Hong Kong vs. Macau
Introduction
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the subsequent 50 years. | 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 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 subsequent 50 years. |
Geography
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
| Geographic coordinates | 22 15 N, 114 10 E | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
| Area | total: 1,108 sq km land: 1,073 sq km water: 35 sq km | total: 28 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | six times the size of Washington, DC | less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries | total: 33 km regional borders (1): China 33 km | total: 3 km regional borders (1): China 3 km |
| Coastline | 733 km | 41 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | not specified |
| Climate | subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
| Terrain | hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north | generally flat |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m | highest point: Alto Coloane 172 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m |
| Natural resources | outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar | NEGL |
| Land use | agricultural land: 5% (2018 est.) arable land: 3.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 95% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 10 sq km (2012) | 0 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | occasional typhoons | typhoons |
| Environment - current issues | air and water pollution from rapid urbanization; urban waste pollution; industrial pollution | air pollution; coastal waters pollution; insufficient policies in reducing and recycling solid wastes; increasing population density worsening noise pollution |
| Geography - note | consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands | 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 |
| Population distribution | population fairly evenly distributed | population fairly equally distributed |
Demographics
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,263,234 (July 2021 est.) | 630,396 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 12.81% (male 490,477/female 437,971) 15-24 years: 8.81% (male 334,836/female 303,897) 25-54 years: 42.66% (male 1,328,529/female 1,763,970) 55-64 years: 17.24% (male 582,047/female 668,051) 65 years and over: 18.48% (male 625,453/female 714,676) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 13.43% (male 42,449/female 40,051) 15-24 years: 10.45% (male 33,845/female 30,354) 25-54 years: 49% (male 134,302/female 166,762) 55-64 years: 14.57% (male 44,512/female 45,007) 65 years and over: 12.56% (male 36,223/female 40,953) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 45.6 years male: 44.2 years female: 46.5 years (2020 est.) | total: 40.8 years male: 40.7 years female: 40.9 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.2% (2021 est.) | 0.79% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.23 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.41 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.92 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 1.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 3.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.75 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.81 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 83.41 years male: 80.71 years female: 86.28 years (2021 est.) | total population: 84.81 years male: 81.89 years female: 87.86 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.22 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.21 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | NA |
| Nationality | noun: Chinese/Hong Konger adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong | noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese |
| Ethnic groups | Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.) | Chinese 88.7%, Portuguese 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, other 9.2% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2016 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | NA |
| Religions | Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.) note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation | folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2010 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | NA |
| Languages | Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.) major-language sample(s): ????,???????????? (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Cantonese 80.1%, Mandarin 5.5%, other Chinese dialects 5.3%, Tagalog 3%, English 2.8%, Portuguese 0.6%, other 2.8%; note - Chinese and Portuguese are official languages; Macanese, a Portuguese-based Creole, is also spoken (2016 est.) major-language sample(s): ????,???????????? (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2019) | total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2019) |
| Education expenditures | 3.8% of GDP (2019) | 2.7% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 100% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.58% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 100% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: -1% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Physicians density | 2 physicians/1,000 population (2019) | 2.41 physicians/1,000 population (2010) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 44.7 youth dependency ratio: 18.3 elderly dependency ratio: 26.3 potential support ratio: 3.8 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 35.7 youth dependency ratio: 19.5 elderly dependency ratio: 16.2 potential support ratio: 6.2 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball) local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball) abbreviation: HK etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor" | conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region 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 is thought to derive from the A-Ma Temple - built in 1488 and dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of seafarers and fishermen - which is referred to locally as "Maa Gok" - and in Portuguese became "Macau"; the Chinese name Aomen means "inlet gates" |
| Dependency status | special administrative region of the People's Republic of China | special administrative region of the People's Republic of China |
| Government type | presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China | executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China |
| Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China) | none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China) |
| Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | none (special administrative region of China) |
