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.

Map reference: Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 16 km²
Land: 16 km²

Land boundaries: total 0.34 km, China 0.34 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: not specified

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%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: defense is responsibility of Portugal

Population: 484,557 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 1.35% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Macanese (singular and plural)

Languages: Portuguese (official), Cantonese is the language of commerce

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

Population growth rate: 1.35% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 14.78 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 4.12 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.83 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA

Infant mortality rate: 5.5 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.75 years
Male: 77.33 years
Female: 82.3 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form:

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

Capital: Administrative divisions:2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho; Ilhas, Macau

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 year after transition)

National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)

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

Legal system: Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986)
Head of government: Governor Gen. Vasco Joachim Rocha VIEIRA (since 20 March 1991)

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly: elections last held on 10 March 1991; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (23 total; 8 elected by universal suffrage, 8 by indirect suffrage, and 7 appointed by the governor) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), GATT, IMO (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), WTO (associate)

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 well over 40% of GDP in 1992. 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 12% (1992)

Real gdp per capita: $7,300 (1992)

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)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues:$305 million

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $1.8 billion (1992 est.)
Commodities: textiles, clothing, toys
Partners: US 35%, Hong Kong 12.5%, Germany 12%, China 9.9%, France 8% (1992 est.)

Imports: $2 billion (1992 est.)
Commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods
Partners: Hong Kong 33%, China 20%, Japan 18% (1992 est.)

Debt external: $91 million (1985)

Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991-93), 8.024 (1990), 8.030 (1989; note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Electricity
Capacity: 258,000 kW
Production: 855 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,806 kWh (1992)

Disputes international: none