ARCHIVE // MO // 2021
Macau
2021 Edition — special_admin
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 193,057 (2018) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29.88 (2019 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
local government dominates broadcast media; 2 television stations operated by the government with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin; 1 cable TV and 4 satellite TV services available; 3 radio stations broadcasting, of which 2 are government-operated (2019)
Internet country code
[time series]
.mo
Internet users
[time series]
total: 565,600 (2021 est.) percent of population: 86.47% (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: Macau s sophisticated telecom market boasts one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world due to high tourism; liberalized market is managed by independent regulator with effective competition in the mobile market; modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services; high mobile subscriber numbers and mobile penetration; offering 4G, LTE services and first phase of 5G network rollout; possible synchronizing with neighboring regions; Macau's smart city project spans areas of transportation, medical services, tourism, and e-government; importer of broadcast and video equipment from China (2020) domestic: fixed-line 20 per 100 and mobile-cellular 345 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 123,469 (2018) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19.55 (2018 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 2,181,194 (2018) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 345.3 (2018 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
pork, poultry, beef, pig fat, pig offals, eggs, pepper, cattle offals, cattle hides, goose/guinea fowl meat
Budget
[time series]
revenues: 14.71 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 9.684 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
[time series]
10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
[time series]
Fitch rating: AA (2018) Moody's rating: Aa3 (2016)
Current account balance
[time series]
$16.75 billion (2017 est.) $12.22 billion (2016 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$0 (31 December 2013) $0 (31 December 2012)
Economic overview
[time series]
Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, Macau has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming the territory into one of the world's largest gaming centers. Macau's gaming and tourism businesses were fueled by China's decision to relax travel restrictions on Chinese citizens wishing to visit Macau. In 2016, Macau's gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 76% of total government revenue. Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but strong growth resumed in the 2010-13 period, largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. In 2015, this city of 646,800 hosted nearly 30.7 million visitors. Almost 67% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. Services export — primarily gaming — increasingly has driven Macau’s economic performance. Mainland China’s anti-corruption campaign brought Macau’s gambling boom to a halt in 2014, with spending in casinos contracting 34.3% in 2015. As a result, Macau's inflation-adjusted GDP contracted 21.5% in 2015 and another 2.1% in 2016 - down from double-digit expansion rates in the period 2010-13 - but the economy recovered handsomely in 2017. Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry, risks from money-laundering activities, and the need to diversify the economy away from heavy dependence on gaming revenues. Macau's currency, the pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.
Exchange rates
[time series]
patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8 (2017 est.) 7.9951 (2016 est.) 7.9951 (2015 est.) 7.985 (2014 est.) 7.9871 (2013 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$45.35 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $45.62 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.) note: includes reexports
Exports - commodities
[time series]
broadcasting equipment, jewelry, watches, trunks/cases, telephones (2019)
Exports - partners
[time series]
Hong Kong 66%, China 9% (2019)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$53.841 billion (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 24.2% (2017 est.) government consumption: 9.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 79.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -32% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 0% (2016 est.) industry: 6.3% (2017 est.) services: 93.7% (2017 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
35 (2013) 38 (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports
[time series]
$17.35 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $18.28 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports - commodities
[time series]
jewelry, watches, electricity, aircraft, cars (2019)
Imports - partners
[time series]
China 33%, Hong Kong 31%, France 5% (2019)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
2% (2017 est.)
Industries
[time series]
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
2.7% (2019 est.) 3% (2018 est.) 1.2% (2017 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
392,000 (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 2.5% industry: 9.8% services: 4.4% industry and services: 12.4% agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining: 15% manufacturing: 25.9% construction: 7.1% transportation and utilities: 2.6% commerce: 20.3% (2013 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
NA
Public debt
[time series]
0% of GDP (2017 est.) 0% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$35.58 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $81.44 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $83.64 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
9.1% (2017 est.) -0.9% (2016 est.) -21.6% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$54,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $127,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $132,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$20.17 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $18.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.) note: the Fiscal Reserves Act that came into force on 1 January 2012 requires the fiscal reserves to be separated from the foreign exchange reserves and to be managed separately; the transfer of assets took place in February 2012
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
29.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
2% (2017 est.) 1.9% (2016 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
(Unemployment, youth ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 8.1% male: 9.9% female: 6.4% (2020 est.)
Energy
Crude oil - exports
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - production
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
[time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
5.077 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
[time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
[time series]
100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
[time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
[time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
[time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports
[time series]
4.306 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
[time series]
472,000 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - production
[time series]
929 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Natural gas - consumption
[time series]
178.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
[time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
[time series]
175.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production
[time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
[time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
[time series]
12,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
[time series]
14,180 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
carbon dioxide emissions: 2.07 megatons (2016 est.)
