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Taiwan |
Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however it 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 that over five decades has gradually democratized and incorporated native Taiwanese within its structure. Throughout this period, the island has prospered as one of East Asia's economic tigers. The dominant political issue continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and Mainland China and the question of eventual reunification.
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
Area¡Xcomparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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 3,997 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 55%
other: 15%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons
Environment¡Xcurrent 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¡Xinternational agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Population: 22,113,250 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 2,515,398; female 2,338,506)
15-64 years: 70% (male 7,825,953; female 7,574,836)
65 years and over: 8% (male 989,040; female 869,517) (1999
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.93% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.49 years
male: 74.38 years
female: 80.85 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, 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: 94% (1998 est.)
male: 93% (1980 est.)
female: 79% (1980 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
Data code: TW
Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president
Capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: since in the past the
authorities claimed to be the government of all China, the
central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien
(some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and
Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores
islands); note¡Xthe more commonly referenced administrative
divisions are those of Taiwan Province¡X16 counties (hsien,
singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and
plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and
plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*,
Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou,
P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*,
T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the
provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President LEE Teng-hui (succeeded to the
presidency following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13
January 1988, elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990,
elected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for
president 23 March 1996); Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May
1996)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive
Yuan) Vincent SIEW (since 1 September 1997) and Vice Premier (Vice
President of the Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 10
December 1997)
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last
held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed
by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the premier
election results: LEE Teng-hui elected president; percent
of vote¡XLEE Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%,
and CHEN Li-an 10%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225
seats¡X168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of
the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating
political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese
constituencies on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes
received by participating political parties, eight elected by
popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members serve
three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (334 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Legislative Yuan¡Xlast held 5 December 1998 (next
to be held NA December 2001); National Assembly¡Xlast held 23
March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Legislative Yuan¡Xpercent of vote by
party¡XKMT 46%, DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties
8%; seats by party¡XKMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15,
other parties 6; National Assembly¡Xpercent of vote by party¡XKMT
55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party¡XKMT 183, DPP 99,
CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LEE Teng-hui, chairman]; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LIN Yi-Hsiung, chairman]; Chinese New Party or CNP [leader NA]; Taiwan Independence Party or TAIP [HSU Shih-Kai]; other various parties
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; advocates of Taiwan independence
oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will
eventually reunify 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, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia (telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474 and FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385) and offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 2702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 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¡Xoverview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8.5% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are low, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes less than 3% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved off-shore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from "the Asian flu" in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity¡X$362 billion (1998 est.)
GDP¡Xreal growth rate: 4.8% (1998 est.)
GDP¡Xper capita: purchasing power parity¡X$16,500 (1998 est.)
GDP¡Xcomposition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 35.3%
services: 62% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1998)
Labor force: 9.4 million (1997)
Labor force¡Xby occupation: services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $40 billion
expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997)
Electricity¡Xproduction: 134.906 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity¡Xproduction by source:
fossil fuel: 63.2%
hydro: 7.1%
nuclear: 29.7%
other: 0% (1997)
Electricity¡Xconsumption: 134.906 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity¡Xexports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity¡Ximports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture¡Xproducts: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Exports: $122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports¡Xcommodities: machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%, electronic products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile products 11.6% (1997)
Exports¡Xpartners: US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan 9.6% (1997)
Imports: $114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports¡Xcommodities: machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%, electronic products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument 5.6% (1997)
Imports¡Xpartners: Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong 1.7% (1997)
Debt¡Xexternal: $80 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid¡Xrecipient: $NA
Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1¡X32.45 (yearend 1997), 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July¡X30 June
Telephones: 11.526 million (1998 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on
east and west coasts
international: satellite earth stations¡X2 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 158, FM 48, shortwave 21
Radios: 8.62 million
Television broadcast stations: 29 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 10.8 million (1996 est.)
Railways:
total: 4,600 km (519 km electrified); note¡X1,108 km
belongs to the Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492
km is dedicated to industrial use
narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m
Highways:
total: 19,634 km
paved: 17,171 km (including 548 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,463 km (1997)
Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km
Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Merchant marine:
total: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,106,573
GRT/7,963,834 DWT
ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 30, combination bulk 3,
container 72, oil tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 39 (1998 est.)
Airports¡Xwith paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports¡Xwith unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces
Military manpower¡Xmilitary age: 19 years of age
Military manpower¡Xavailability:
males age 15-49: 6,544,602 (1999 est.)
Military manpower¡Xfit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,019,737 (1999 est.)
Military manpower¡Xreaching military age annually:
males: 204,711 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures¡Xdollar figure: $7.446 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures¡Xpercent of GDP: 2.8% (FY98/99)
Disputes¡Xinternational: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China
Illicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin
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