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.

Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 16 km²
Land: 16 km²
Water: 0 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: 40 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 174 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: NA

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

Population: 502,325 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 1.05% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Macanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Macau

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

Languages: Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 23% (male 60,270; female 56,803)
15-64 years: 68% (male 169,850; female 171,551)
65 years and over: 9% (male 18,208; female 25,643) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.05% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 13.78 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.41 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.09 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.05 years
Male: 77.57 years
Female: 82.65 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Macau
Local long form: none
Local short form: Ilha de Macau

Government type: NA

Capital: Macau

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 years after transition)

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

Constitution: 17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing, promulgated 31 March 1993

Legal system: Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of Portugal Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
Head of government: Governor General Vasco Joachim Rocha VIERA (since 20 March 1991)
Cabinet: Consultative Council consists of a total of 15 members - five appointed by the governor, two nominated by the governor, five elected for a four-year term (two represent administrative bodies, one represents moral, cultural, and welfare interests, and two represent economic interests), and three statutory members
Elections: none; governor general appointed by the president of Portugal after consultation with the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the governor; members serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, consisting of five magistrates including the president; lower court judges appointed for three-year terms by the governor

International organization participation: CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)
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: 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 probably represents over 40% of GDP. 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: 4% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $13,600 (1996 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: rice, vegetables

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 180,000 (1986)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $305 million
Expenditures: $298 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1989 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports
Total value: $1.99 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: textiles, clothing, toys
Partners: US 42%, Hong Kong 10%, Germany 9.9%, China 9.6%, France 8%, UK 7.2% (1995)

Imports
Total value: $1.99 billion (c.i.f.,1996 est.)
Commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods
Partners: Hong Kong 33%, China 20%, Japan 18% (1992 est.)

Debt external: $0 (1996)

Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1 - 7.962 (1996), 8.034 (1993-95), 7.973 (1992; note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Electricity
Capacity: 260,000 kW (1994)
Production: 1.2 billion kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 2,750 kWh (1995 est.)

Telephones: 170,021 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
Domestic: NA
International: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Airports: 1
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: none