Macau
Macau Special Administrative RegionAomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
limited democracyIndependence none (special administrative region of China)
Macau as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 110 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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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 for the next 50 years.
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
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2003 est.)
Male · female
Religions(1997 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118)
- 15-64 years:
- 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043)
- 65 years and over:
- 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 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:
- 0.69 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Government
Limited democracy; President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); 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 HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
- 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
ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US has no offices in Macau; 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 four years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world.
36 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 39% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew an estimated 9.5% in 2002.
A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel drove the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 63% of government revenue.
The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may contribute to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP - in the territory. 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. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early government forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Labor force - by occupation
restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.)
Exchange rates
patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998)
Communications
8 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
3 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 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/macau/2003.