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)

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]

1 (2003)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vegetables, livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.41 billion expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194 million (2002)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

pataca (MOP)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

MOP

Debt - external [time series]

$255 million (2000 est.)

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

$NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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).

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports [time series]

1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

193 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998)

Exports [time series]

$2.36 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities [time series]

clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Exports - partners [time series]

US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

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

agriculture: 1% industry: 12% services: 87% (2002 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.)

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

9.5% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities [time series]

clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital goods

Imports - partners [time series]

China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea 5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force [time series]

214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.3% (2002)

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; 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 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)

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]

limited democracy

Independence [time series]

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation [time series]

ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, 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 for the next 50 years.

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: 130,228 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 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]

total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages [time series]

Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 81.87 years male: 79.05 years female: 84.82 years (2003 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 33.1 years male: 32.9 years female: 33.3 years (2002)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese

Net migration rate [time series]

8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population [time series]

469,903 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.72% (2003 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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 271 km paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Merchant marine [time series]

none (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Macau

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none