Communications
Airports [time series]
none; 1 seaplane station
Civil air [time series]
no major transport aircraft
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
42 km paved
Macau
Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]
fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services; 52,000 telephones; 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
Military manpower [time series]
males 15-49, 166,956; 93,221 fit for military service
defense is responsibility of Portugal
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
rice, vegetables; food shortages--rice, vegetables, meat; depends mostly on imports for food requirements
none
Budget [time series]
revenues $305 million; expenditures $298 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
pataca (plural--patacas); 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Electricity [time series]
179,000 kW capacity; 485 million kWh produced, 1,110 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates [time series]
patacas (P) per US$1--8.03 (1989), 8.044 (1988), 7.993 (1987), 8.029 (1986), 8.045 (1985); note--linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar
Exports [time series]
$1.7 billion (1989 est.); commodities--textiles, clothing, toys; partners--US 33%, Hong Kong 15%, FRG 12%, France 10% (1987)
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$91 million (1985)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
$2.7 billion, per capita $6,300; real growth rate 5% (1989 est.)
Imports [time series]
$1.6 billion (1989 est.); commodities--raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods; partners--Hong Kong 39%, China 21%, Japan 10% (1987)
Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]
NA
Industries [time series]
clothing, textiles, toys, plastic products, furniture, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
9.5% (1989)
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
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. 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.
Unemployment rate [time series]
2% (1989 est.)
Geography
Climate [time series]
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline [time series]
40 km
Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]
scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1999
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
Exclusive fishing zone [time series]
12 nm;
Land boundaries (Land boundary) [time series]
0.34 km with China
Land use [time series]
0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Natural resources [time series]
negligible
27 km west southwest of Hong Kong on the southeast coast of China
Terrain [time series]
generally flat
Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]
6 nm
Area (Total area) [time series]
16 km2; land area: 16 km2
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
2 districts (concelhos, singular--concelho); Ilhas, Macau
Capital [time series]
Macau
Constitution [time series]
17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]
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
Executive branch [time series]
president of Portugal, governor, Consultative Council, (cabinet)
the flag of Portugal is used
Independence [time series]
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
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court Chief of State--President (of Portugal) Mario Alberto SOARES (since 9 March 1986); Head of Government--Governor Carlos MELANCIA (since 3 July 1987)
Legal system [time series]
Portuguese civil law system
Legislative branch [time series]
Legislative Assembly
Country name (Long-form name) [time series]
none
International organization participation (Member of) [time series]
Multifiber Agreement
National holiday [time series]
Day of Portugal, 10 June
Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]
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
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Association to Defend the Interests of Macau; Macau Democratic Center; Group to Study the Development of Macau; Macau Independent Group
Suffrage [time series]
universal at age 18 Legislative Assembly--last held on 9 November 1988 (next to be held November 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(17 total; 6 elected by universal suffrage, 6 by indirect suffrage) number of seats by party NA
Government type (Type) [time series]
overseas territory of Portugal; scheduled to revert to China in 1999
People
Birth rate [time series]
16 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate [time series]
5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
95% Chinese, 3% Portuguese, 2% other
Infant mortality rate [time series]
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force [time series]
180,000 (1986)
Languages (Language) [time series]
Portuguese (official); Cantonese is the language of commerce
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
75 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Literacy [time series]
almost 100% among Portuguese and Macanese; no data on Chinese population
Nationality [time series]
noun--Macanese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Macau
Net migration rate [time series]
0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor [time series]
none
Population [time series]
441,691 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)
Religions (Religion) [time series]
mainly Buddhist; 17,000 Roman Catholics, of whom about half are Chinese
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.2 children born/woman (1990)