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Country name: |
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
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Dependency status: |
special administrative region of China
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Government type: |
limited democracy
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Administrative divisions: |
none (special administrative region of China)
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Independence: |
none (special administrative region of China)
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National holiday: |
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
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Constitution: |
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
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Legal system: |
based on Portuguese civil law system
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Suffrage: |
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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Executive branch: |
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)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for up to two five-year terms
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004; received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3 members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and seven appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms); number of legislators will increase to 29 in September 2005
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next in September 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1
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Judicial branch: |
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
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Political parties and leaders: |
some civic associations operate as de facto political parties: Electoral Union; Pro-Macao and Flower of Friendship and Development of Macao; Associacao para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macao; Centro Democratico de Macao; Grupo Independente de Macao; Macau Economic Promotion Association; Progress Promotion Union; Development Union
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Catholic Church [LAI Hung-sing, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]
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International organization participation: |
IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (special administrative region of China)
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
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Flag description: |
light 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 center of arc and four smaller |
