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 for the next 50 years.


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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: 469,903 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 1.72% (2003 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: 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.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 33.1 years
Male: 32.9 years
Female: 33.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.72% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 12.07 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 3.85 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 8.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 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: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.91 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.42 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.84 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 4.01 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.87 years
Male: 79.05 years
Female: 84.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.32 children born/woman (2003 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: 94.5%
Male: 97.2%
Female: 92% (2003 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: limited democracy

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 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)

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: ESCAP (associate) IHO IMO (associate) Interpol (sub-bureau) ISO (correspondent) UNESCO (associate) WCO 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; 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 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).

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 9.5% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 12%
Services: 87% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: vegetables livestock

Industries: tourism gambling clothing textiles electronics footwear toys

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 214,000 (2002)
By occupation: restaurants and hotels 12% manufacturing 20% other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.)