fireworks Articles

Macau

The Macau Special Administrative Region and Hong Kong jointly forms the special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. Macau is located on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering the South China Sea in the east and south.

HISTORY:- The earliest inhabitants of Macau migrated into the region to escape Mongol invasion. Later fishermen from Guangdong and Fujian provinces came and settled in the region. In 1535, first European encounter was made when the Portuguese started trading in Macau which culminated in 1557 when they established a permanent settlement in Macau. In 1583, the Portuguese were permitted to form a senate under the Chinese supervision. In the 17th century the Dutch invaded Macau but failed. After the Opium War (1839 to 1842), the Portuguese captured Taipa and Coloane. In 1887, China ceded to Portugal the right to form a government of Macau under the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce. The Qing Dynasty collapsed after the Xinhai Revolution. After China’s declaration of its republic in 1949, Beijing government announced the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Amity and Commerce as illegal as it was an ‘unequal treaty’ imposed by the foreigners on China. In 1966, as a consequences of Portuguese-China disagreement over political and cultural issues led to the serious riots in the land. In 1967 when Portugal apologized, the era of de facto Chinese control over Macau was started. In 1974 after the leftist military coup, the Portuguese declared that they were going to relinquish all its overseas colonies. In 1976 Macau was granted with partial autonomy as ‘Chinese territory under Portuguese administration’ and in 1979, Macau was granted with a status of ‘Chinese territory under (temporary) Portuguese administration’. In 1987, under the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration, Macau was incorporated as the special administrative region of China. In 1999, China assumed sovereignty over Macau.

GEOGRAPHY:- Macau is located at 22 10 N, 113 33 E in Eastern Asia. The small country spans through 28.2 sq km area with no internal water sources. The coastline is 41 km long along with the South China Sea. The lowest point is South China Sea (0 m) and the highest point is Coloane Alto (172.4 m). The terrain of Macau varies from flat land along the coastline to hilly and rocky interior.

CLIMATE:- The climate of Macau is mostly subtropical, marine with cool winters and warm summers.

GOVERNMENT:- Macau is a special administrative region (SAR) of China with a limited democracy. The basic Law, which was approved on 31st March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is considered as the mini-constitution of the nation. The legal system is based on the Portuguese civil law system. The three major branches of the government are:

Executive branch consists of the President of China (chief of state), the Chief Executive (head of government), and Executive Council. The chief executive is selected by a 300-member Election Committee on a 5-year term. The Executive Council comprises one government secretary, three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing educator.

Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats).

Judicial branch comprises the Court of Final Appeal.

There are no registered political parties in Macau, though some political parties do exist like Civil Service Union, Development Union, Macau Development Alliance, Macau United Citizens' Association, and New Democratic Macau Association. Suffrage is universal at the age of 18.

President of China Hu Jintao

Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- There are no administrative divisions in Macau as it is a special administrative region of China.

CULTURE:- The culture of Macau is a fusion of Chinese and Portuguese cultures. Macau Grand Prix, the Lunar Chinese New YearMacau Arts festival, the International Fireworks Display Contestthe International Music festival and the Macau International Marathon are some popular festivals of Macau. The cuisine of Macau is a blend of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines along with little influences of European, South American, African, Indian, Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines.

ECONOMY:- Tourism and gaming sectors, providing 50% of the total GDP, and 70% of the government revenue, are the largest industry of Macau. It is a member of WTO. The nation is an offshore financial centre, a tax heaven, and a free port with no foreign exchange control regimes.

GDP - real growth rate: 16.6% (2006); GDP - per capita (PPP): $28,400 (2006)

GDP - composition by sector: Agriculture: 0.1% ; industry: 3.9%; services: 96% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 275,000 (2006)

Labor force - by occupation: Manufacturing 11.1%, construction 11.7%, transport and communications 6.3%, wholesale and retail trade 13.7%, restaurants and hotels 11.3%, gambling 19.8%, public sector 7.7%, financial services 2.6%, other services and agriculture 15.7% (2006)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (2006)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget:

Revenues: $4.6 billion

Expenditures: $3.4 billion (2006)

Agriculture - products: 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

Industries: Tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys.

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (3rd quarter)

Exports: $2.557 billion f.o.b.; note - includes re-exports (2006)

Exports - commodities: Clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts.

Exports - partners: US 44.1%, China 14.8%, Hong Kong 11.3%, Germany 7.3%, UK 4.1% (2006)

Imports: $4.559 billion c.i.f. (2006)

Imports - commodities: Raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils

Imports - partners: China 45.2%, Hong Kong 10.2%, Japan 8.4%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1%, France 4% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient: $13.7 million (2004)

Debt - external: $0 (2006)

Currency: pataca (MOP)

LANGUAGE:- Cantonese is the official language of the country.

Cantonese 87.9%

Hokkien 4.4%

Mandarin 1.6%

Other Chinese dialects 3.1%

Other 3% (2001).

POPULATION:- The estimated population of Macau is 460,823 (July 2008 est.) with an average growth rate of 0.83% (2008 est.)

Literacy rate: 91.3%

RACE:-

Chinese 95.7%

Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%

Other 3.3% (2001)

RELIGION:-

Buddhist 50%

Roman Catholic 15%

None and other 35% (1997)

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 8.73 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.35 years

Total fertility rate: 1.05 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

TRANSPORTATION:-

Airports: 1 (2007)

Heliports: 1 (2007)

Roadways: total: 384 km; paved: 384 km (2006)

Ports and terminals: Macau

Other fireworks articles


privacy policy, your account, wedding registry mattresses, bedding, sleep
roads rocky - Shopping, Services and Information at ROADSIWORLD.COM, roads
Services and Information at PIZZAIWORLD.COM, Pizza Restaurant - Shopping

Explore the Worldviewer.com Network Sites