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 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 next 50 years.

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

NA; note - included in the total for China

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

Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2006 census)

Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6%

Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none or other 35% (1997 est.)

578,025 (July 2012 est.)

9.05 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

3.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

3.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

0.92 children born/woman (2012 est.)

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

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

none (special administrative region of China)

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

The Basic Law, approved 31 March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's charter

civil law system based on the Portuguese model

18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; note - indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (973 were registered in the 2009 legislative elections) and a 300-member Election Committee for the Chief Executive (CE) drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, central government bodies, and elected Macau officials

unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)

Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Alliance for Change or MUDAR; Macau Development Alliance or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau-Guangdong Union or UNG; Macau United Citizens' Association or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Macau Association or NMA [Jason CHAO]; New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [LEONG Heng-teng]

Civic Power [Agnes LAM lok-fong]; Macau New Chinese Youth Association [LEONG Sin-man]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO]; Macau Worker's Union [HO Heng-kuok]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]

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

none (special administrative region of China)

the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau

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

After opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming Macau 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. By 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 70% of total government revenue. In 2008, Macau introduced measures to cool the rapidly developing sector. Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but strong growth resumed in 2010-11, largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. This city of 550,000 hosted nearly 25 million visitors in 2010. Almost 53% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect in January 2004 offers Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland; nevertheless, China is Macau's second largest goods export market, behind Hong Kong, and followed by the United States. However, exports in 2010 were less than US$900 million, while gaming receipts were almost US$24 billion, a 58% increase over 2009. Macau's economy expanded at a slower pace in 2012 - around 10% - reflecting continued global economic uncertainties. Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry, money-laundering, and the need to diversifying 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.

$42.9 billion (2011 est.)

$35.54 billion (2010 est.)

$27.99 billion (2009 est.)

$36.43 billion (2011 est.)

76.7% of GDP (2012 est.)

45.3% of GDP (2012 est.)

5.4% (31 December 2012 est.)

5.25% (31 December 2011 est.)

$4.992 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$4.532 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$39.29 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$37.35 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$6.558 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$8.612 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$46.1 billion (31 February 2011 est.)

$2.3 billion (31 December 2008)

$413.1 million (2004 est.)

only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong

$17.01 billion (2011 est.)

$12.06 billion (2010 est.)

$1.119 billion (2011 est.)

$1.053 billion (2010 est.)

clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Hong Kong 44.6%, China 15.9%, US 7.9% (2011)

$8.926 billion (2011 est.)

$6.552 billion (2010 est.)

raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils

China 30.4%, Hong Kong 12%, France 10.4%, Switzerland 7.5%, Italy 7.5%, Japan 6.2%, US 6.1% (2011)

$34.03 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$23.73 billion (2010 est.)

$12.1 billion (2008 est.)

$10.5 billion (#REF! est.)

$240 million (2009 est.)

patacas (MOP) per US dollar -

1.1 billion kWh (2010 est.)

3.66 billion kWh (2010 est.)

2.79 billion kWh (2010 est.)

472,000 kW (2009 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

18,180 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

15,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

154.7 million cu m (2010)

154.5 million cu m (2010 est.)

174,000 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

2.537 million Mt (2010 est.)

1.353 million (2011)

local government dominates broadcast media; 2 television stations operated by the government with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin; cable and satellite TV services available; 3 radio stations broadcasting, of which 2 are government-operated (2010)

no regular military forces

defense is the responsibility of China

transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines