Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]
rice, vegetables
Budget [time series]
revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $1.07 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]
$0 (1996)
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic overview (Economy-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; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of GDP. 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.
Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]
260,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]
3,250 kWh (1996 est.)
Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]
1.3 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates [time series]
patacas (P) per US$1-7.99 (1997), 7.962 (1996), 8.034 (1993-95), 7.973 (1992); note-linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar
Exports [time series]
total value: $1.99 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement partners: US 42%, EU 31.7%, Hong Kong 10%, China 9.8% (1996)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year Communications
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity-$7.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity-$15,600 (1997 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]
-0.3% (1997 est.)
Imports [time series]
total value: $1.99 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods, fuels, lubricants partners: Hong Kong 28.9%, China 21.8%, EU 14.7%, Japan 10.5% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]
3.9% (1997 est.)
Labor force [time series]
total: 271,228 (1995) by occupation: industry 28%, restaurants and hotels 28%, other services 44%
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
135,000 (1992 est.)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
200,000 (1997 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
0 note: TV programs received from Hong Kong
Televisions [time series]
34,000 (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
3.6% (1995)
Geography
total: 21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline [time series]
40 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m
Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]
NA
International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]
party to: Ozone Layer Protection (extended from Portugal) signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]
essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.)
Location [time series]
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references [time series]
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
not specified
Natural hazards [time series]
NA
Natural resources [time series]
NEGL
Terrain [time series]
generally flat
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
2 districts (concelhos, singular-concelho); Ilhas, Macau
Constitution [time series]
17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; Macau's future constitution, the "Basic Law", promulgated by China's National People's Congress on 31 March 1993, will go into effect 20 December 1999
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Macau local long form: none local short form: Ilha de Macau
Data code [time series]
MC
Dependency status [time series]
Chinese territory under Portuguese administration; note-scheduled to revert to China on 20 December 1999
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President of Portugal Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) head of government: Governor General Vasco Joachim Rocha VIERA (since 20 March 1991) cabinet: Consultative Council consists of a total of 15 members-five appointed by the governor, two nominated by the governor, five elected for a four-year term (two represent administrative bodies, one represents moral, cultural, and welfare interests, and two represent economic interests), and three statutory members elections: none; governor general appointed by the president of Portugal after consultation with the Legislative Assembly
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
the flag of Portugal is used
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration; Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to Chinese administration 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)
International organization participation [time series]
CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court, consisting of five magistrates including the president; lower court judges appointed for three-year terms by the governor
Legal system [time series]
Portuguese civil law system
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral Legislative Assembly (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the governor; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
Capital (National capital) [time series]
Macau
National holiday [time series]
Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Association to Defend the Interests of Macau, leader NA; Macau Democratic Center, leader NA; Group to Study the Development of Macau, leader NA; Macau Independent Group, leader NA
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
wealthy Macanese and Chinese representing local interests, wealthy procommunist merchants representing China's interests; in January 1967 the Macau Government acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over administration
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Military
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
NA
Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]
males age 15-49: 119,102 (1998 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]
males: 65,530 (1998 est.)
Military - note (Military-note) [time series]
defense is the responsibility of Portugal
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 25% (male 54,845; female 51,354) 15-64 years: 68% (male 138,871; female 153,801) 65 years and over: 7% (male 12,139; female 18,142) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
12.76 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate [time series]
3.48 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages [time series]
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 81.6 years male: 78.66 years female: 84.68 years (1998 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Macanese (singular and plural) adjective: Macau
Net migration rate [time series]
9.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population [time series]
429,152 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.91% (1998 est.)
Religions [time series]
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.27 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]
none MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF
Transportation
Airports [time series]
1 (1997 est.)
Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine [time series]
none
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Macau
Railways [time series]
0 km