Macau (2008) | Northern Mariana Islands (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of China) | none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 36,413/female 33,981)
15-64 years: 76.6% (male 166,797/female 183,088) 65 years and over: 8% (male 15,541/female 21,169) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 23.4% (male 9,208; female 8,902)
15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,041; female 30,781) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 690; female 689) (2002 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 | coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 6 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 28.2 sq km
land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian |
Area - comparative | less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. In this agreement, 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. | Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978. |
Birth rate | 8.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 20.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $4.6 billion
expenditures: $3.4 billion (2006) |
revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 2001/02 est.) |
Capital | - | Saipan |
Climate | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers | tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October |
Coastline | 41 km | 1,482 km |
Constitution | Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" | Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978 |
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: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 4.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (2006) | $NA |
Dependency status | special administrative region of China | commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (special administrative region of China) | - |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $13.7 million (2004) | extensive funding from US |
Economy - overview | Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted 10s of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross gaming receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the mainland because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependent on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. However, 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. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory. | The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.37 billion kWh (2006) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2006) | - |
Electricity - imports | 964.4 million kWh (2006) | - |
Electricity - production | 1.67 billion kWh (2006) | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member) | - |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census) | Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean |
Exchange rates | patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003) | the US dollar is used |
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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49% |
Exports | 21 bbl/day (2005) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts | garments |
Exports - partners | US 44.1%, China 14.8%, Hong Kong 11.3%, Germany 7.3%, UK 4.1% (2006) | US |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
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 white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $900 million
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 3.9% services: 96% (2006 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 16.6% (2006) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 22 10 N, 113 33 E | 15 12 N, 145 45 E |
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 in the North Pacific Ocean |
Heliports | 1 (2007) | 1 (2002) |
Highways | - | total: 362 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines | - |
Imports | 13,870 bbl/day (2006) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils | food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | China 45.2%, Hong Kong 10.2%, Japan 8.4%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1%, France 4% (2006) | US, Japan |
Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | none (commonwealth in political union with the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.8% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys | tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
5.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.2% (2006) | 1.2% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2001) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region | Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court |
Labor force | 275,000 (2006) | 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | manufacturing 11.1%, construction 11.7%, transport and communications 6.3%, wholesale and retail trade 13.7%, restaurants and hotels 11.3%, gambling 19.8%, public sector 7.7%, financial services 2.6%, other services and agriculture 15.7% (2006) | NA |
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: 15.22%
permanent crops: 6.52% other: 78.26% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census) | English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home |
Legal system | based on Portuguese civil law system | based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009) election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, others 3; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive |
bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 16, Democratic Party 1, Covenant Party 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 82.27 years
male: 79.44 years female: 85.25 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 75.95 years
male: 72.85 years female: 79.23 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3% male: 95.3% female: 87.8% (2001 census) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | not specified | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of China | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | no regular military forces | - |
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 | Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
noun: NA
adjective: NA |
Natural hazards | typhoons | active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) |
Natural resources | NEGL | arable land, fish |
Net migration rate | 4.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 17.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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
note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies |
Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 456,989 (July 2007 est.) | 77,311 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.841% (2007 est.) | 3.49% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Saipan, Tinian |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) | Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.072 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.734 male(s)/female total population: 0.918 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions, 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; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 140 per 100 persons in 2006; fixed-line teledensity about 40 per 100 persons international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 178,013 (2007) | 21,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 794,323 (2007) | 1,200 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2006) | 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997) |
Terrain | generally flat | southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 1.03 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.1% (2006) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |