Macau

overseas territory of PortugalIndependence none (territory of Portugal)

Macau as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 70 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMacau
Area16 km2
1992

Every edition of Macau

Populationas each edition published it
473,333 people July 1992 · 441,691 in 1990
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.44% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 33.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 79.64 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.6 children per woman 1992 · 2.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 7 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $6,700 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3.1% in 1993

Geography

13 fields
Total area
16km2
Comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
40km
Maritime claims: not known
Land boundaries
0.34km
China 0.34 km

Land area

16 km2

Climate

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain

generally flat

Land use

  • arable land 0%;
  • permanent crops 0%;
  • meadows and pastures 0%;
  • forest and woodland 0%;
  • other 100%

Environment

essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland

Note

27 km west-southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China

People

14 fields
Population
473,333
(July 1992), growth rate 1.7% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth
17Death
4Net migration
4

Ethnic divisions

Chinese 95%Portuguese 3%other 2%

Religions(1981)

Buddhist 45%Roman Catholic 7%Protestant 1%none 45.8%other 1.2% (1981)
Labor force
180,000
(1986)
Literacy
90%
(male 93%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

Infant mortality rate

8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

78 years male, 84 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

1.6 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

noun - Macanese (singular and plural); adjective - Macau

Languages

Portuguese (official); Cantonese is the language of commerce

Government

Overseas territory of Portugal

19 fields

Type

overseas territory of Portugal; scheduled to revert to China in 1999

Capital

Macau

Administrative divisions

2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Ilhas, Macau

Independence

  • none (territory of Portugal);
  • Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to China on 20 December 1999;
  • in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition

Constitution

17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; basic law drafted primarily by Beijing awaiting final approval

National holiday

Day of Portugal, 10 June

Executive branch

President of Portugal, governor, Consultative Council (cabinet)

Legislative branch

Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:
President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986)
Head of Government:
Governor Gen. Vasco Joachim Rocha VIEIRA (since 20 March 1991)

Political parties and leaders

  • Association to Defend the Interests of Macau;
  • Macau Democratic Center;
  • Group to Study the Development of Macau;
  • Macau Independent Group

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Elections

Legislative Assembly:
  • last held on 10 March 1991;
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (23 total; 8 elected by universal suffrage, 8 by indirect suffrage, and 7 appointed by the governor) number of seats by party NA

Other political or pressure groups

  • wealthy Macanese and Chinese representing local interests, wealthy pro-Communist merchants representing China's interests;
  • in January 1967 the Macau Government acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over administration

Member of

IMO (associate), WTO (associate)

Diplomatic representation

as Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, Macanese interests in the US are represented by Portugal; US: the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag

the flag of Portugal is used

Economy

The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and | fireworks manufacturing.

16 fields
Unemployment rate
2%
(1989 est.)
External debt
$91million
(1985)

Budget

Revenues
$305 millionExpenditures
$298 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

Overview

The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of export earnings;

the gambling industry represented 36% of GDP in 1991. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $3.1 billion, per capita $6,900; real growth rate 6% (1991 est.)

Exports

$1.5 billion (1990 est.)

commodities:
textiles, clothing, toys
partners:
US 33%, Hong Kong 15%, FRG 12%, France 10% (1987)

Imports

$1.8 billion (1990 est.)

commodities:
raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods
partners:
Hong Kong 39%, China 21%, Japan 10% (1987)

Electricity

220,000 kW capacity; 520 million kWh produced, 1,165 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism

Agriculture

  • rice, vegetables;
  • food shortages - rice, vegetables, meat;
  • depends mostly on imports for food requirements

Currency

pataca (plural - patacas); 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos

Exchange rates

  • patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.034 (1991), 8.024 (1990), 8.030 (1989), 8.044 (1988), 7.993 (1987);
  • note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

5 fields

Highways

42 km paved

Ports

Macau

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Airports

none useable, 1 under construction; 1 seaplane station

Telecommunications

  • fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services;
  • 52,000 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 4 AM, 3 FM, no TV;
  • 75,000 radio receivers (est.);
  • international high-frequency radio communication facility;
  • access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China;
  • 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

3 fields

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 135,923; 76,414 fit for military service

Note

defense is responsibility of Portugal

Note

Macedonia has proclaimed independent statehood but has not been formally recognized as a state by the United States.

Central Intelligence Agency. “Macau.” The World Factbook 1992. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/macau/1992.

How to cite ← 1991 edition 1993 edition →