Macau
Macau Special Administrative Region
Population
644.4K
Area
28 km²
GDP
$50.18B
GDP Per Capita
$112,800
Pop. Density
23,015/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
PMacanese pataca(MOP)
Calling Code
+853
Timezone
UTC+08:00
Languages
Portuguese, Chinese
Driving Side
left
Demonym
Macanese
Background
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.
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑232.6% since 2006Population
↑37.7% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 83.2 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography17
Location
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Area
land: 28.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
regional borders: China 3 km
Coastline
41 km
Maritime claims
not specified
Climate
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain
generally flat
Elevation
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Natural resources
NEGL
Land use
forest: 0% (2022 est.)
other: 100% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
population fairly equally distributed
Natural hazards
typhoons
Geography - note
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
People & Society23
Population
male: 304,988
female: 339,438
Nationality
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups
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.)
Languages
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.
Religions
folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est.)
Age structure
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)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 20.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.5 (2024 est.)
Median age
male: 41.5 years
female: 43.1 years
Population growth rate
0.64% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
8.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
3.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
population fairly equally distributed
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
682,000 Macau (2023)
Sex ratio
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.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 82.5 years
female: 88.3 years
Total fertility rate
1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.61 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
Education expenditure
6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 17 years
female: 19 years (2021)
Government20
Country name
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
Government type
executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
Dependency status
special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
Legal system
civil law system based on the Portuguese model
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
Citizenship
see China
Suffrage
18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past 7 years
Executive branch
chief of state
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
chief executive: 13 October 2024
election results
2024: Sam Hou FAI (unopposed; received 394 out of 400 votes)
2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes)
expected date of next election
chief executive: 2029
Legislative branch
legislature name
legislative structure
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
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
Political parties
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (Special Administrative Region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US
International organization participation
ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO
Independence
none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday
National Day (anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949)
Flag
meaning: the lotus is the national floral emblem, and the three petals represent the country's peninsula and two islands; the five stars echo the Chinese flag
National symbol(s)
lotus blossom
National color(s)
green, white, yellow
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er
history: official anthem, as a Special Administrative Region of China
Economy27
Economic overview
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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $71.248 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $40.699 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 75.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -19.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $105,000 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $60,100 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$50.183 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 1% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 0% (2021 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
services: 91.4% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
pork, chicken, beef, eggs, pork offal, pork fat, pepper, beef offal, cattle hides, goose meat (2023)
Industries
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Industrial production growth rate
6.8% (2023 est.)
Labor force
382,100 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.5% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 9.4% (2024 est.)
female: 5.6% (2024 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $11.509 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022: $3.476 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: $2.705 billion (2021 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022: $21.097 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $28.163 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners
Hong Kong 73%, China 6%, USA 6%, Philippines 3%, Singapore 1% (2023)
Exports - commodities
jewelry, garments, broadcasting equipment, precious metal watches, video and card games (2023)
Imports
Imports 2022: $20.923 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $23.77 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners
China 36%, Hong Kong 17%, USA 6%, France 6%, Japan 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities
jewelry, garments, trunks and cases, broadcasting equipment, electricity (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $27.771 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $25.971 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy7
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 5.659 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 5.327 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 161.125 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
biomass and waste: 41.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 7 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
Natural gas
imports: 121.716 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 175 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media
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)
Internet country code
.mo
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)
Transportation5
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
B-M
Airports
1 (2025)
Heliports
4 (2025)
Merchant marine
by type: other 5
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security2
Military and security forces
Macau Public Security Police Force
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of China; the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) maintains a garrison in Macau