Macau (2001) | Qatar (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of China) | 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
22.68% (male 53,291; female 49,615) 15-64 years: 70.08% (male 150,538; female 167,431) 65 years and over: 7.24% (male 13,287; female 19,571) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 25.2% (male 102,110; female 98,053)
15-64 years: 72.1% (male 403,508; female 168,428) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 15,299; female 5,943) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, vegetables | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 4 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total:
21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
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 (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. | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. |
Birth rate | 12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.78 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1.26 billion expenditures: $1.22 billion, including capital expenditures of $175 million (1999 est.) |
revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $900 million (FY01/02 est. ) |
Capital | - | Doha |
Climate | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 40 km | 563 km |
Constitution | Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution |
Country name | 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) |
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
Currency | pataca (MOP) | Qatari rial (QAR) |
Death rate | 3.71 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.7 billion (1997) | $13.1 billion (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | special administrative region of China | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong | chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (special administrative region of China) | chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $NA |
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 three-fourths of export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of GDP. More than 8 million tourists visited Macau in 2000. 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. Output dropped 5% in 1998 and 3% in 1999, with a small 2% gain in 2000. Macau reverted to Chinese administration on 20 December 1999. Gang violence, a dark spot in the economy, probably will be reduced in 2000-01 to the advantage of the tourism sector. | Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 58% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $7 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and managed to maintain the surplus in 2001. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.422 billion kWh (1999) | 8.556 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 3 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 165 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 1.355 billion kWh (1999) | 9.2 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
Exchange rates | patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2001), 8.025 (2000), 7.990 (1999), 7.978 (1998), 7.974 (1997), 7.966 (1996); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) 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: NA |
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in March 1999, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services |
Exports | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $11 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement, footwear, machinery | petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel |
Exports - partners | US 47%, EU 30%, China 9.2%, Hong Kong 6.7% (1999) | Japan 43%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6%, US 4%, UAE 2% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | 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 | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.82 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $16.3 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1% industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | 5.6% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 22 10 N, 113 33 E | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
Geography - note | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total:
50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) | $3.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods, fuels, consumer goods | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | China 36%, Hong Kong 18%, EU 13%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 7% (1999) | UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, US 6% (1998) |
Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism, gambling | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement |
Infant mortality rate | 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 20.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -1.8% (2000 est.) | 2% (2001) |
International organization participation | CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 130 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region | Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 283,450 (1999) | 280,122 (1997 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 22%, other services 52% (2000 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total:
0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km |
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
Legal system | based on Portuguese civil law system | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by 15 October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - APPEM 2, UNIPRO 2, CODEM 1, UDM 1, UPD 1, ANMD 1 |
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
81.69 years male: 78.88 years female: 84.64 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 72.88 years
male: 70.4 years female: 75.48 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Middle East |
Maritime claims | not specified | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 679,081 GRT/1,051,088 DWT
ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 3 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999 | - |
Military branches | Macau garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes about 500 troops | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $723 million (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 10% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
125,737 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 316,885
note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
69,191 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 166,214 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 6,797 (2002 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 | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
Nationality | noun:
Chinese adjective: Chinese |
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
Natural hazards | typhoons | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
Natural resources | NEGL | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
Net migration rate | 9.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km |
Political parties and leaders | the following is a listing of those associations that participated in the last legislative elections: Associacao de Novo Macau Democratico or ANMD [leader NA]; Associacao Promotora para a Economia de Macau or APPEM [leader NA]; Convergencia para o Desenvolvimento or CODEM [leader NA]; Uniao Geral para o Desenvolvimento de Macau or UDM [leader NA]; Uniao para o Desenvolvimento or UPD [leader NA]; Uniao Promotora para o Progresso or UNIPRO [leader NA]
note: there are no formal political parties, but civic associations are used instead |
none |
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] | none |
Population | 453,733 (July 2001 est.) | 793,341 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.79% (2001 est.) | 3.02% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Macau | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 160,000 (1997) | 256,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) | Muslim 95% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.57 male(s)/female total population: 1.91 male(s)/female (2002 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 | suffrage is limited to municipal elections |
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) |
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 176,837 (2000) | 142,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 120,957 (2000) | 43,476 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997) | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | generally flat | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
Total fertility rate | 1.31 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.6% (2000) | 2.7% (2001) |
Waterways | none | none |