| National holiday | National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day | 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: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the People's Republic of China State Council, or the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two thirds of Hong Kong's deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC | 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 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure) | civil law system based on the Portuguese model |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age in direct elections for half of the Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials | 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 |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017) cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo 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 17 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022) election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23 note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members | chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive HO Iat 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 17 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023);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: Fernando CHUI Sai On reelected chief executive; Election Committee vote - 380 of 396; note - HO Iat Seng was elected chief executive (receiving 392 out of 400 votes) on 24 August 2019 and will take office on 20 December 2019 |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; 5 at large "super-seat" members directly elected by all of Hong Kong's eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (scheduled for September 2020, but delayed until 19 December 2021); note - byelection held on 11 March and 25 November 2018 to fill 5 seats left vacant after 5 legislators were removed from office election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLinHK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; composition - men 59, women 11, percent of women 15.7%; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017; two pan-democratic, two DAB, and one pro-establishment candidates won the byelections in 2018 to fill the seats vacated by the 5 legislators removed from office; one pro-democracy seat remains unfilled pending a court appeal; percent of vote by block as of March 2019 - pro-Beijing 62% pro-democracy 38%; seats by block/party as of March 2019 - pro-Beijing 43 (DAB 13, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 11); pro-democracy 26 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 5, Professional Commons 2, Civic Passion 1, Labor 1 PTU 1, Council Front 6, independent 3); composition as of March 2019 - men 58, women 11; percent of women 15.7%
| description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (33 seats; 14 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 12 indirectly elected by an electoral college of professional and commercial interest groups, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 17 September 2017 (next to be held on 12 September 2021) election results: percent of vote - UMG 10%, UPD 9.7%, ACUM 8.6%, NE 8.3%, UPP 7.2, ANMD 6.6%, NUDM 6.1%, ACDM 5.9%, APMD 5.8%, Civic Watch 5.6%, ABL 5.5%, ANPM 5.3%, other 15.4%; seats by political group - UMG 2, UPD 2, ABL 1, ACDM 1, ACUM 1, ANMD 1, ANPM 1, APMD 1, Civic Watch 1, NE 1, NUDM 1, UPP 1; 12 seats filled by professional and business groups; 7 members appointed by the chief executive; composition - men 27, women 6, percent of women 18.6% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 1 non-permanent judge judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges serve until normal retirement at age 65, but term can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals | highest courts: Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region (consists of the court president and 2 associate justices) 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 and leaders | parties: ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups) Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok] Civic Party [Alan LEONG] Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election) Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai] Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king] Democratic Party [LO Kin-hei] Demosisto [Ivan LAM] (announced cessation of all operations, 30 June 2020) Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei] Labor Party [Steven KWOK Wing-kin] League of Social Democrats or LSD [Raphael WONG Ho-ming] Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan] Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung] New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee] People Power or PP [TAM Tak-chi] Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang] other: Professional Commons [Charles Peter MOK] (think tank) Professional Teachers Union or PTU note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies | Alliance for Change or APM [Melinda CHAN Mei-yi] Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng] (an electoral list of UPP) Civic Watch or Civico [Agnes LAM Iok-fong] Macau-Guangdong Union or UMG [MAK Soi-kun] Macau Citizens' Development Association or ACDM [Becky SONG Pek-kei] (an electoral list of ACUM)New Democratic Macau Association or ANMD [AU Kam-san] New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO] New Macau Association (New Macau Progressives) or AMN or ANPM [Sulu SOU Ka-hou] New Union for Macau's Development or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei] Prosperous Democratic Macau Association or APMD (an electoral list of AMN) Union for Development or UPD [Ella LEI Cheng-I] Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [HO Ion-sang] United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam] note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies |
| International organization participation | ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO | ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities; Eddie MAK, JP (since 3 July 2018) is the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] 202 331-8947; FAX: [1] 202 331-8958; hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco | none (Special Administrative Region of China) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Consul General Hanscom SMITH (since July 2019); note - also accredited to Macau embassy: 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong mailing address: 8000 Hong Kong Place, Washington DC 20521-8000 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598 email address and website: acshk@state.gov https://hk.usconsulate.gov/ | embassy: the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau |
| Flag description | red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China | 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 |
| National anthem | note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China) | note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China) |
| National symbol(s) | orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white | lotus blossom; national colors: green, white, yellow |
| Citizenship | see China | see China |
Economy
