Macau
Macau Special Administrative RegionAomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
NAIndependence none (special administrative region of China)
Macau as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
17 fieldsLand useshare of 25.4 sq km
Geography - note
essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2002 est.)
Male · female
Religions(1997 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 21.8% (male 52,262; female 48,439)
- 15-64 years:
- 70.9% (male 154,942; female 172,647)
- 65 years and over:
- 7.3% (male 13,616; female 19,927) (2002 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.9 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.68 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Government
NA; President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993); Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)
18 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Macau Special Administrative Region
- conventional short form:
- Macau
- local short form:
- Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
- local long form:
- Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
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
Constitution
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993)
- elections:
- chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms
- cabinet:
- Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen
- head of government:
- Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
- election results:
- percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1
- elections:
- last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
Political parties and leaders
there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop];
- Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director];
- Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]
International organization participation
CCC, ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
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
Economy
Macau's economy two years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world, according to the World Trade Organization.
32 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Macau's economy two years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world, according to the World Trade Organization. The government collects no duty on imports and sets no restrictions on exports beyond those required by international agreements. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 35% of GDP, with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays.
The territory therefore has been hit hard by the 2001 downturn in its key US and EU export markets. Tourism remained strong, however, driven by a surge in visitors from mainland China. In response to the expected contraction of the economy in 2002, the government has announced a stimulative income tax cut and public works program that will push the budget into deficit.
China already has extended support by easing restrictions on travel to Macau and is proposing a China-Hong Kong-Macau free trade area. China's economic weight is increasingly felt, with the mainland now holding more than 50% of assets in the financial, real estate, and construction sectors.
Mainlanders, however, have been excluded from bidding on the gambling industry licenses that Macau is offering to break up the territory's four-decade-old gambling monopoly. Gambling taxes account for up to 60% of revenue, and the government with Beijing's backing intends to revitalize the industry.
Labor force - by occupation
restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 54% (2000 est.)
Exchange rates
- patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000), 7.992 (1999), 7.979 (1998), 7.975 (1997);
- note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- HF radiotelephone communication facility;
- access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
No regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force
4 fieldsMilitary branches
- no regular indigenous military forces;
- responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999;
- there is a local police force
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Macau.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/macau/2002.