Christmas Island (2004) | Macau (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 17% (male 39,564/female 36,947)
15-64 years: 75.1% (male 160,957/female 176,386) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 14,713/female 20,631) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important, some of catch is exported to Hong Kong; most food requirements are met by imports, primarily from China |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 25.4 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | 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. 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 for the next 50 years. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 8.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $1.84 billion
expenditures: $1.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003) |
Capital | The Settlement | - |
Climate | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 80 km | 41 km |
Constitution | NA | Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $2.7 billion (2003) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | special administrative region of China |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | NA |
Economy - overview | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in mid-2004 | Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002 and 15.6% in 2003. During the first three quarters of 2004, Macau registered year-on-year GDP increases of more than 20 percent. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel, increased public works expenditures, and significant investment inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's gaming industry drove the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of government revenue. The three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory, which will boost GDP growth. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. Two new casinos were opened by new foreign gambling licensees in 2004; development of new infrastructure and facilities in preparation for Macau's hosting of the 2005 East Asian Games will bolster the construction sector. 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, and the range of products covered by CEPA was to be expanded on 1 January 2005. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 1.772 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 1 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 179.7 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 1.719 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999) | patacas per US dollar - 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
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, four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for up to two five-year terms election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004; received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3 members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent |
Exports | NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | US 48.7%, China 13.9%, Germany 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.6%, UK 4.4% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory | light 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 center of arc and four smaller |
GDP | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 7.2% services: 92.7% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 15.6% (2003) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland |
Highways | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
total: 341 km
paved: 341 km unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | China 44.4%, Hong Kong 10.6%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 4.9%, Singapore 4.1%, US 4.1% (2004) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 2% (3rd quarter, 2004) |
International organization participation | none | IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | NA | 231,500 (3rd Quarter, 2004) |
Labor force - by occupation | NA | manufacturing 18.3%, construction 8%, transport and communications 7%, wholesale and retail trade 16.2%, restaurants and hotels 10.9%, gambling 11.6%, public sector 8.8%, other services and agriculture 19.2% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census) |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on Portuguese civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (29 seats; 12 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and seven appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 26 September 2005 (next in September 2009) election results: percent of vote - Development Union 12.8%, Macau Development Alliance 9%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, New Democratic Macau Association 18.2%, others na; seats by political group - Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, New Democratic Macau Association 2, New Hope 1, Union Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
total population: 82.12 years
male: 79.29 years female: 85.09 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
not specified |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
Military branches | - | China's People's Revolutionary Army (PLA) constitutes the only armed force in Macau; several police forces constitute the Security Forces of Macau (SFM) that are subordinate to the General Secretariat of Security, a body comparable to a ministry of interior (2004) |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | 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 |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | typhoons |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | NEGL |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
People - note | The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1508 as of the 2001 Census | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 396 (July 2004 est.) | 449,198 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA |
Population growth rate | -9% (2004 est.) | 0.87% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | Macau |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) |
Sex ratio | NA (2004 est.) | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 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 |
Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 174,600 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 364,000 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (2003) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | generally flat |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) | 0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 4.7% (3rd Quarter, 2004) |