World Facts Index
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. In this agreement, China promised that,
under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist
economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a
high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for
the next 50 years.
Geography of Macau
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Location:
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Eastern Asia, bordering the
South China Sea and China |
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Coordinates:
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22 10 N, 113 33 E |
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Area:
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total: 25.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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about 0.1 times the size of
Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 0.34 km
border countries: China 0.34 km |
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Coastline:
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41 km |
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Maritime claims:
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not specified |
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Climate:
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subtropical; marine with
cool winters, warm summers |
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Terrain:
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generally flat |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: South
China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons |
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Geography - note:
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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 of Macau
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Population:
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545,674 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 16.2% (male 37,934/female 35,412)
15-64 years: 75.9% (male 163,975/female 179,830)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 15,099/female 20,875) |
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Median age:
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36.1 years |
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Growth rate:
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0.86% |
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Infant mortality:
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4.35 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 82.19 years
male: 79.36 years
female: 85.17 years |
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Fertility rate:
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1.02 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian
ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% |
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Religions:
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Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and
other 35% |
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Languages:
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Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other
Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total : 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Macau
Special Administrative Region
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial
de Macau (Portuguese) |
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Dependency status:
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special administrative region of China |
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Government type:
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limited democracy |
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National holiday:
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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 |
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Constitution:
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Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by
China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" |
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Legal system:
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based on Portuguese civil law system |
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Suffrage:
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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 |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President of China HU Jintao
(since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, three
legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing
educator
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 August 2004. |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 elected by
popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve
four-year terms).
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Judicial branch:
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The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau
Special Administrative Region |
Economy
Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its
expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled
casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted tens
of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into
the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed
that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total
government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning
in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry,
which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years.
Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting
businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of
non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled
tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional
manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles
and garments generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross
gaming receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the mainland
because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which provided
a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependent on
gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. However, the Closer
Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came
into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access
to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong
dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.
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GDP:
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$12.5 billion (2006) |
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GDP growth rate:
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4% |
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GDP per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $19,400 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 12%
services: 87% |
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Inflation rate:
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4.1% |
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Labor force:
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251,200 |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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manufacturing 13.7%, construction 10.5%, transport and
communications 5.9%, wholesale and retail trade 14.6%, restaurants and hotels 10.3%,
gambling 17.9%, public sector 7.8%, other services and agriculture 19.3% |
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Unemployment:
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4.1% |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0% |
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Industries:
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tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles,
electronics, footwear, toys |
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Agriculture:
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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 |
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Exports:
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clothing, textiles, footwear, cement,
machines, and parts |
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Export partners:
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US 49.2%, Hong Kong 12.2%, China 11.1%, Germany 6.5% |
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Imports:
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raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods
(foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils |
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Import partners:
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China 32.3%, Hong Kong 27.8%, Chile 18.7% |
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Currency:
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pataca (MOP) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us
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