Geographical Location
The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) is an integral part of the People’s Republic of China. Situated at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and bordering on Guangdong Province, Macao is 60 kilometres from Hong Kong, and located at latitude 22º12’40”N and longitude 113º32’22”E. Macao time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Area
Due to land reclamation along its coastline, Macao has grown in land area from 11.6 square kilometres in 1912 to --- square kilometres, including the New Urban Zone Area A and the Macao border crossing area on Zhuhai-Macao checkpoint on the Artificial Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The Hengqin campus of the University of Macau covers an area of one square kilometre. Macao consists of the Macao peninsula and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane. Three bridges, Nobre de Carvalho Bridge, Friendship Bridge (Ponte da Amizade) and Sai Van Bridge, link the peninsula to Taipa, while the two islands are linked by COTAI Reclamation Area.
Population
The population of Macao is estimated to be ---.
The population of Macao is estimated to be 672,800 as at 31 December 2022, which represented a decrease of 10,400 people over the same period of the previous year. An estimated 46.8 percent of Macao’s population were males, and 53.2 percent were females. An estimated 46.8 percent of Macao’s population were males, and 53.2 percent were females.
The local population was 570,100 at the end of 2022, representing an increase of 600, or 0.1 percent, over the previous year. The number of foreign employees residing in Macao declined by 15.5 percent to 79,000, while the number of foreign students residing in Macao increased by 17.9 percent to 23,100.
In terms of age groups, the 0-14 years old age group accounted for 14.1 percent of the population; the 15-64 year old age group accounted for 72.6 percent; the 65 year old or above age group accounted for 13.3 percent. Macao’s population density was 20,620 people per square kilometre. Areia Preta and Iao Hon remained the most densely populated districts.
In regards to natural factors of population changes in 2022, there were 4,344 new-born babies, 13.6 percent fewer than in 2021, and 3,004 deaths, 29.5 percent more in 2021. The natural population growth rate stood at 0.2 percent, a drop of 0.2 percent compared to the previous year.
In 2022, the number of immigrants was minus 11,700 in 2022, largely attributed to fewer foreign employees residing in Macao. The number of new immigrants from mainland China holding one-way permits decreased by 48, from the previous year, to 571.
The results of the 2021 Census indicated that among the local population, 89.2 percent was Chinese, 1.3 percent was Portuguese, 5.0 percent was Filipino, and 1.8 percent was Vietnamese.
Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages of Macao, and more than 81 percent of the population speak Cantonese. Portuguese is spoken by about 2.3 percent of the population. Putonghua and English are spoken by 45 percent and 22.7 percent of the population, respectively.
Meanwhile, 41.3 percent of the population were born in Macao, 43.8 percent were born in mainland China, 3.3 percent in Hong Kong, and 0.3 percent in Portugal.
Climate
Macao is situated in a subtropical zone, with the Asian continent to the north and a wide tropical sea to the south. In winter, Macao experiences a north wind, cold and dry weather and low rainfall, due to a cold continental high-pressure system at medium and high latitudes. In summer, Macao is mainly subject to southwesterly winds, hot and wet weather and heavy rainfall, due to the influence of oceanic tropical weather systems.
Macao has an average annual temperature of 22.8ºC. The coolest month is January, when it averages 15.2ºC. Most years, Macao has a short, cold weather period when temperatures fall below 5ºC. The average monthly temperature exceeds 22ºC during seven months of the year.
Macao is frequently hit by typhoons. The typhoon season starts in May and ends in October, with July to September as its peak period.
More information:Statistics and Census Service (http://www.dsec.gov.mo)
Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (http://www.smg.gov.mo)
10/2023