Map of Macau | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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.


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Location: Eastern Asia bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N 113 33 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 25.4 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 25.4 km²
Comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0.34 km
Border countries: (1) China 0.34 km

Coastline: 41 km

Maritime claims: not specified

Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters warm summers

Terrain: generally flat

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

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100%
Note: 'green areas' represent 22.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: typhoons

Geography
Note: essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland


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Population: 461,833 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 1.75% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Chinese
Adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups: Chinese 95% Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) Portuguese other

Languages: Portuguese Chinese (Cantonese)

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.8% (male 52,262; female 48,439)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 154,942; female 172,647)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,616; female 19,927) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.75% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.19 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.78 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.08 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.08 male/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male/female
Total population: 0.92 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 4.44 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.78 years
Female: 84.73 years (2002 est.)
Male: 78.97 years

Total fertility rate: 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 90%
Male: 93%
Female: 86% (1981 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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)

Government type: NA

Capital

Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)

Dependent areas

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 in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress is Macau's 'mini-constitution'

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993)
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)

Legislative branch
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)

Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

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

International organization participation: CCC ESCAP (associate) IHO IMO (associate) Interpol (subbureau) ISO (correspondent) UNESCO (associate) WMO WToO (associate) WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (special administrative region of China)
From the us: the US has no offices in Macau and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Macau's economy two years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world according to the World Trade Organization. The government collects no duty on imports and sets no restrictions on exports beyond those required by international agreements. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 35% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. The territory therefore has been hit hard by the 2001 downturn in its key US and EU export markets. Tourism remained strong however driven by a surge in visitors from mainland China. In response to the expected contraction of the economy in 2002 the government has announced a stimulative income tax cut and public works program that will push the budget into deficit. China already has extended support by easing restrictions on travel to Macau and is proposing a China-Hong Kong-Macau free trade area. China's economic weight is increasingly felt with the mainland now holding more than 50% of assets in the financial real estate and construction sectors. Mainlanders however have been excluded from bidding on the gambling industry licenses that Macau is offering to break up the territory's four-decade-old gambling monopoly. Gambling taxes account for up to 60% of revenue and the government with Beijing's backing intends to revitalize the industry.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0.5% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 25%
Services: 74% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: rice vegetables

Industries: tourism gambling clothing textiles electronics footwear toys

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 218,000 (2001)
By occupation: restaurants and hotels 26% manufacturing 20% other services and agriculture 54% (2000 est.)