Country name 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) Background 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.Location Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China Area total: 25.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km Area - comparative about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC Coastline 41 km Climate subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers Terrain generally flat Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m Natural hazards typhoons Environment - current issues NA Geography - note essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland Population 469,903 (July 2003 est.) Age structure 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.) Median age total: 33.1 years
male: 32.9 years
female: 33.3 years (2002) Sex ratio 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.) Nationality noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese Ethnic groups Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other Religions Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) Languages Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) Internet country code .mo Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.) Government type limited democracy National holiday 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 Legal system based on Portuguese civil law system International organization participation ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO Economy - overview 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). Exports - partners US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002) Currency pataca (MOP) Currency code MOP Exchange rates patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998) Airports 1 (2002) Airports - with paved runways total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways Disputes - international none |
