|
Introduction |
|
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
native 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 |
|
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 -
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 sq km
|
|
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 |
|
Population: |
22,894,384 (July
2005 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years:
19.7% (male 2,349,077/female 2,156,755)
15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,205,933/female 7,980,056)
65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,107,708/female 1,094,855)
(2005 est.)
|
|
Median age: |
total: 34.14
years
male: 33.71 years
female: 34.57 years (2005 est.)
|
|
Population
growth rate: |
0.63% (2005 est.)
|
|
Birth rate: |
12.64 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
|
|
Death rate: |
6.38 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
|
|
Net migration
rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
|
|
Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 6.4
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 77.26 years
male: 74.49 years
female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)
|
|
Total fertility
rate: |
1.57 children
born/woman (2005 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%, 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: 96.1% (2003)
|
|
Government |
|
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
democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and
unicameral legislature
|
|
Capital: |
Taipei
|
|
Administrative
divisions: |
includes central
island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller islands near central
island 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)
: counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan,
Kao-hsiung county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou,
P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county,
T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin
: municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung,
T'ai-nan
: special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city
note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for
romanization; special municipality of Taipei adopted standard
pinyin romanization for street and place names within city
boundaries, other local authorities have selected a variety of
romanization systems
|
|
National
holiday: |
Republic Day
(Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
|
|
Constitution: |
25 December 1946,
amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
|
|
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 CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President
Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive
Yuan) Frank HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice
President of the Executive Yuan) - WU Rong-i) (since 18 February
2005)
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 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 (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT)
49.9%
|
|
Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 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 island-wide votes
received by participating political parties, 8 elected by
popular vote among aboriginal populations; members serve
three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat
nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by
proportional representation six to nine months after Legislative
Yuan calls to amend Constitution, impeach president, or change
national borders)
note: the number of seats in the legislature may be
reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the election in 2007 if a
proposed constitutional amendment is approved
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004
(next to be held in December 2007) according to proposed
constitutional amendment; National Assembly - last held 14 May
2005
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; National Assembly - percent
of vote by party - DPP 42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others
6.6%; seats by party - DPP 127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others
17
|
|
Judicial branch: |
Judicial Yuan
(justices appointed by the president with consent of the
Legislative Yuan)
|
|
Political
parties and leaders: |
Democratic
Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman]; Kuomintang
or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou, chairman]; People
First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman];
Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang, chairman]; other
minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP
|
|
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 Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and
- whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or
independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding
voice; 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, BCIE,
ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO
|
|
Flag
description: |
red with a dark
blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
sun with 12 triangular rays
|
|
Economy |
|
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 trade surplus is
substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest.
Agriculture contributes less than 2% to GDP, down from 32% in
1952. Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia.
China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export
market. Because of its conservative financial approach and its
entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with
many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998.
The global economic downturn, combined with problems in policy
coordination by the administration and bad debts in the banking
system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of
negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record
levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of
continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad
bank loans; and the essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in
2003-04. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant
long-term factor, e.g., exports to China of parts and equipment
for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries.
|
|
GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $576.2 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
GDP - real
growth rate: |
6% (2004 est.)
|
|
GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $25,300 (2004 est.)
|
|
GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
1.7%
industry: 30.9%
services: 67.4% (2004 est.)
|
|
Labor force: |
10.22 million (2004
est.)
|
|
Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture 8%,
industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
|
|
Unemployment
rate: |
4.5% (2004 est.)
|
|
Population below
poverty line: |
1% (2000 est.)
|
|
Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
6.7%
highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
|
|
Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
1.7% (2004 est.)
|
|
Investment
(gross fixed): |
18% of GDP (2004
est.)
|
|
Budget: |
revenues:
$67.41 billion
expenditures: $76.7 billion, including capital
expenditures of $14.4 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
Public debt: |
32.4% of GDP (2004
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: |
12.2% (2004 est.)
|
|
Electricity -
production: |
158.5 billion kWh
(2002)
|
|
Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
71.4%
hydro: 6%
nuclear: 22.6%
other: 0% (2001)
|
|
Electricity -
consumption: |
147.4 billion kWh
(2002)
|
|
Electricity -
exports: |
0 kWh (2002)
|
|
Electricity -
imports: |
0 kWh (2002)
|
|
Oil -
production: |
500 bbl/day (2004
est.)
|
|
Oil -
consumption: |
988,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports: |
NA
|
|
Oil - imports: |
NA
|
|
Oil - proved
reserves: |
2.9 million bbl
(2004 est.)
|
|
Natural gas -
production: |
750 million cu m
(2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas -
consumption: |
6.64 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas -
exports: |
410 million cu m
(2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas -
imports: |
6.3 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas -
proved reserves: |
38.23 billion cu m
(2004)
|
|
Current account
balance: |
$21.16 billion
(2004 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$170.5 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
|
|
Exports -
commodities: |
computer products
and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber
products, chemicals (2002)
|
|
Exports -
partners: |
China, including
Hong Kong 37%, US 16%, Japan 7.7% (2004)
|
|
Imports: |
$165.4 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
|
|
Imports -
commodities: |
machinery and
electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments
(2002)
|
|
Imports -
partners: |
Japan 26%, US 13%,
China, including Hong Kong 11%, South Korea 6.9% (2004)
|
|
Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$246.5 billion
(2004 est.)
|
|
Debt - external: |
$55.5 billion (2004
est.)
|
|
Currency (code): |
new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
|
|
Currency code: |
TWD
|
|
Exchange rates: |
new Taiwan dollars
per US dollar - 33.422 (2004), 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002),
33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000)
|
|
Fiscal year: |
1 July - 30 June
(up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00;
calendar year (after FY00)
|
|
Communications |
|
Telephones -
main lines in use: |
13.355 million
(2003)
|
|
Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
25,089,600 (2003)
|
|
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 two
repeaters) (1997)
|
|
Televisions: |
8.8 million (1998)
|
|
Internet country
code: |
.tw
|
|
Internet hosts: |
2,777,085 (2003)
|
|
Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
8 (2000)
|
|
Internet users: |
13.8 million (2005)
|
|
Transportation |
|
Railways: |
total: 2,497
km
narrow gauge: 1,097 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 haul
products and limited numbers of passengers (2004)
|
|
Highways: |
total:
37,299 km
paved: 35,621 km (including 608 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)
|
|
Pipelines: |
condensate 25 km;
gas 435 km (2004)
|
|
Ports and
harbors: |
Chi-lung (Keelung),
Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
|
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 126
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2,
container 37, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 15,
refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)
registered in other countries: 432 (2005)
|
|
Airports: |
40 (2004 est.)
|
|
Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
|
|
Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
|
|
Heliports: |
3 (2004 est.)
|
|
Military |
|
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
manpower - military age and obligation: |
19-40 years of age
for military service (being lowered to 35 years of age in July
2005); service obligation 22 months (being shortened to 18
months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (2005)
|
|
Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 19-49:
5,883,828 (2005 est.)
|
|
Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 19-49:
4,749,537 (2005 est.)
|
|
Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
174,173 (2005 est.)
|
|
Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$7.574 billion
(2003)
|
|
Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.6% (2004)
|
|
Transnational Issues |
|
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 and methamphetamine; major problem with
domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; renewal of
domestic methamphetamine production is a problem
|
