Map:

Overview:
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 for the next 50 years.

The People:
Population: 449,198 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 39,564/female 36,947)
15-64 years: 75.1% (male 160,957/female 176,386)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 14,713/female 20,631) (2005 est.)

Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Government Type:
limited democracy

Leader(s) to pray for:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)

Source: The World Factbook

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