French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2003) | Macau (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US | none (special administrative region of China) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118)
15-64 years: 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | vegetables, livestock |
Airports | none (2002) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
total: 25.4 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. | 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 | - | 12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $1.41 billion
expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194 million (2002) |
Climate | antarctic | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 1,232 km | 41 km |
Constitution | - | 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 the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises |
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 | - | pataca (MOP) |
Death rate | - | 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $255 million (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) | special administrative region of China |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | 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 (overseas territory of France) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. | Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 39% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew an estimated 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel 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 63% of government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may contribute to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP - in the territory. 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. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early government forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). |
Electricity - consumption | - | 1.688 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 1 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 193 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 1.611 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other |
Exchange rates | - | patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998) |
Executive branch | - | 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 all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms |
Exports | - | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts |
Exports - partners | - | US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 - $8.6 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 1%
industry: 12% services: 87% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 9.5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 43 00 S, 67 00 E | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
Geography - note | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland |
Highways | - | total: 271 km
paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital goods |
Imports - partners | - | China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea 5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002) |
Independence | - | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | -2.6% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | - | 214,000 (2002) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 0.34 km
border countries: China 0.34 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on Portuguese civil law system |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 81.87 years
male: 79.05 years female: 84.82 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.) |
Location | southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 NM |
not specified |
Merchant marine | total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,596,194 GRT/5,924,475 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 4, chemical tanker 14, container 15, liquefied gas 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 2, France 62, Japan 3, Monaco 1, Norway 5, Sweden 1 (2002 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | - | no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.) |
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 |
Nationality | - | noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
Natural hazards | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | typhoons |
Natural resources | fish, crayfish | NEGL |
Net migration rate | - | 8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader] |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2003 est.) |
469,903 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.72% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Macau |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 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: 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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 176,902 (November 2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 158,251 (November 2001) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (2003) |
Terrain | volcanic | generally flat |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 6.3% (2002) |
Waterways | none | none |