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 of the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement China promised that under its 'one country two systems' formula China's political and economic system would not be imposed on Macau and that Macau would enjoy a 'high degree of autonomy' in all matters except foreign affairs and defense for the subsequent 50 years.

Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N 113 33 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 28.2 km²
Land: 28.2 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 237
Comparative: less than one-sixth the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 3 km
Regional border: China 3 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 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Agricultural land: 0%
Forest: 0%
Other: 100% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: NA; note - included in the total for China

Natural hazards: typhoons

Geography
Note: essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 km² and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges

Population: 592,731
Note: Macau's statistical agency estimated the total population to be approximately 607,500 as of 31 December 2013
Rank: 170
Growth rate: 0.8% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 138
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Chinese
Adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups: Chinese 92.4% Portuguese 0.6% mixed 1.1% other 5.9% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2011 est.)

Languages: Cantonese 83.3% Mandarin 5% Hokkien 3.7% English 2.3% other Chinese dialects 2% Tagalog 1.7% Portuguese 0.7% other 1.3%
Note: Chinese and Portuguese are official languages

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.31%
15-24 years: 13.02%
25-54 years: 50.67%
55-64 years: 12.42%
65 years and over: 9.58% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 28.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 16.7%
Elderly dependency ratio: 11.5%
Potential support ratio: 8.7%

Median age
Total: 38.2 years
Male: 38.7 years
Female: 37.9 years

Population growth rate: 0.8% (2015 est.)
Rank: 138

Birth rate: 8.88 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 211

Death rate: 4.22 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 205

Net migration rate: 3.37 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 37

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.78% annual rate of change

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Marine Dumping Ship Pollution (associate member)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.1 male/female
15-24 years: 1.09 male/female
25-54 years: 0.81 male/female
55-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male/female
Total population: 0.91 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.12 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 3.27 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.95 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 214

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 84.51 years
Male: 81.55 years
Female: 87.61 years
Rank: 4

Total fertility rate: 0.94 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 223

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 148

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.2%
Male: 98%
Female: 94.6%

Country name
Conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
Conventional short form: Macau
Official long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu ; Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
Official short form: Aomen ; Macau (Portuguese)

Government type: limited democracy

Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

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: previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau by Portugal); latest adopted 31 March 1993 effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region by the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution) (2013)

Legal system: civil law system based on the Portuguese model

Suffrage: 18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; note - indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as 'corporate voters' (973 were registered in the 2009 legislative elections) and a 400-member Election Committee for the Chief Executive drawn from broad regional groupings municipal organizations central government bodies and elected Macau officials

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of China XI Jinping
Head of government: Chief Executive Fernando CHUI Sai On
Cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the chief executive
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term ; chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 August 2014 (next to be held in 2019); note - the Legislative Assembly in August 2012 voted to expand the Election Committee to 400 from 300 seats for the 2014 election
Election results: Fernando CHUI Sai On reelected chief executive; Election Committee vote count - 380 of 396

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Legislative Council or Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau
Elections: last held on 15 September 2013
Election results: percent of vote - ACUM 18.0% UMG 11.1% UPP 10.8% NE 9.0% NUDM 8.9% UPD 8.2% APMD 7.5% ANMD 6.0% APM 6.0% other 14.5%; seats by political group - ACUM 3 UMG 2 UPP 2 NE 2 NUDM 1 UPD 1 APMD 1 ANMD 1 APM 1; 12 seats filled by professional and business groups; 7 members appointed by the chief executive

Judicial branch
Highest court: Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the Macau chief executive upon the recommendation of an independent commission of judges lawyers and 'eminent' persons; judge tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Court of Second Instance; Court of First instance; Lower Court; Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders:
Note: there is no political party ordinance so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

International organization participation: ICC (national committees) IHO IMF IMO (associate) Interpol (subbureau) ISO (correspondent) UNESCO (associate) UNWTO (associate) UPU WCO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (Special Administrative Region of China)
From the us: the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau

Flag description: 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 the center of the arc and two smaller on either side; the lotus is the floral emblem of Macau the three petals represent the peninsula and two islands that make up Macau; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

National symbols: lotus blossom; national colors: green white yellow

National anthem
Note: as a Special Administrative Region of China 'Yiyongjun Jinxingqu' is the official anthem

