Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: none
local short form: Ilha de Macau

Data code: MC

Dependency status: Chinese territory under Portuguese administration; note—scheduled to revert to China on 20 December 1999

Government type: NA

Capital: Macau

Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular—concelho); Ilhas, Macau

Independence: none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration; Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to Chinese administration on 20 December 1999; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition)

National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)

Constitution: 17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; Macau's future constitution, the "Basic Law", promulgated by China's National People's Congress on 31 March 1993, will go into effect 20 December 1999

Legal system: Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO of Portugal (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Governor General Vasco Joachim Rocha VIEIRA (since 20 March 1991)
cabinet: Consultative Council consists of a total of 15 members—five appointed by the governor, two nominated by the governor, five elected for a four-year term (two represent administrative bodies, one represents moral, cultural, and welfare interests, and two represent economic interests), and three statutory members
elections: Portuguese president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; governor general appointed by the Portuguese president after consultation with the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the governor; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—APPEM 2, CODEM 1, UDM 1, UNIPRO 2, UPD 1, ANMD 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, consisting of five magistrates including the president; lower court judges appointed for three-year terms by the governor

Political parties and leaders: Uniao Promotora para o Progresso or UNIPRO [leader NA]; Associacao Promotora para a Economia de Macau or APPEM [leader NA]; Uniao para o Desenvolvimento or UPD [leader NA]; Associacao de Novo Macau Democratico or ANMD [leader NA]; Convergencia para o Desenvolvimento or CODEM [leader NA]; Uniao para o Desenvolvimento or UDM [leader NA]; Uniao Geral para o Desenvolvimento de Macau or UDM [leader NA]; Associacao de Amizade or AMI [leader NA]; Alianca para o Desenvolvimento da Economia or ADE [leader NA]; Associacao dos Empregados e Assalariados or AEA [leader NA]; Associacao pela Democracia e BemEstar Social de Macau or ADBSM [leader NA]
note: there are no formal political parties, but civic associations are used instead

Political pressure groups and leaders: wealthy Macanese and Chinese representing local interests, wealthy procommunist merchants representing China's interests; in January 1967 the Macau Government acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over administration

International organization participation: CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)

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

Flag description: the flag of Portugal is used