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 will become 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.

Area
Total: 16 km²
Land: 16 km²
Comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0.34 km; China 0.34 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: not known
Disputes: none

Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain: generally flat

Natural resources: negligible

Land use: arable land: 0%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

Population: 473,333 (July 1992), growth rate 1.7% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Macanese (singular and plural; adjective - Macau

Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%

Languages: Portuguese (official; Cantonese is the language of commerce

Religions: Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)

Birth rate: 17 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 4 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Environment
Current issues: essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
Current issues note: 27 km west-southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China

Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 78 years male, 84 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1992)

Literacy: 90% (male 93%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

Country name
Conventional long form: none

Government type: overseas territory of Portugal; scheduled to revert to China in 1999

Capital: Macau

Administrative divisions:

Independence: none (territory of Portugal; Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to China on 20 December 1999; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition

National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June

Constitution: 17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing awaiting final approval

Legal system: Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage: universal at age 18
Legislative Assembly:

Executive branch: President of Portugal, governor, Consultative Council (cabinet)

Legislative branch: Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation: IMO (associate), WTO (associate)
Diplomatic representation: as Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, Macanese interests in the US are represented by Portugal
US: the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description: the flag of Portugal is used

Economy overview: The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of export earnings; the gambling industry represented 36% of GDP in 1991. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $3.1 billion, per capita $6,900; real growth rate 6% (1991 est.)

Agriculture products: rice, vegetables; food shortages - rice, vegetables, meat; depends mostly on imports for food requirements

Industries: clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 180,000 (1986)
Organized labor: none

Unemployment rate: 2% (1989 est.)

Budget: revenues $305 million; expenditures $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $1.5 billion (1990 est.)
Commodoties: textiles, clothing, toys
Partners: US 33%, Hong Kong 15%, FRG 12%, France 10% (1987)

Imports: $1.8 billion (1990 est.)
Commodoties: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods
Partners: Hong Kong 39%, China 21%, Japan 10% (1987)

Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991), 8.024 (1990), 8.030 (1989), 8.044 (1988), 7.993 (1987; note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Electricity
Production: 220,000 kW capacity; 520 million kWh produced, 1,165 kWh per capita (1991)

Airports: none useable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station