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983. Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable. Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy. Mainland China has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total. The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People's Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA. Hong Kong's economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland's capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong's role as China's leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification. | 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. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $449.299 billion (2019 est.) $454.984 billion (2018 est.) $442.387 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $79.392 billion (2019 est.) $83.317 billion (2018 est.) $79.017 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | -1.25% (2019 est.) 2.86% (2018 est.) 3.8% (2017 est.) | 9.1% (2017 est.) -0.9% (2016 est.) -21.6% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $59,848 (2019 est.) $61,064 (2018 est.) $59,849 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $123,965 (2019 est.) $131,908 (2018 est.) $126,918 (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.1% (2017 est.) industry: 7.6% (2017 est.) services: 92.3% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 0% (2016 est.) industry: 6.3% (2017 est.) services: 93.7% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 19.9% (2016 est.) | NA |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 1.8% NA highest 10%: 38.1% NA (2016) | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2019 est.) 2.4% (2018 est.) 1.4% (2017 est.) | 2.7% (2019 est.) 3% (2018 est.) 1.2% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 3.627 million (2020 est.) | 392,000 (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 3.8% (2013 est.) industry: 2% (2016 est.) services: 54.5% (2016 est.) industry and services: 12.5% (2013 est.) agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining: 10.1% (2013) manufacturing: 17.1% (2013 est.) note: above data exclude public sector | agriculture: 2.5% industry: 9.8% services: 4.4% industry and services: 12.4% agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining: 15% manufacturing: 25.9% construction: 7.1% transportation and utilities: 2.6% commerce: 20.3% (2013 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 2.93% (2019 est.) 2.83% (2018 est.) | 2% (2017 est.) 1.9% (2016 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 53.9 (2016) 53.7 (2011 est.) | 35 (2013) 38 (2008) |
| Budget | revenues: 79.34 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 61.64 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 14.71 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 9.684 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches | tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys |
| Industrial production growth rate | 1.7% (2017 est.) | 2% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | pork, poultry, spinach, vegetables, pork offals, game meat, fruit, lettuce, green onions, pig fat | pork, poultry, beef, pig fat, pig offals, eggs, pepper, cattle offals, cattle hides, goose/guinea fowl meat |
| Exports | $568.877 billion (2019 est.) $602.306 billion (2018 est.) $581.072 billion (2017 est.) | $1.45 billion (2018) note: includes reexports |
| Exports - commodities | gold, broadcasting equipment, integrated circuits, diamonds, telephones (2019) | broadcasting equipment, jewelry, watches, trunks/cases, telephones (2019) |
| Exports - partners | China 23%, India 14%, Netherlands 6%, United Kingdom 5% (2019) | Hong Kong 66%, China 9% (2019) |
| Imports | $565.253 billion (2019 est.) $606.177 billion (2018 est.) $580.148 billion (2017 est.) | $11.1 billion (2018) $9.7 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, office machinery, telephones, diamonds (2019) | jewelry, watches, electricity, aircraft, cars (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 46%, Taiwan 7%, Singapore 7%, South Korea 5%, United States 5%, Japan 5% (2019) | China 33%, Hong Kong 31%, France 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $1,648,409,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,670,919,000,000 (2018 est.) | $0 (31 December 2013) $0 (31 December 2012) |
| Exchange rates | Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.75225 (2020 est.) 7.8285 (2019 est.) 7.8133 (2018 est.) 7.752 (2014 est.) 7.754 (2013 est.) | patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8 (2017 est.) 7.9951 (2016 est.) 7.9951 (2015 est.) 7.985 (2014 est.) 7.9871 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
| Public debt | 0.1% of GDP (2017 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | 0% of GDP (2017 est.) 0% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $431.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $386.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $20.17 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $18.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.) note: the Fiscal Reserves Act that came into force on 1 January 2012 requires the fiscal reserves to be separated from the foreign exchange reserves and to be managed separately; the transfer of assets took place in February 2012 |
| Current Account Balance | $22.469 billion (2019 est.) $13.516 billion (2018 est.) | $16.75 billion (2017 est.) $12.22 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $365.753 billion (2019 est.) | $53.841 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AA- (2020) Moody's rating: Aa3 (2020) Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2017) | Fitch rating: AA (2018) Moody's rating: Aa3 (2016) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 23.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 29.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 5.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 10% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 8.6% male: 10.4% female: 6.8% (2019 est.) | total: 4.9% male: 5.5% female: 4.2% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 67% (2017 est.) government consumption: 9.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 188% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -187.1% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 24.2% (2017 est.) government consumption: 9.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 79.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -32% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 25% of GDP (2019 est.) 25.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 26.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 53.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 53.2% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 35.97 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 929 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 41.84 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 5.077 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 4.306 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2016 est.) | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 3.37 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 178.2 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 3.37 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 175.5 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 12.63 million kW (2016 est.) | 472,000 kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 403,100 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 12,700 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 13,570 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 402,100 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 14,180 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 4,029,603 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55.73 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 119,355 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19.55 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 21,455,736 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 296.71 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 2,108,274 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 345.33 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .hk | .mo |
