What is the capital of Macau?

Capital	Macau
Government Type	executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
Currency	Macanese Pataca (MOP)
Total Area	11 Square Miles 28 Square Kilometers
Location	Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Language	Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
GDP - real growth rate	11.9%
GDP - per capita (PPP)	$88,700.00 (USD)

What is the population of Macau?

Ethnic Groups	Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other
Nationality Noun	Chinese
Population	614,458
Population - note	note: Macau's statistical agency estimated the total population to be approximately 646,800 as of 31 December 2015
Population Growth Rate	0.85%
Urban Population	100.000000

What type of government does Macau have?

Executive Branch	chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive HO lat Seng (since 20 December 2019) 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 24 August 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: 2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes) 2014: Fernando CHUI Sai (unopposed; received 380 of 396 votes)
Suffrage	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
Citizenship	see China
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
Constitution	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) amendments: 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; amended 2005, 2012
Independence	none (special administrative region of China)

YouTube, Expoza Travel Macau Guide

CountryReports YouTube Channel:

Join CountryReports YouTube Channel (Click Here)

What environmental issues does Macau have?

Climate	subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Border Countries	regional border: China 0.34 km
Environment - Current Issues	NA
Environment - International Agreements	party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Terrain	generally flat

How big is the Macau economy?

Economic Overview	Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, Macau has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming the territory 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. In 2016, Macau's gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 76% of total government revenue. Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but strong growth resumed in the 2010-13 period, largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. In 2015, this city of 646,800 hosted nearly 30.7 million visitors. Almost 67% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. Services export — primarily gaming — increasingly has driven Macau’s economic performance. Mainland China’s anti-corruption campaign brought Macau’s gambling boom to a halt in 2014, with spending in casinos contracting 34.3% in 2015. As a result, Macau's inflation-adjusted GDP contracted 21.5% in 2015 and another 2.1% in 2016 - down from double-digit expansion rates in the period 2010-13 - but the economy recovered handsomely in 2017. Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry, risks from money-laundering activities, and the need to diversify 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.
Industries	tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Currency Name and Code	Macanese Pataca (MOP)
Export Partners	US 48.5%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4%
Import Partners	China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.8%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea 5%, France 4.3%, US 4.2%

What current events are happening in Macau?
Source: Google News

What makes Macau a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Macau, a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) since December 20, 1999, has a high degree of autonomy, except in the areas of defense and foreign policy. Macau retains its own currency, laws, and border controls. With a population of approximately 544,600, Macau covers a 29.5 square-kilometer area including the peninsula of Macau, which is connected to the PRC, and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane. Gambling and tourism are the largest sectors in Macau's economy. Facilities for tourism are well developed.

Crime

Petty street crime, including pick-pocketing, occasionally occurs in tourist areas in Macau, including in and around casinos and at the airport. You should protect your personal belongings and travel documents at all times.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them, you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Macau, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In some places you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States, and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Macau, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

If you violate Macau’s laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession of, use of, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Macau are severe, and if you are convicted of these offenses, you can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case in Macau. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Several major hospitals in Macau have adequate medical facilities, and Kiang Wu and Conde de Sao Januario hospitals are able to provide emergency medical care. The U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong maintains a list of medical providers in Macau on the consulate website. Highly developed medical facilities and trained personnel are available in Hong Kong, which is about an hour by jetfoil and 10 minutes by helicopter from Macau.

Safety and Security

While the Macau government does not have an office devoted solely to crime victim assistance, the social welfare department offers support to crime victims. The support includes monetary benefits, health care, psychological services, and counseling. These are available at the local Social Service Centers. You will find more resources for victims of crime in Macau in our Help for U.S. Victims of Crime in Macau information sheet. In addition, the Macau Tourism Crisis Management Office emaintains a tourism hotline (Tel: 853-2833-3000, for visitors to Macau who encounter emergency situations.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

While in Macau, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Macau is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Traffic moves on the left in Macau, and roads are narrow and winding. Traffic is generally congested throughout the day. Most visitors to Macau choose not to drive. Taxis are inexpensive and plentiful at the airport, ferry terminal, and gaming venues. Public buses are also inexpensive and frequent, but you may have difficulty finding them outside major tourist areas.

For specific information concerning Macau driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, email the Public Security Police Force, or contact them by telephone (853) 2837 4214 or fax (853) 2852 3407 or the Macau Transport Department, 762-804 Avenida da Praia Grande, China Plaza Bldg., 2nd floor; telephone (853) 8866-6363; fax (853) 2875 0626. (Please note: This website is available only in Chinese and Portuguese).