Tromelin Island (2001) | Macau (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (special administrative region of China) |
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.) |
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 |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
1 sq km land: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 28.2 sq km
land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC |
Background | First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station. | 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 | - | 8.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $3.16 billion
expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05/06) |
Climate | tropical | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 3.7 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:
none conventional short form: Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Tromelin |
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) |
Death rate | - | 4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $3.1 billion (2004) |
Dependency status | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Madagascar and Mauritius | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 1.899 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2004) |
Electricity - imports | - | 153.3 million kWh (2004) |
Electricity - production | - | 1.893 billion kWh (2004) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | - | patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002), 8.034 (2001) |
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 |
Exports | - | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | - | clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts |
Exports - partners | - | US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005) |
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 - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 7.2% services: 92.7% (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2.8% (3rd Quarter 2005) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 52 S, 54 25 E | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
Geography - note | climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary | 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 |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | - | raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils |
Imports - partners | - | China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005) |
Independence | - | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.8% (2nd quarter, 2005) |
International organization participation | - | IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | - | 251,200 (3rd Quarter, 2005) |
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.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (scattered bushes) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | - | Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on Portuguese civil law system |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 82.19 years
male: 79.36 years female: 85.17 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
not specified |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsiblity of China |
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 |
Nationality | - | noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
Natural hazards | NA | typhoons |
Natural resources | fish | NEGL |
Net migration rate | - | 4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | uninhabited (July 2001 est.) | 453,125 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.86% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | - | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 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.) |
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: 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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 174,400 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 532,800 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (2006) |
Terrain | low, flat, and sandy | generally flat |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.02 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 4.1% (3rd Quarter 2005) |
Waterways | none | - |