Macau

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.

• 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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.072 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.911 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.734 male(s)/female

total population:

0.918 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

noun:

Chinese

adjective:

Chinese

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)

• 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

• 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

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

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• 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

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)

total:

368 km

paved:

368 km (2005)

current situation:

• Macau is a transit and destination territory for women trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation;
• most females in Macau's sizeable sex industry come from the interior regions of China or Mongolia, though a significant number also come from Russia, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and Vietnam;
• the majority of women in Macau's prostitution trade appear to have entered Macau and the sex trade voluntarily, though there is evidence that some are deceived or coerced into sexual servitude, often through the use of debt bondage;
• organized criminal syndicates are reportedly involved in bringing women to Macau, and fear of reprisals from these groups may prevent some women from seeking help

tier rating:

Tier 2 Watch List - Macau is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking since 2004