Climate
[time series]
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Environment - current issues
[time series]
air pollution; coastal waters pollution; insufficient policies in reducing and recycling solid wastes; increasing population density worsening noise pollution
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal
[time series]
coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 100% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 377,942 tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 75,588 tons (2014 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2014 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 28 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline
[time series]
41 km
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Alto Coloane 172 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Geography - note
[time series]
essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges
Irrigated land
[time series]
0 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 3 km regional borders (1): China 3 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 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
Population distribution
[time series]
population fairly equally distributed
Terrain
[time series]
generally flat
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
Citizenship
[time series]
see China
Constitution
[time series]
history: previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority); latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution) amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People s Congress (NPC), the People s Republic of China State Council, and the Macau Special Administrative Region; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Assembly of Macau, approval by two thirds of Macau's deputies to the NPC, and consent of the Macau chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC; amended 2005, 2012
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau official long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) official short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) etymology: name is thought to derive from the A-Ma Temple - built in 1488 and dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of seafarers and fishermen - which is referred to locally as "Maa Gok" - and in Portuguese became "Macau"; the Chinese name Aomen means "inlet gates"
Dependency status
[time series]
special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
embassy: the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
none (Special Administrative Region of China)
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive HO Iat Seng (since 20 December 2019) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the chief executive elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023);chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 August 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: Fernando CHUI Sai On reelected chief executive; Election Committee vote - 380 of 396; note - HO Iat Seng was elected chief executive (receiving 392 out of 400 votes) on 24 August 2019 and will take office on 20 December 2019
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
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 the center of the arc and two smaller on either side; the lotus is the floral emblem of Macau, the three petals represent the peninsula and two islands that make up Macau; the five stars echo those on the flag of China
Government type
[time series]
executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
Independence
[time series]
none (special administrative region of China)
International organization participation
[time series]
ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest courts: Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region (consists of the court president and 2 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the Macau chief executive upon the recommendation of an independent commission of judges, lawyers, and "eminent" persons; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Court of Second Instance; Court of First instance; Lower Court; Administrative Court
Legal system
[time series]
civil law system based on the Portuguese model
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (33 seats; 14 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 12 indirectly elected by an electoral college of professional and commercial interest groups, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 12 September 2021 (next to be held in September 2025) election results: percent of vote - ACUM 20.1%, UPD 18%, NE 13.8%, UMG 12.7%, UPP 11.4%, ABL 10.8%, PS 6.6%, other 6.6%; seats by political group - ACUM 3, UPD 2, UMG 2, UPP 2, ABL 2, NE 2, PS 1; composition NA
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)
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
National symbol(s)
[time series]
lotus blossom; national colors: green, white, yellow
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Alliance for Change or APM [Melinda CHAN Mei-yi] Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng] (an electoral list of UPP) Civic Watch or Civico [Agnes LAM Iok-fong] Macau-Guangdong Union or UMG [MAK Soi-kun] Macau Citizens' Development Association or ACDM [Becky SONG Pek-kei] (an electoral list of ACUM)New Democratic Macau Association or ANMD [AU Kam-san] New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO] New Macau Association (New Macau Progressives) or AMN or ANPM [Sulu SOU Ka-hou] New Union for Macau's Development or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei] Prosperous Democratic Macau Association or APMD (an electoral list of AMN) Union for Development or UPD [Ella LEI Cheng-I] Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [HO Ion-sang] United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam] note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past 7 years; note - indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" and an election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, central government bodies, and elected Macau officials
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 of the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's political and economic system would not be imposed on Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign affairs and defense for the subsequent 50 years.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of China; the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) maintains a garrison in Macau
Military and security forces
[time series]
no regular indigenous military forces; Macau Public Security Police Force (includes the Police Intervention Tactical Unit or UTIP for counterterrorism operations) (2021)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 13.43% (male 42,449/female 40,051) 15-24 years: 10.45% (male 33,845/female 30,354) 25-54 years: 49% (male 134,302/female 166,762) 55-64 years: 14.57% (male 44,512/female 45,007) 65 years and over: 12.56% (male 36,223/female 40,953) (2020 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
9.41 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
NA
Current health expenditure
(Current Health Expenditure)
[time series]
NA
Death rate
[time series]
4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 35.7 youth dependency ratio: 19.5 elderly dependency ratio: 16.2 potential support ratio: 6.2 (2020 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
3.1% of GDP (2019)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Chinese 88.7%, Portuguese 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, other 9.2% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2016 est.)
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: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Languages
[time series]
Cantonese 80.1%, Mandarin 5.5%, other Chinese dialects 5.3%, Tagalog 3%, English 2.8%, Portuguese 0.6%, other 2.8%; note - Chinese and Portuguese are official languages; Macanese, a Portuguese-based Creole, is also spoken (2016 est.) major-language sample(s): 世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 84.81 years male: 81.89 years female: 87.86 years (2021 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.5% male: 98.2% female: 95% (2016)
Median age
[time series]
total: 40.8 years male: 40.7 years female: 40.9 years (2020 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Net migration rate
[time series]
3.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Physician density
(Physicians density)
[time series]
2.41 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
Population
[time series]
630,396 (July 2021 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
population fairly equally distributed
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.79% (2021 est.)
Religions
[time series]
folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 18 years (2020)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.81 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.21 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
(Unemployment, youth ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 8.1% male: 9.9% female: 6.4% (2020 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 100% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
none
Illicit drugs
[time series]
asian organized crime groups involved in drug trafficking and money laundering
Trafficking in persons
[time series]
current situation: Macau is a destination and, to a much lesser extent, source for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and possibly forced labor; most victims come from the Chinese mainland, but others are trafficked from China, Russia, and Southeast Asia; victims are lured in by false job offers and forced into prostitution, often being confined to massage parlors and illegal brothels where their identity documents are confiscated and they are threatened with violence; Chinese, Russian, and Thai criminal organizations are believed to be involved in recruiting women for Macau s commercial sex industry tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List Macau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government trained police, customs, and social welfare officials on human trafficking, funded an awareness campaign, and provided services to victims; authorities convicted three sex traffickers but did not sentence anyone to significant prison terms; authorities investigated only one potential trafficking case and made no prosecutions; the government provided no assistance to any victims, and officials did not initiate any prosecutions or sentence convicted traffickers to significant terms of imprisonment; Macau was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2020)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 1 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2019)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
B-M
Heliports
[time series]
2 (2013)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 1 by type: other 1 (2021)
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 1 (registered in China) (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21 (registered in China) annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,157,724 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 31.84 million mt-km (2018)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
major seaport(s): Macau
Roadways
[time series]
total: 428 km (2017) paved: 428 km (2017)