| Internet users | total: 6,450,167 percent of population: 89.42% (July 2018 est.) | total: 508,052 percent of population: 83.79% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: excellent domestic and international services; some of the highest peak average broadband speeds and penetration rates in the world; HK government helps subsidize 5G projects and aims to be among earliest adopters of 5G mobile technology; almost all households have access to high-speed broadband connectivity through fiber; high mobile subscribership reflects tourism and multiple-device culture; government has organized the development of smart city and digital economy to encourage social inclusion and economic development, including health care, education, and utilities; US prevented use of Pacific Light submarine cable network due to security issues (2020) (2020) domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network; fixed-line is 55 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 289 per 100 (2019) international: country code - 852; landing points for the APG, ASE, EAC-C2C, HK-G, Bay-to-Bay Express Cable System, H2 Cable, HKA, SJC, SJC2, PLCN, SeaMeWe-3, TGN-IA, APCN-2, AAG, FLAG and FEA submarine cables that provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: Macau's sophisticated telecom market boasts one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world due to high tourism; liberalized market is managed by independent regulator with effective competition in the mobile market; modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services; high mobile subscriber numbers and mobile penetration; offering 4G, LTE services and first phase of 5G network rollout; possible synchronizing with neighboring regions; Macau's smart city project spans areas of transportation, medical services, tourism, and e-government; importer of broadcast and video equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 20 per 100 and mobile-cellular 345 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 2,804,790 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38.79 (2019 est.) | total: 193,057 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | 4 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2019) | local government dominates broadcast media; 2 television 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) |
Transportation
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Roadways | total: 2,107 km (2017) paved: 2,107 km (2017) | total: 428 km (2017) paved: 428 km (2017) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Hong Kong container port(s) (TEUs): Hong Kong (18,361,000) (2019) | major seaport(s): Macau |
| Merchant marine | total: 2,694 by type: bulk carrier 1,157, container ship 551, general cargo 188, oil tanker 372, other 426 (2020) | total: 1 by type: other 1 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 2 (2013) | total: 1 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2 (2019) over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | total: 1 (2019) over 3,047 m: 1 |
| Heliports | 9 (2013) | 2 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 12 (registered in China) (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 275 (registered in China) annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 47,101,822 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 12,676,720,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 1 (registered in China) (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21 (registered in China) annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,157,724 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 31.84 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | B-H | B-M |
Military
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong Police Force; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Theater Command (2021) | no regular indigenous military forces |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of China | defense is the responsibility of China; the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) maintains a garrison in Macau |
Transnational Issues
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods | none |
| Illicit drugs | despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people | transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Hong Kong, and traffickers also exploit victims from Hong Kong abroad; traffickers exploit women from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia in sex trafficking; some women in Hong Kong - often with the assistance of their families - deceive Indian and Pakistani men into arranged marriages involving forced domestic service, bonded labor in construction and other physically demanding industries, and other forms of abuse via exploitative contracts; drug trafficking syndicates coerced South American women to carry drugs into Hong Kong; employment agencies hired foreign domestic workers under false pretenses and forced them into commercial sex, sometimes through debt-based coercion tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Hong Kong does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; Hong Kong is hiring and training 98 new employees within the immigration, customs, labor, and justice departments dedicated to trafficking issues; authorities screened more than 7,000 vulnerable individuals for trafficking; the labor department introduced a victim identification mechanism to its division offices; the government provided anti-trafficking training to various officials; the government did not investigate, prosecute, or convict any cases of labor trafficking, investigated fewer sex trafficking cases, and did not provide victims any government-funded services; the government continued to penalize victims for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit; no legislation was enacted to fully criminalize all forms of trafficking (2020) | current situation: Macau is a destination and, to a much lesser extent, source for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and possibly forced labor; most victims come from the Chinese mainland, but others are trafficked from China, Russia, and Southeast Asia; victims are lured in by false job offers and forced into prostitution, often being confined to massage parlors and illegal brothels where their identity documents are confiscated and they are threatened with violence; Chinese, Russian, and Thai criminal organizations are believed to be involved in recruiting women for Macau's commercial sex industry tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Macau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government trained police, customs, and social welfare officials on human trafficking, funded an awareness campaign, and provided services to victims; authorities convicted three sex traffickers but did not sentence anyone to significant prison terms; authorities investigated only one potential trafficking case and made no prosecutions; the government provided no assistance to any victims, and officials did not initiate any prosecutions or sentence convicted traffickers to significant terms of imprisonment; Macau was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2020) |
Environment
| Hong Kong | Macau | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | carbon dioxide emissions: 43.64 megatons (2016 est.) | carbon dioxide emissions: 2.07 megatons (2016 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 5,679,816 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,931,138 tons (2016 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34% (2016 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 377,942 tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 75,588 tons (2014 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2014 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
