TERRITORY PORTRAIT · THE WORLD ATLAS

Macao

Find its place in the atlas, explore connected regions and follow the stories as they grow.

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Photo: Charlie fong / Wikimedia Commons (resized) Image licenceCC BY-SA 4.0Photograph by Charlie fong / Wikimedia Commons (resized). Display crop may differ from the original.

AT A GLANCE

Macao in facts

  • Population685,9002025
  • Area115 km²less than one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C
  • CurrencyHong Kong dollaralso Macanese pataca
Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · Open in the world map
All geographic & statistical details (35)
Density
5,949 people per km²
Official name
Macau Special Administrative Region
Government
executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
World region
Asia · Eastern Asia
Official languages
Portuguese, Cantonese, Standard Chinese
Founded
1557
Calling code
+853
Drives on the
left
Land borders
3 km in total
Coastline
41 km
Terrain
Generally flat
Topographic elevation profile
Alto de Coloane 1,706 m
0 mSouth China Sea▲ 1,706 mSummit
Natural resources
Negl
Climate
Subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Economy (GDP)
US$52.1 billion (2025)
Land use
Agri 0%Forest 0%Other 100%
GDP per person
US$75,902 (2025)
Unemployment
2.3% (2025)
Life expectancy
83.3 years (2024)
Median age
43 years (2025 est.)
Urban population
Urban 100%Rural 0%(2023)
Major urban areas
Macau (000)
Ethnic groups
Chinese 89.4%, Chinese and Portuguese 1%, Portuguese 0.8%, Chinese and non-Portuguese 0.2%, Portuguese and others 0.2%, other 8.5% (2021 est.)
Religions
folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est.)
Administrative subdivisions
8 first-order regions
Railways & airports
1 airports
Plug types
Schuko, BS 546, BS 1363, AC power plugs and sockets: British and related types
Mains voltage
220 V
Emergency numbers
999
Internet domain
.mo
ISO & UN codes
MO · MAC · M49 446
Official website
gov.mo/en (opens in a new tab)
Name origin
Name derived from the Chinese ama-gao, or “Bay of Ama,” for Ama, the patron goddess of sailors
Names in other languages
मकाओ, ਮਕਾਉ, மக்காவு, మకావు, มาเก๊า, Makao
+ 16 moreShow lessمکاؤ, Ma Cao, Macao, Macau, മകൗ, 澳門, ماکائو, マカオ, 마카오, Макао, Makau, ماكاو, মাকাও, મકાઉ, मकाउ, ಮಕಾವು
Time zone
UTC+8

Facts: Wikidata Q14773, World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0: population, economy, life expectancy) and the CIA World Factbook (public domain: geography, demographics, borders, coastline and symbols), retrieved 1 November 2026. Figures can change; check the source for the latest.

FLAG & SYMBOLS

The flag and symbols of Macao

The flag

Green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, under an arc of five five-pointed gold stars.

What it means

The lotus is the national floral emblem, and the three petals represent the country's peninsula and two islands; the five stars echo the Chinese flag.

National coloursGreenWhiteYellow
Coat of arms
Coat of arms or emblem of Macao

Image: Tonyjeff (extracted from the flag of Macau, provided at the Open Clip Art website.) (2022 / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

National animals and emblems
Lotus Blossom
National anthem

"Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers)
Tian Han/Nie Er

National day

National Day (anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949)

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

Flag description and meaning, colours, symbols, anthem details, national day and independence: CIA World Factbook (public domain). Coat of arms, motto and recording: Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (credited above). Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), retrieved 1 November 2026.

There is more to explore.Discover the regions of MacaoExplore regions
ON THE ATLAS · CHRONICLE IN PREPARATION

Discover Macao

This is a sourced directory entry. A researched regional chronicle and verified location photography are in preparation.

Special Administrative Region

Chinese SAR association: China. Status & relationship source ↗

A CLOSER LOOK

Explore the regions

8 entries

Explore the first-order regions in this GeoNames snapshot. Local names and levels vary.

Names and immediate parent assignments: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0, 28 October 2026. Unspecified code 00 excluded. This is not an exhaustive list of districts, counties or municipalities. Photographs are credited individually beneath each image; one pictured place does not represent every landscape in its region.

FROM THE JOURNAL

Stories from Macao

Our editorial journey here is still ahead. No researched stories have been published for this place yet.

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Directory: UN M49 countries or areas, with 193 UN members, 2 observers and 53 other areas. Subdivisions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0; filtered to this catalogue. Flags/symbols: flag-icons (MIT). Snapshot: 28 October 2026. Geographic groups are statistical. Associated-country links describe the cited relationship and do not settle sovereignty claims.

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