Macau (2002) | Wallis and Futuna (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of China) | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 52,262; female 48,439)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 154,942; female 172,647) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,616; female 19,927) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | rice, vegetables | breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 2 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total: 25.4 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 274 sq km
land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets |
Area - comparative | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory. |
Birth rate | 12.19 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $1.15 billion
expenditures: $1.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $166 million (2000 est.) |
revenues: $29,730
expenditures: $31,330 (2004) |
Capital | - | name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers | tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C |
Coastline | 41 km | 129 km |
Constitution | Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) |
conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna local short form: Wallis et Futuna |
Currency | pataca (MOP) | - |
Death rate | 3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $1.5 billion (1998) | $3.67 million (2004) |
Dependency status | special administrative region of China | overseas territory of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (special administrative region of China) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | assistance from France, $NA |
Economy - overview | Macau's economy two years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world, according to the World Trade Organization. The government collects no duty on imports and sets no restrictions on exports beyond those required by international agreements. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 35% of GDP, with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. The territory therefore has been hit hard by the 2001 downturn in its key US and EU export markets. Tourism remained strong, however, driven by a surge in visitors from mainland China. In response to the expected contraction of the economy in 2002, the government has announced a stimulative income tax cut and public works program that will push the budget into deficit. China already has extended support by easing restrictions on travel to Macau and is proposing a China-Hong Kong-Macau free trade area. China's economic weight is increasingly felt, with the mainland now holding more than 50% of assets in the financial, real estate, and construction sectors. Mainlanders, however, have been excluded from bidding on the gambling industry licenses that Macau is offering to break up the territory's four-decade-old gambling monopoly. Gambling taxes account for up to 60% of revenue, and the government with Beijing's backing intends to revitalize the industry. | The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.476 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 1 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 175 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 1.4 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000), 7.992 (1999), 7.979 (1998), 7.975 (1997); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Richard DIDIER (since 19 July 2006)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since January 2001) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
Exports | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2000) | $47,450 f.o.b. (2004) |
Exports - commodities | clothing, textiles, cement, electronics, cameras | copra, chemicals, construction materials |
Exports - partners | US 48%, EU 28%, China 10%, Hong Kong 7% (2000) | Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | light 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 center of arc and four smaller | unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $8 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.5% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 22 10 N, 113 33 E | 13 18 S, 176 12 W |
Geography - note | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland | both island groups have fringing reefs |
Highways | total: 50 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $2.3 billion c.i.f. (2000) | $61.17 million f.o.b. (2004) |
Imports - commodities | clothing, textiles, yarn, minerals, electrical machinery, fuel, livestock | chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | China 41%, Hong Kong 15%, EU 10%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 6% (2000) | France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2006) |
Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys | copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber |
Infant mortality rate | 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -2% (2001 est.) | 2.8% (2005) |
International organization participation | CCC, ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO | SPC, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region | justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia |
Labor force | 218,000 (2001) | 3,104 (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 54% (2000 est.) | agriculture: 80%
industry: 4% services: 16% (2001 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 0.34 km
border countries: China 0.34 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 7.14%
permanent crops: 35.71% other: 57.15% (2005) |
Languages | Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) | Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census) |
Legal system | based on Portuguese civil law system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1 |
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held 22 April 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 81.78 years
male: 78.97 years female: 84.73 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | not specified | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 92,346 GRT/98,307 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6 foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2007) |
Military - note | responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999 | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 128,005 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 70,508 (2002 est.) | - |
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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander |
Natural hazards | typhoons | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 9.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs | Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader] | NA |
Population | 461,833 (July 2002 est.) | 16,309 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.75% (2002 est.) | NA |
Ports and harbors | Macau | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) |
Radios | 160,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) | Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% |
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: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 681 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 176,902 (November 2001) | 1,900 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 158,251 (November 2001) | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997) | 2 (2000) |
Terrain | generally flat | volcanic origin; low hills |
Total fertility rate | 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 6.5% (2001 est.) | 15.2% (2003) |
Waterways | none | - |