Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.mo

Internet users [time series]

101,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

160,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

176,902 (November 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

158,251 (November 2001)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

49,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

rice, vegetables

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.15 billion expenditures: $1.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $166 million (2000 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

pataca (MOP)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

MOP

Debt - external [time series]

$1.5 billion (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.476 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

175 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities [time series]

clothing, textiles, cement, electronics, cameras

Exports - partners [time series]

US 48%, EU 28%, China 10%, Hong Kong 7% (2000)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 1% industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2001 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

0.5% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$2.3 billion c.i.f. (2000)

Imports - commodities [time series]

clothing, textiles, yarn, minerals, electrical machinery, fuel, livestock

Imports - partners [time series]

China 41%, Hong Kong 15%, EU 10%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 6% (2000)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-2% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

218,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 54% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.5% (2001 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 25.4 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 25.4 sq km

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]

41 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

22 10 N, 113 33 E

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% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 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]

typhoons

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL

Terrain [time series]

generally flat

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (special administrative region of China)

Constitution [time series]

Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Country name [time series]

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)

Dependency status [time series]

special administrative region of China

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 (special administrative region of China)

Executive branch [time series]

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)

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

NA

Independence [time series]

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation [time series]

CCC, ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

Legal system [time series]

based on Portuguese civil law system

Legislative branch [time series]

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)

National holiday [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

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]

Suffrage [time series]

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

Background [time series]

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.

Military - note [time series]

responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 128,005 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 70,508 (2002 est.)

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

12.19 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 81.78 years female: 84.73 years (2002 est.) male: 78.97 years

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: Chinese adjective: Chinese

Net migration rate [time series]

9.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

461,833 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.75% (2002 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: 1.08 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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Merchant marine [time series]

none (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Macau

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none