ive chosen by a 200-member
selection committee for up to two five-year terms cabinet: Executive
Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators,
and two businessmen head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah
(since 20 December 1999)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats;
10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by
the chief executive; members serve four-year terms) 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 elections: last held 23 September 2001
(next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special
Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders: there are no formal political parties,
however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative
voting, join together to form political blocs

Political pressure groups and leaders: Catholic Church [Domingos LAM,
bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley
HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG
Kuok-cheong, leader]

International organization participation: CCC, ESCAP (associate),
IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO
(associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region
of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US has no offices in Macau,
and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

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

Economy Macau

Economy - overview: Macau's economy two years after reversion to China
remains one of the most open in the world, according to the World
Trade Organization. The government collects no duty on imports and
sets no restrictions on exports beyond those required by international
agreements. The territory's net exports of goods and services account
for 35% of GDP, with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. The
territory therefore has been hit hard by the 2001 downturn in its key US
and EU export markets. Tourism remained strong, however, driven by a surge
in visitors from mainland China. In response