ARCHIVE // MO // 2004
Macau
2004 Edition — special_admin
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Communications
Internet country code
[time series]
.mo
Internet users
(Internet hosts)
[time series]
89 (2003)
Internet users
[time series]
120,000 (2003)
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: 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)
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones - main lines in use)
[time series]
174,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
364,000 (2003)
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
1 (2003)
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture - products)
[time series]
vegetables, livestock
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $1.68 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]
$121 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid
(Economic aid - recipient)
[time series]
NA (1997)
Economic overview
(Economy - overview)
[time series]
Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for roughly 41% 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 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 70% of government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly contributes to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion 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. The government estimated GDP growth at 4% in 2003 with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), but private sector analysts think the figure may have been higher because of the continuing boom in tourism.
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)
Exchange rates
[time series]
patacas per US dollar - 8.0212 (2003), 8.0334 (2002), 8.0335 (2001), 8.0259 (2000), 7.9919 (1999)
Exports
[time series]
$2.356 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities
[time series]
clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts
Exports - partners
[time series]
US 49.4%, China 14.1%, Germany 8.1%, Hong Kong 6.7%, UK 4.5% (2003)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP)
[time series]
purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2003 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 - $19,400 (2003 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP - real growth rate)
[time series]
4% (2003 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 43%, Hong Kong 12.7%, Japan 8.7%, Taiwan 5.6% (2003)
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% (2003 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
214,000 (2002)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
manufacturing 20%, construction 7%, transport and communications 6%, wholesale and retail trade 15%, restaurants and hotels 12%, gambling 7%, public sector 8%, other services and agriculture 25% (2002 est.)
Oil - consumption
[time series]
11,190 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% (2003)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 25.4 sq km land: 25.4 sq km water: 0 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 regional border: China 0.34 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)
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
Government
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 long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); 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) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of all one government secretary, four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004; received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3 members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent
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]
IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO
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 sevem appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms); number of legislators will increase to 29 from September 2005 elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be September 2005) 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
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]
Some civic associations operate as de facto political parties: Electoral Union; Pro-Macao and Flower of Friendship and Development of Macao; Associacao para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macao; Centro Democratico de Macao; Grupo Independente de Macao; Macau Economic Promotion Association; Progress Promotion Union; Development Union
Political parties
(Political pressure groups and leaders)
[time series]
Catholic Church [LAI Hung-sing, 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
Introduction
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
Military and security forces
(Military branches)
[time series]
responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there are local police forces
Military manpower - availability
[time series]
males age 15-49: 125,060 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
[time series]
males age 15-49: 68,913 (2004 est.)
People
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 18% (male 41,460; female 38,595) 15-64 years: 74.2% (male 157,629; female 172,810) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 14,380; female 20,412) (2004 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
8.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2004 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: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Languages
[time series]
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 82.03 years male: 79.2 years female: 84.99 years (2004 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: 35.2 years male: 34.9 years female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Net migration rate
[time series]
4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Population
[time series]
445,286 (July 2004 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.87% (2004 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: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
0.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
none
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: 271 km paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Merchant marine
[time series]
none
Ports
(Ports and harbors)
[time series]
Macau