Compare Macau (2006) - Iceland (2005)

Compare Macau (2006) z Iceland (2005)

	Macau (2006)	Iceland (2005)

Administrative divisions	none (special administrative region of China)	8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Age structure	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) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 22.1% (male 33,302/female 32,257) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 99,513/female 96,886) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,723/female 19,056) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	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	potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish
Airports	1 (2006)	98 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)	total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 93 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 28.2 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative	less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC	slightly smaller than Kentucky
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.	Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.
Birth rate	8.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	13.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $3.16 billion expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05/06)	revenues: $4.154 billion expenditures: $4.058 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (2004 est.)
Capital	-	Reykjavik
Climate	subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers	temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline	41 km	4,988 km
Constitution	Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"	16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
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: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydhveldidh Island local short form: Island
Death rate	4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$3.1 billion (2004)	$3.073 billion (2002)
Dependency status	special administrative region of China	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong	chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (special administrative region of China)	chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international	none	Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Economic aid - donor	-	$NA
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	-
Economy - overview	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 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 10.1% in 2002, 14.2% in 2003, and 28.6% in 2004. During the first three quarters of 2005, Macau registered year-on-year GDP increases of 6.2%. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of travel restrictions, increased public works expenditures, and significant investment inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's gaming industry drove the four-year recovery. The budget also returned to surplus since 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 led 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 expanded on 1 January 2005.	Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 8% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and estimates call for strong growth until 2007, slowly dropping until the end of the decade.
Electricity - consumption	1.899 billion kWh (2004)	7.692 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2004)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	153.3 million kWh (2004)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	1.893 billion kWh (2004)	8.271 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
Environment - current issues	NA	water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups	Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)	homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Exchange rates	patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002), 8.034 (2001)	Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003), 91.662 (2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000)
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 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 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent	chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15 September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by parliament elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%
Exports	NA bbl/day	0 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts	fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners	US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)	UK 19.1%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 11.5%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.8%, Denmark 4.6% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
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	blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 0.1% industry: 7.2% services: 92.7% (2002 est.)	agriculture: 11.2% industry: 9.6% services: 79.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.8% (3rd Quarter 2005)	1.8% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	22 10 N, 113 33 E	65 00 N, 18 00 W
Geography - note	essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges	strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
Highways	-	total: 13,004 km paved/oiled gravel: 4,331 km unpaved: 8,673 km (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	NA bbl/day	15,470 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils	machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners	China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005)	Germany 12.3%, US 9.9%, Norway 9.7%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, Sweden 6.7%, Netherlands 6% (2004)
Independence	none (special administrative region of China)	1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	8.8% (2004 est.)
Industries	tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys	fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.8% (2nd quarter, 2005)	4% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO	Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region	Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)
Labor force	251,200 (3rd Quarter, 2005)	158,100 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	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% (2005 est.)	agriculture, fishing and fish processing 10.3%, industry 18.3%, services 71.4% (2003)
Land boundaries	total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2001)
Languages	Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)	Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Legal system	based on Portuguese civil law system	civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	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) elections: last held 25 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, United Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive	unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%, Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party - Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 82.19 years male: 79.36 years female: 85.17 years (2006 est.)	total population: 80.19 years male: 78.13 years female: 82.34 years (2005 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: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China	Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Map references	Southeast Asia	Arctic Region
Maritime claims	not specified	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	-	total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 30 (2005)
Military - note	defense is the responsiblity of China	defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Military branches	no regular military forces	no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police, Icelandic Coast Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	0
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, 17 June (1944)
Nationality	noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese	noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Natural hazards	typhoons	earthquakes and volcanic activity
Natural resources	NEGL	fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Net migration rate	4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders	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	Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	453,125 (July 2006 est.)	296,737 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	0.86% (2006 est.)	0.91% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur
Radio broadcast stations	AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions	Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)	Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1 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	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	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)	general assessment: extensive domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Telephones - main lines in use	174,400 (2005)	190,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	532,800 (2005)	279,100 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2006)	14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	generally flat	mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Total fertility rate	1.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)	1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	4.1% (3rd Quarter 2005)	3.1% (2004 est.)

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