the AMN) | Union for Development or UPD [Ella LEI Cheng-I] | Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [HO Ion-sang] | United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam] | 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

Bar-Bending Workers' Association [WONG Wai-Man] | Democratic Action [LEE Kin-yun] | Macau New Chinese Youth Association (Associacao de Nova Juventude Chinesa de Macau) or ANJCM [LEONG Sin-man] | Macau Workers' Union [HO Heng-kuok] | New Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong] | Workers' Self-Help Union [CHEONG Weng-fat]

Suffrage

18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past 7 years; note - indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" and an election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, central government bodies, and elected Macau officials

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 of the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's political and economic system would not be imposed on Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign affairs and defense for the subsequent 50 years.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of China

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.1% (male 44,133/female 40,764) | 15-24 years: 11.73% (male 37,194/female 33,418) | 25-54 years: 50.1% (male 134,244/female 167,318) | 55-64 years: 13.5% (male 40,837/female 40,423) | 65 years and over: 10.57% (male 29,764/female 33,874) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

8.6 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 216

Death rate

4.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 26.6 | youth dependency ratio: 15.7 | elderly dependency ratio: 10.9 | potential support ratio: 9.2 (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

2% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 148

Ethnic groups

Chinese 92.4%, Portuguese 0.6%, mixed 1.1%, other 5.9% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Languages

Cantonese 83.3%, Mandarin 5%, Hokkien 3.7%, English 2.3%, other Chinese dialects 2%, Tagalog 1.7%, Portuguese 0.7%, other 1.3% | note: Chinese and Portuguese are official languages (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 84.6 years | male: 81.6 years | female: 87.7 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 96.5% | male: 98.2% | female: 95% (2016 est.)

Median age

total: 39.3 years | male: 39.5 years | female: 39.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Nationality

noun: Chinese | adjective: Chinese

Net migration rate

3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Physicians density

3.11 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population

601,969 (July 2017 est.) | note: Macau's statistical agency estimated the total population to be approximately 644,900 as of 31 December 2016 | country comparison to the world: 170

Population distribution

population fairly equally distributed

Population growth rate

0.74% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years | male: 14 years | female: 15 years (2015)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.11 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.8 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female | total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

0.95 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 223

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 4.5% | male: 5.7% | female: 3.8% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.39% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines

Airports

1 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 224

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 | over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

B-M (2016)

Heliports

2 (2013)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (registered in China) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 17 (registered in China) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,276,436 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 25.435 million mt-km (2015)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Macau

Roadways

total: 424 km | paved: 424 km (2014) | country comparison to the world: 200