Macau

• primarily urban;
• an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km (2 sq mi) and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa;
• the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges

noun:

Chinese

adjective:

Chinese

total:

43 years (2025 est.)

male:

41.5 years

female:

43.1 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.89 male(s)/female

total population:

0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

85.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

82.5 years

female:

88.3 years

• air pollution;
• coastal water pollution;
• solid-waste disposal;
• noise pollution

urban population:

100% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

conventional long form:

Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form:

Macau

official long form:

Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese)/ Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

official short form:

Aomen (Chinese)/ Macau (Portuguese)

etymology:

name derived from the Chinese ama-gao , or “Bay of Ama,” for Ama, the patron goddess of sailors

history:

• previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority);
• latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution)

amendment process:

• proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Macau Special Administrative Region;
• submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Assembly of Macau, approval by two thirds of Macau's deputies to the NPC, and consent of the Macau chief executive;
• final passage requires approval by the NPC

chief of state:

President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

head of government:

Chief Executive Sam Hou FAI (since 20 December 2024)

cabinet:

Executive Council appointed by the chief executive

election/appointment process:

• president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
• chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

most recent election date:

president: 10 March 2023

chief executive:

13 October 2024

election results:

2024: Sam Hou FAI (unopposed; received 394 out of 400 votes); 2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes)

expected date of next election:

president: March 2028

chief executive:

2029

legislature name:

Legislative Assembly (Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

33 (14 directly elected, 12 indirectly elected, 7 appointed)

electoral system:

mixed

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

9/12/2021

parties elected and seats per party:

• United Citizens Association of Macau (ACUM) (3);
• Union for Development (UPD) (2);
• Macau-Guangdong Union (UGM) (2);
• Union for Promoting Progress (UPP) (2);
• Alliance for a Happy Home (ABL) (2);
• New Hope (NE) (2);
• Association of Synergy of Macau (PS) (1)

expected date of next election:

September 2025

highest court(s):

Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region (consists of the court president and 2 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office:

justices appointed by the Macau chief executive upon the recommendation of an independent commission of judges, lawyers, and "eminent" persons; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts:

• Court of Second Instance;
• Court of First instance;
• Lower Court;
• Administrative Court

• Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL
• Association of Synergy of Macau ("Synergy Power" or Poder da Singeria) or PS
• Macau-Guangdong Union or UGM
• New Hope or NE
• Union for Development or UPD
• Union for Promoting Progress or UPP or UNIPRO
• United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM

note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

description:

green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, under an arc of five five-pointed gold stars

meaning:

the lotus is the national floral emblem, and the three petals represent the country's peninsula and two islands; the five stars echo the Chinese flag

title:

"Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers)

lyrics/music:

TIAN Han/NIE Er

history:

official anthem, as a Special Administrative Region of China

• high-income, Chinese special administrative region economy;
• known for apparel exports and gambling tourism;
• currency pegged to Hong Kong dollar;
• significant recession due to 2015 Chinese anticorruption campaign;
• COVID-19 further halved economic activity

total:

7.2% (2024 est.)

male:

9.4% (2024 est.)

female:

5.6% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

exports:

600 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

7 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

121.747 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

121.716 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

• local government dominates broadcast media;
• 2 TV stations operated by the government, with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin;
• 1 cable TV and 4 satellite TV services available;
• 3 radio stations broadcasting, of which 2 are government-operated (2019)

total:

5 (2023)

by type:

other 5

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

0

very small:

0

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Macau

tier rating:

• Tier 3 — Macau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Macau remained on Tier 3;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/macau