Macau

Portuguese ships began arriving in 1513. In the 1550s, Portuguese paying tribute to China settled in Macau, which became the official entrepôt for all international trade with China and Japan and the first European settlement in the Far East.  The first governor was appointed in the 17th century, but the Portuguese remained largely under the control of the Chinese. In the 1930s and ’40s Macau was declared a neutral territory during the Sino-Japanese War and World War II and became a refuge for both Chinese and Europeans. Portugal officially made Macau an overseas province in 1951.  

In April 1987, Portugal and China reached an agreement to return Macau to Chinese rule in 1999, using the Hong Kong Joint Declaration between China and the UK as a model. 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 next 50 years. However, after China's multi-year crackdown against the pro-democracy movement in nearby Hong Kong, the governments of China and the Macau Special Administrative Region worked to limit Macau's political autonomy by suppressing opposition activity in the 2021 legislative elections.

22 10 N, 113 33 E

typhoons

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C.

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

41 km

Total: 3 km

Regional borders (1): China 3 km

Agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)

Forest: 0% (2022 est.)

Other: 100% (2022 est.)

not specified

NEGL

primarily urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km (2 sq mi) and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges

generally flat

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Southeast Asia

0 sq km (2012)

population fairly equally distributed

Highest point: Alto Coloane 172 m

Lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

Total : 28 sq km

Land: 28.2 sq km

Water: 0 sq km

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 47,346/female 45,216)

15-64 years: 69.9% (male 210,059/female 240,577)

65 years and over: 15.7% (2024 est.) (male 47,583/female 53,645)

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total population: 97.1%

Male: 98.5%

Female: 95.9% (2021)

Noun: Chinese

Adjective: Chinese

Total: 18 years

Male: 17 years

Female: 19 years (2021)

Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Total dependency ratio: 43 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 20.5 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 4.5 (2024 est.)

Chinese 89.4%, Chinese and Portuguese 1%, Portuguese 0.8%, Chinese and non-Portuguese 0.2%, Portuguese and others 0.2%, other 8.5% (2021 est.)

folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est.)

Cantonese 81%, Mandarin 4.7%, other Chinese dialects 5.4%, English 3.6%, Tagalog 2.9%, Portuguese 0.6%, other 1.8% (2021 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.

Note: Chinese and Portuguese are official languages; Macanese or Patua, a Portuguese-based Creole, is also spoken

NA

682,000 Macau (2023)

Improved:

Urban: 100% of population

Rural: NA

Total: 100% of population

Unimproved:

Urban: 0% of population

Rural: NA

Total: 0% of population (2020)

0.6 (2024 est.)

53.5% (2023 est.)

Total: 7.2% (2024 est.)

Male: 9.4% (2024 est.)

Female: 5.6% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

3.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 42.5 years (2024 est.)

Male: 41.5 years

Female: 43.1 years

1.24 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 644,426 (2024 est.)

Male: 304,988

Female: 339,438

Total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

8.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total population: 85.3 years (2024 est.)

Male: 82.5 years

Female: 88.3 years

6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.67% (2024 est.)

air pollution; coastal water pollution; solid-waste disposal; noise pollution

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.)

1.595 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: -1,239 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 1.358 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 238,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

64.641 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Embassy: The US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

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)

Amendment process: 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

Chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

Head of government: Chief Executive Sam Hou FAI (since 20 December 2024)

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 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 October 2024 (next to be held in 2029)

Election results:
2024: Sam Hou FAI (unopposed; received 394 out of 400 votes)

2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes)

green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, under an arc of five five-pointed gold stars; the lotus is the national floral emblem, and the three petals represent the country's peninsula and two islands; the five stars echo those on the Chinese flag

none (special administrative region of China)

Highest court(s): 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

civil law system based on the Portuguese model

Legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 33 (14 directly elected, 12 indirectly elected, 7 appointed)

Electoral system: Mixed

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 9/12/2021

Parties elected and seats per party: United Citizens Association of Macau (ACUM) (3); Union for Development (UPD) (2); Macau-Guangdong Union (UGM) (2); Union for Promoting Progress (UPP) (2); Alliance for a Happy Home (ABL) (2); New Hope (NE) (2); Association of Synergy of Macau (PS) (1)

Expected date of next election: September 2025

ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

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

Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL
Association of Synergy of Macau ("Synergy Power" or Poder da Singeria) or PS 
Macau-Guangdong Union or UGM 
New Hope or NE 
Union for Development or UPD 
Union for Promoting Progress or UPP or UNIPRO 
United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM

Note: There is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

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

executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

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 derived from the Chinese ama-gao, or “Bay of Ama,” for Ama, the patron goddess of sailors

none (Special Administrative Region of China)

lotus blossom

see China

jewelry, garments, broadcasting equipment, precious metal watches, video and card games (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Hong Kong 73%, China 6%, USA 6%, Philippines 3%, Singapore 1% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

pork, chicken, beef, eggs, pork offal, pork fat, pepper, beef offal, cattle hides, goose meat (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Revenues: $5.135 billion (2022 est.)

Expenditures: $12.259 billion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

jewelry, garments, trunks and cases, broadcasting equipment, electricity (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

patacas (MOP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
8.037 (2024 est.)
8.063 (2023 est.)
8.065 (2022 est.)
8.006 (2021 est.)
7.989 (2020 est.)

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

high-income, Chinese special administrative region economy; known for apparel exports and gambling tourism; currency pegged to Hong Kong dollar; significant recession due to 2015 Chinese anticorruption campaign; COVID-19 further halved economic activity

$45.803 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Household consumption: 30.1% (2023 est.)

Government consumption: 13.8% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 14.6% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories: 0.9% (2023 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 91.4% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -50.7% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

China 36%, Hong Kong 17%, USA 6%, France 6%, Japan 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

0.23% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.33% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.24% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

373,800 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

$29.392 billion (2024 est.)
$27.771 billion (2023 est.)
$25.971 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

0% of GDP (2017 est.)

2.4% (2024 est.)
2.2% (2023 est.)
2.5% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

$71.248 billion (2023 est.)
$40.699 billion (2022 est.)
$50.626 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

0.5% (2023 est.)
1% (2022 est.)
0% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$14.38 billion (2023 est.)
$3.476 billion (2022 est.)
$2.705 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$105,000 (2023 est.)
$60,100 (2022 est.)
$74,200 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$23.205 billion (2023 est.)
$20.923 billion (2022 est.)
$23.77 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$41.839 billion (2023 est.)
$21.097 billion (2022 est.)
$28.163 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

75.06% (2023 est.)
-19.61% (2022 est.)
23.54% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

6.78% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industry: 5.4% (2023 est.)

Services: 91.4% (2023 est.)

Note: Figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Exports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports: 7 metric tons (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels: 58.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Biomass and waste: 41.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Consumption: 121.747 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports: 121.716 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 427,000 kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 5.659 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports: 5.327 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 161.125 million kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)

.mo

local government dominates broadcast media; 2 TV 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)

Total subscriptions: 1.37 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 175 (2022 est.)

Total: 212,000 (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions: 87,000 (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

B-M

1 (2025)

Total: 5 (2023)

By type: Other 5

4 (2025)

no regular indigenous military forces; Macau Public Security Police Force

defense is the responsibility of China; the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) maintains a garrison in Macau

Asian organized crime groups involved in drug trafficking and money laundering

Tier rating: Tier 3 — Macau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Macau remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/macau/

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Note: As a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.07 megatons (2016 est.)

Total ports: 1 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 1

Small: 0

Very small: 0

Ports with oil terminals: 1

Key ports: Macau

green, white, yellow