Macau
Asia Β· Capital: β
How it is run: Macau is a territory or observer, so some decisions about it are made elsewhere. The research links below explain who is in charge.
Macau is home to 685,900 people in Eastern Asia, where people speak Portuguese, Chinese.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
685,900 people
That is about 85 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
30 kmΒ²
Smaller than most big cities β you could cross it in an afternoon.
ποΈ How crowded
About 22,863 people share every square kilometre β very crowded, so cities grow upward with apartments.
π Size in its region
47th most people in Asia
50th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Portuguese, Chinese
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Macanese pataca (P)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
83.3 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$75,902
A high-income country: most families can afford cars, travel and new technology.
π’ Living in cities
100% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
13.7% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+853
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.mo
π§ People here are called
Macanese
π·οΈ Name at home
Macau Β· ζΎ³ι¨
Also written: Macao, Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, δΈθ―δΊΊζ°ε ±εεζΎ³ιηΉε₯θ‘ζΏε.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Not a UN member
Neighbours & borders π€
Macau touches 1 neighbour by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Macao
French
Macao
Arabic
Ω Ψ§ΩΨ§Ω
Chinese
ζΎ³ι¨
Japanese
γγ«γͺ
Russian
ΠΠ°ΠΊΠ°ΠΎ
Portuguese
Macau
German
Macao
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 2134.2Γ as many people as Macau.
- All of Macau would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
- If everyone in Macau lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 343 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Macau is not a full UN member state, so it doesn't get its own vote in the General Assembly.
π·οΈ Official name
Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
ποΈ Capital
β
π Region
Asia Β· Eastern Asia
π€ Country code
MO
ποΈ UN status
Not a UN member state
π© Independence
Linked territory
More about Macau π
π§ Where on the map
22.2Β° N, 113.5Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+8 β when it is noon in London it is about 20:00 in β.
- The capital of Macau is β β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Macau sits in Eastern Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Macau is a territory linked to another country, so some decisions are made elsewhere.
- Because of where Macau sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
- Macau lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Macau has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Macau can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Macau spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Macau?
β
Which money do people spend in Macau?
Macanese pataca (P)
How many countries share a land border with Macau?
1 β China.
Roughly how many people live in Macau?
685,900 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.