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Introduction | Taiwan

Background: | In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography | Taiwan

Location: | Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Geographic coordinates: | 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references: | Southeast Asia
Area: | total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 1,566.3 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain: | eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Natural resources: | small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use: | arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001)
Irrigated land: | NA
Internal Renewable Water Resources: | 67 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards: | earthquakes and typhoons
Environment - current issues: | air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements: | party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Geography - note: | strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

People | Taiwan

Population: | 22,858,872 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,117,051/female 1,954,709) 15-64 years: 72% (male 8,306,351/female 8,141,268) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 1,150,001/female 1,189,492) (2007 est.)
Median age: | total: 35.5 years male: 35 years female: 36 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.304% (2007 est.)
Birth rate: | 8.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate: | 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.083 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.967 male(s)/female total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 77.56 years male: 74.65 years female: 80.74 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.12 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Taiwan (singular and plural) note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan
Ethnic groups: | Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religions: | mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages: | Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA% female: NA% (2003)

Government | Taiwan

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa
Government type: | multiparty democracy
Capital: | name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: | includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses counties: Chang-hua (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), I-lan (Yilan), Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu), Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t'ou (Nantou), P'eng-hu (Penghu), P'ing-tung (Pingtung), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan), T'ai-pei (Taipei) [county], T'ai-tung (Taitung), T'ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and Yun-lin (Yunlin) municipalities: Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan) special municipalities: Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [city], T'ai-pei (Taipei) [city]
National holiday: | Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Constitution: | 25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005 note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947
Legal system: | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000); Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun-hsiung (since 21 May 2007); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) CHIOU I-jen (since 21 May 2007) cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian 50.1%, LIEN Chan 49.9%
Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats; 168 members elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve three-year terms) note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the now defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election in 2007; amendments also eliminated National Assembly thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%; seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7, independents 4
Judicial branch: | Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHEN Shui-bian]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
International organization participation: | APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer), WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162
Flag description: | red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy | Taiwan

Economy - overview: | Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large, government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a trade surplus, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and, in 2006, its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer spending recovered following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks tightened lending to address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer debt.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $681.8 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $346.7 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 4.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $29,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.5% industry: 26.8% services: 71.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force: | 10.52 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 5.5% industry: 36% services: 58.5% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 3.9% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 0.9% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 0.6% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 21% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $73.1 billion expenditures: $72.44 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt: | 34.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products: | rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Industries: | electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate: | 6.5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production: | 210.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 201.6 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 7,755 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 965,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves: | 3 million bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural gas - production: | 767.3 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 9.984 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - imports: | 9.217 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 76.46 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance: | $24.66 billion (2006 est.)
Exports: | $223.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities: | computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners: | China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.)
Imports: | $200.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners: | Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2006 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $270.8 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external: | $91.92 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $44.88 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $85.7 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA
Currency (code): | new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Currency code: | TWD
Exchange rates: | new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002)
Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June

Communications | Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use: | 14.497 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 23.249 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Radios: | 16 million (1994)
Television broadcast stations: | 29 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: | 8.8 million (1998)
Internet country code: | .tw
Internet hosts: | 5.111 million (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 8 (2000)
Internet users: | 13.21 million (2005)

Transportation | Taiwan

Airports: | 41 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports: | 4 (2007)
Pipelines: | condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006)
Railways: | total: 2,502 km narrow gauge: 1,102 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified) note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry products and limited numbers of passengers (2006)
Roadways: | total: 37,299 km paved: 35,621 km (includes 789 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)
Merchant marine: | total: 102 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,537,256 GRT/4,203,423 DWT by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 20, chemical tanker 2, container 21, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Canada 3, France 1) registered in other countries: 489 (Bahamas 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 11, Liberia 82, Panama 306, Singapore 60, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Military | Taiwan

Military branches: | Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military service age and obligation: | 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 16 months (to be shortened to 14 months as of July 2007 and to 12 months in 2008); women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (2007)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 19-49: 5,883,828 females age 19-49: 5,680,773 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 19-49: 4,749,537 females age 19-49: 4,644,607 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 174,173 females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.2% (2006; to increase to 2.85% in 2007)

Transnational Issues | Taiwan

Disputes - international: | involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting
Illicit drugs: | regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs

This page was last updated on 13 December, 2007