Economy overview: Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001 Macau has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment transforming the territory into one of the world's largest gaming centers. Macau's gaming and tourism businesses were fueled by China's decision to relax travel restrictions on Chinese citizens wishing to visit Macau. In 2014 Macau's gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 83% of total government revenue. Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown but strong growth resumed in 2010-13 largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. In 2014 this city of 636,200 hosted nearly 31.5 million visitors. Almost 67% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. Services export—primarily gaming—increasingly has driven Macau’s economic performance. Mainland China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign has brought Macau’s gambling boom to a halt with spending in casinos contracting 2.6% in 2014. As a result Macau's inflation-adjusted GDP contracted 0.4% from 2013 down from double-digit expansion rates in 2010-13. Non-inflation adjusted exports of goods and services dropped 0.4% from 2013 reflecting the slowdown in gaming exports. Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry risks from money-laundering activities and the need to diversify the economy away from heavy dependence on gaming revenues. Macau's currency the pataca is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar which is also freely accepted in the territory.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Rank: 106

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 1

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 4

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 18.5%
Government consumption: 6.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 16.7%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 101.7%
Imports of goods and services: -43.4%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0%
Industry: 5.9%
Services: 94.1%

Agriculture products: only 2% of land area is cultivated mainly by vegetable growers; fishing mostly for crustaceans is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong

Industries: tourism gambling clothing textiles electronics footwear toys

Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2014 est.)
Rank: 11

Labor force: 367,800 (2013 est.)
Rank: 159
By occupation manufacturing: 2.5%
By occupation construction: 9.8%
By occupation transport and communications: 4.4%
By occupation wholesale and retail trade: 12.4%
By occupation restaurants and hotels: 15%
By occupation gambling: 25.9%
By occupation public sector: 7.1%
By occupation financial services: 2.6%
By occupation other services: 20.3%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 11

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 90

Budget
Revenues: $23.3 billion
Expenditures: $4.931 billion
Surplus or deficit: 35.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 1

Taxes and other revenues: 45.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 25

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 182

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 149

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 88

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 63

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 188

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 44

Current account balance:
Rank: 20

Exports:
Note: includes reexports
Rank: 158
Commodities: clothing textiles footwear toys electronics machinery and parts
Partners: Hong Kong 58.6% China 15.7% (2014 est.)

Imports:
Rank: 100
Commodities: raw materials and semi-manufactured goods consumer goods (foodstuffs beverages tobacco garments and footwear motor vehicles) capital goods mineral fuels and oils
Partners: China 33.2% Hong Kong 10.3% Switzerland 9.1% France 8.4% Italy 6.9% US 6.5% Japan 5.6% (2014 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.15 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Note: the Fiscal Reserves Act that came into force on 1 January 2012 requires the fiscal reserves to be separated from the foreign exchange reserves and to be managed separately; the transfer of assets took place in February 2012
Rank: 69

Debt external:
Rank: 205

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 76

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 80

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 413.7 million kWh (2013 est.)
Production rank: 166
Consumption: 4.291 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 120
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 165
Imports: 3.855 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 44
Installed generating capacity: 472,000 kW (2013 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 144
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 22
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 132
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 182
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 198

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 195
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 148
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 87
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 160

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 168
Products consumption: 11,600 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 152
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 194
Products imports: 5,780 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 145

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 159
Consumption: 355,000 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 114
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 137
Imports: 371,000 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 76
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 163

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.694 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 155

Telephones
Fixed lines total: 160,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28
Fixed lines rank: 133
Mobile cellular total: 1.6 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 279
Mobile cellular rank: 154

Telephone system
General assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
Domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity exceeding 200 per 100 persons; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline
International: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia the Middle East and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2011)

Broadcast media: local government dominates broadcast media; 2 television stations operated by the government with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin; 1 cable TV and 4 satellite TV services available; 3 radio stations broadcasting of which 2 are government-operated (2012)

Internet
Country code: .mo
Users total: 270,200
Users percent of population: 48.3%
Users rank: 150

Airports: 1 (2013)
Rank: 224
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1

Heliports: 2 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 421 km
Paved: 421 km
Rank: 200

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Macau

Disputes international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines