Observatório da Emigração

Macau

05/02/2025

A. Annual series

A.1 Foreign-born population, 1991-2024

(Individuals)

Years	Total Population		Foreign-born
	Total Population		All foreign-born			Born in Portugal
	N	Change in	N	% of total	Change in	N	% of total	As a % of all foreign-born	Change in
2024	720 262	5.6	426 862	59.3	6.5	2 223	0.3	0.5	0.4
2021	682 070	-0.2	400 689	58.8	-0.7	2 213	0.3	0.6	5.3
2020	683 067	6.7	403 490	59.1	1.0	2 101	0.3	0.5	0.9
2019	640 445	2.9	399 572	62.4	13.0	2 082	0.3	0.5	28.8
2017	622 567	-4.3	353 654	56.8	-8.3	1 616	0.3	0.5	-19.6
2016	650 834	4.6	385 744	59.3	2.6	2 011	0.3	0.5	2.6
2015	622 179	12.6	376 066	60.4	15.2	1 960	0.3	0.5	6.8
2011	552 503	-1.8	326 376	59.1	2.5	1 835	0.3	0.6	2.5
2010	562 806	12.1	318 506	56.6	10.3	1 790	0.3	0.6	36.0
2006	502 113	1.4	288 879	57.5	3.4	1 316	0.3	0.5	-28.8
2005	495 411	13.8	279 308	56.4	14.4	1 848	0.4	0.7	14.4
2001	435 235	-0.5	244 096	56.1	1.4	1 616	0.4	0.7	1.4
2000	437 309	5.6	240 791	55.1	4.0	1 594	0.4	0.7	-58.6
1996	414 128	16.4	231 652	55.9	8.8	3 852	0.9	1.7	6.3
1991	355 693	--	212 996	59.9	--	3 625	1.0	1.7	--

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 05/fev./2025

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Metadata

Note Under the provisions on the application of the Chinese nationality law, in force since 1999, residents, whether born in Macao or mainland China, of Chinese descent, even if they are holders of a Portuguese passport, are, as a rule, considered Chinese citizens. For comparability purposes, the DSEC recalculated the figures for 1991, if these provisions were in force at the time, and amounted to 20,000 foreigners (i.e., non-Chinese), of which 11,965 would be Portuguese.$$
Although Macao is not a country, it is here distinguished as a "Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China" and because it had Portuguese administration until 20 December 1999; for the variable born abroad, we considered who was born outside Macau; the number of foreigners, in years prior to 1999, corresponds to the number of non-Portuguese citizens; After 1999, the number of foreigners submitted refers to the number of non-Chinese citizens; the percentages of Portuguese in the total number of foreigners for 1991 and 1996 should not be taken into account, since, at that time, citizens of Portuguese nationality were not part of this universe. The data from 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 were revised by the UN and amended by OEm on 05/02/2025.

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Directorate of Statistics and Census Service - Government of Macao SAR, (data of 1991 and 1996, information granted upon request); Overall Census results 2001; Overall intercensus results 2006 ; Census 2011; Census 2016; Census 2021; United Nations Statistics Division (2017), United Nations Statistics Division (2019) and United Nations Statistics Division (other data) (the UN figures are estimates).

A.1.1 Residents born in Portugal by sex, 2000-2021

(indivíduos)

Years	All foreign-born	Female		Male
Years	N	N	% of total	N	% of total
2021	2 213	850	38.4	1 363	61.6
2020	2 101	981	46.7	1 120	53.3
2019	2 082	972	46.7	1 110	53.3
2017	1 616	640	39.6	976	60.4
2016	2 011	939	46.7	1 072	53.3
2015	1 960	915	46.7	1 045	53.3
2011	1 835	730	39.8	1 105	60.2
2010	1 790	708	39.6	1 082	60.4
2006	1 316	507	38.5	809	61.5
2005	1 848	720	39.0	1 128	61.0
2001	1 616	647	40.0	969	60.0
2000	1 594	636	39.9	958	60.1

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 23/nov./2022

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Metadata

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Direcção dos Serviços de Estatística e Censos - Governo da RAE de Macau, Overall Census results 2001; Overall intercensus results 2006; Census 2011; Census 2016; United Nations Statistics Division (2017), United Nations Statistics Division (2019) and United Nations Statistics Division (other data) (the UN figures are estimates).

A.1.2 Residents born in Portugal by age group, 2001-2021

(Individuals)

Years	All foreign-born	< 15		15-39		40-64		> 65
Years	N	N	% of total	N	% of total	N	% of total	N	% of total
2021	2 213	337	15.2	575	26.0	1 065	48.1	236	10.7
2016	2 011	188	9.4	814	40.5	804	40.0	205	10.2
2011	1 835	86	4.7	759	41.4	791	43.1	199	10.8
2006	1 316	111	8.4	521	39.6	601	45.7	83	6.3
2001	1 616	160	9.9	678	42.0	652	40.4	126	7.8

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 20/mai./2021

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Metadata

A.2 Foreign population, 1991-2024

(Individuals)

Years	Total Population		All foreign-born
	Total Population		All foreign-born			Foreigners with Portuguese citizenship
	N	Change in	N	% of total	Change in	N	% of total	As a % of all foreigners	Change in
2024	720 262	5.6	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2021	682 070	-0.2	73 691	10.8	--	8 991	1.3	2.2	--
2020	683 067	6.7	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2019	640 445	2.9	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2017	622 567	-4.3	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2016	650 834	4.6	75 249	11.6	--	9 024	1.4	2.3	--
2015	622 179	12.6	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2011	552 503	-1.8	42 715	7.7	--	5 020	0.9	1.5	--
2010	562 806	12.1	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2006	502 113	1.4	30 850	6.2	--	8 593	1.7	3.0	--
2005	495 411	13.8	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2001	435 235	-0.5	21 035	4.8	--	8 793	2.0	3.6	--
2000	437 309	5.6	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
1996	414 128	16.4	301 422	72.8	18.5	112 706	27.2	48.7	11.3
1991	355 693	--	254 448	71.5	--	101 245	28.5	47.5	--

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 05/fev./2025

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Metadata

A.2.1 Resident population with Portuguese citizenship by sex, 2001-2021

(Individuals)

Years	All foreign-born	Female		Male
Years	N	N	% of total	N	% of total
2021	8 991	4 296	47.8	4 695	52.2
2016	9 024	4 390	48.6	4 634	51.4
2011	5 020	2 558	51.0	2 462	49.0
2006	8 593	4 014	46.7	4 579	53.3
2001	8 793	4 098	46.6	4 695	53.4

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 30/set./2022

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Metadata

A.2.2 Resident population with Portuguese citizenship by age group , 2001-2021

(Individuals)

Years	All foreign-born	< 15		15-39		40-64		> 65
Years	N	N	% of total	N	% of total	N	% of total	N	% of total
2021	8 991	1 678	18.7	2 475	27.5	3 490	38.8	1 348	15.0
2016	9 024	1 467	16.3	3 175	35.2	3 343	37.0	1 039	11.5
2011	5 020	721	14.4	1 651	32.9	2 046	40.8	602	12.0
2006	8 593	1 679	19.5	3 102	36.1	3 144	36.6	668	7.8
2001	8 793	2 048	23.3	3 355	38.2	2 909	33.1	481	5.5

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 30/set./2022

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Metadata

A.3 Consular registrations , 2008-2022

(Individuals)

Years	All registrations		Registrations by migrants born in Portugal			Registrations by migrants with Portuguese citizenship
Years	N	Change in	N	% of total	Change in	N	% of total	Change in
2022	122 157	-20.0	--	--	--	--	--	--
2021	152 616	-0.6	--	--	--	--	--	--
2020	153 615	0.5	--	--	--	--	--	--
2019	152 836	21.7	--	--	--	--	--	--
2018	125 549	0.2	--	--	--	--	--	--
2017	125 296	-25.9	--	--	--	--	--	--
2016	169 023	1.5	--	--	--	--	--	--
2015	166 593	1.0	--	--	--	--	--	--
2014	165 000	29.1	--	--	--	--	--	--
2012	127 843	-0.1	2 752	2.2	4.8	125 813	98.4	-0.1
2011	127 991	1.8	2 626	2.1	6.8	125 923	98.4	1.9
2010	125 683	1.9	2 459	2.0	5.9	123 615	98.4	1.9
2009	123 372	2.5	2 322	1.9	7.0	121 314	98.3	2.5
2008	120 362	--	2 169	1.8	--	118 305	98.3	--

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 24/out./2023

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Metadata

Note In the total value there are 38,000 registrations which were transfered from the Portuguese consulate in Hong Kong, after its closing (2003).

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Portuguese consulates and Consular Management System (DGACCP), data granted upon request.

A.4 Foreign inflows , 2000-2023

(Individuals)

Years	Total inflows		Portuguese inflows
Years	N	Change in	N	% of total	Change in
2023	878	57.6	53	6.0	165.0
2022	557	19.0	20	3.6	11.1
2021	468	-35.9	18	3.8	-73.1
2020	730	-24.5	67	9.2	-41.7
2019	967	-10.0	115	11.9	-1.7
2018	1 074	-29.7	117	10.9	17.0
2017	1 527	5.5	100	6.6	-33.3
2016	1 447	-18.9	150	10.4	3.4
2015	1 784	-21.7	145	8.1	-44.7
2014	2 278	-8.6	262	11.5	-1.1
2013	2 491	5.1	265	10.6	22.7
2012	2 371	-15.7	216	9.1	19.3
2011	2 812	-36.9	181	6.4	38.2
2010	4 455	-53.0	131	3.0	-4.4
2009	9 489	19.9	137	1.4	8.7
2008	7 917	29.5	126	1.6	-13.7
2007	6 115	--	146	2.4	156.1
2006	--	--	57	--	-19.7
2005	--	--	71	--	7.6
2004	--	--	66	--	3.1
2003	--	--	64	--	8.5
2002	--	--	59	--	68.6
2001	--	--	35	--	775.0
2000	--	--	4	--	--

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 27/nov./2024

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Metadata

Note The periods of temporary residence permit issued have a duration of eighteen months or more, as can be seen in Administrative Regulation nº 3/2005.

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Directorate of Statistics and Census Service - Government of Macao SAR, Demographic Statistics 2008 (data from 2007 and 2008), Demographic Statistics 2010 (data from 2009 and 2010), Demographic Statistics from 2011 onwards.

A.4.1 Portuguese inflows by sex , 2007-2023

(Individuals)

Years	All foreign-born	Female		Male
Years	N	N	% of total	N	% of total
2023	53	21	39.6	32	60.4
2021	18	7	38.9	11	61.1
2020	67	33	49.3	34	50.8
2019	115	55	47.8	60	52.2
2018	117	60	51.3	57	48.7
2017	100	46	46.0	54	54.0
2016	150	79	52.7	71	47.3
2015	145	75	51.7	70	48.3
2014	262	131	50.0	131	50.0
2013	265	129	48.7	136	51.3
2012	216	96	44.4	120	55.6
2011	181	86	47.5	95	52.5
2010	131	62	47.3	69	52.7
2009	137	67	48.9	70	51.1
2008	126	52	41.3	74	58.7
2007	146	69	47.3	77	52.7

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 27/nov./2024

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Metadata

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Directorate of Statistics and Census Service - Government of Macao SAR, Demographic Statistics.

A.6 Remittances , 2000-2023

(Euros, thousands)

Years	Inward flows (thousand euros) (a)		Outward flows (thousand euros) (b)		Balance (a/b)
Years	N	Change in	N	Change in	Balance (a/b)
2023	0	--	0	--	n.d.
2022	0	--	0	--	n.d.
2021	0	--	0	--	n.d.
2020	20	-33.3	0	--	n.d.
2019	30	-40.0	0	--	n.d.
2018	50	-44.4	0	--	n.d.
2017	90	80.0	0	--	n.d.
2016	50	-44.4	20	100.0	2
2015	90	50.0	10	0.0	9
2014	60	-98.5	10	-91.7	6
2013	4 110	-10.3	120	0.0	34
2012	4 580	8.5	120	-20.0	38
2011	4 220	74.4	150	150.0	28
2010	2 420	-19.9	60	0.0	40
2009	3 020	-19.9	60	-68.4	50
2008	3 770	-54.7	190	-82.1	20
2007	8 320	92.6	1 060	63.1	8
2006	4 320	29.3	650	441.7	7
2005	3 340	20.6	120	100.0	28
2004	2 770	0.4	60	-40.0	46
2003	2 760	-60.0	100	-37.5	28
2002	6 900	-51.1	160	6.7	43
2001	14 100	-23.4	150	-42.3	94
2000	18 410	--	260	--	71

[ .. ]Data not available, residual data, not applicable; [ e ]EstimateLast update: 20/fev./2024

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Metadata

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Banco de Portugal, BP stat, Estatísticas de balança de pagamentos, Remessas de emigrantes/imigrantes.

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