Macau (2003) | Macau (2002) | |
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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.) |
0-14 years: 21.8% (male 52,262; female 48,439)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 154,942; female 172,647) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,616; female 19,927) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, livestock | rice, vegetables |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 1 (2001) |
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 for the next 50 years. | 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. |
Birth rate | 12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 12.19 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.41 billion
expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194 million (2002) |
revenues: $1.15 billion
expenditures: $1.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $166 million (2000 est.) |
Death rate | 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $255 million (2000 est.) | $1.5 billion (1998) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong | the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong |
Economy - overview | 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). | Macau's economy two years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world, according to the World Trade Organization. The government collects no duty on imports and sets no restrictions on exports beyond those required by international agreements. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 35% of GDP, with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. The territory therefore has been hit hard by the 2001 downturn in its key US and EU export markets. Tourism remained strong, however, driven by a surge in visitors from mainland China. In response to the expected contraction of the economy in 2002, the government has announced a stimulative income tax cut and public works program that will push the budget into deficit. China already has extended support by easing restrictions on travel to Macau and is proposing a China-Hong Kong-Macau free trade area. China's economic weight is increasingly felt, with the mainland now holding more than 50% of assets in the financial, real estate, and construction sectors. Mainlanders, however, have been excluded from bidding on the gambling industry licenses that Macau is offering to break up the territory's four-decade-old gambling monopoly. Gambling taxes account for up to 60% of revenue, and the government with Beijing's backing intends to revitalize the industry. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.688 billion kWh (2002) | 1.476 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 1 million kWh (2001) | 1 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 193 million kWh (2002) | 175 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 1.611 billion kWh (2002) | 1.4 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Exchange rates | patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998) | patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000), 7.992 (1999), 7.979 (1998), 7.975 (1997); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar |
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 |
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: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms |
Exports | NA (2001) | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
Exports - commodities | clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts | clothing, textiles, cement, electronics, cameras |
Exports - partners | US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002) | US 48%, EU 28%, China 10%, Hong Kong 7% (2000) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 12% services: 87% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 9.5% (2002 est.) | 0.5% (2001 est.) |
Highways | total: 271 km
paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Imports | NA (2001) | $2.3 billion c.i.f. (2000) |
Imports - commodities | clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital goods | clothing, textiles, yarn, minerals, electrical machinery, fuel, livestock |
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) | China 41%, Hong Kong 15%, EU 10%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 6% (2000) |
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.) |
4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -2.6% (2002 est.) | -2% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO | CCC, ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO |
Labor force | 214,000 (2002) | 218,000 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.) | restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 54% (2000 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 81.87 years
male: 79.05 years female: 84.82 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 81.78 years
male: 78.97 years female: 84.73 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.) |
Military - note | - | responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999 |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 128,005 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 70,508 (2002 est.) |
Net migration rate | 8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 9.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Population | 469,903 (July 2003 est.) | 461,833 (July 2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.72% (2003 est.) | 1.75% (2002 est.) |
Radios | - | 160,000 (1997) |
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.) |
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: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2003) | 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997) |
Total fertility rate | 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.3% (2002) | 6.5% (2001 est.) |