Taiwan
Country Guide

Explore Taiwan

Taiwan with its capital Taipei is located in Asia (Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea). It covers some 35,981 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined) with a population of 23,508,400. Chinese and Chinese are some of the languages spoken by the majority in Taiwan. There are no land based border this country shares with any other country.

Taiwan is an island nation of about 36,000 km² located off the coast of southeastern mainland China, southwest of Okinawa and north of the Philippines. Many people think of Taiwan as a grimy, densely populated industrial island full of hard disk factories, and you may well maintain this perception if you only stick to the densely populated West Coast. However, for those who take time to venture to the more sparsely populated East Coast will quickly find that Taiwan is actually home to some stunning landscapes. The Taroko Gorge near Hualien in particular is very impressive, and should not be missed. Most of Taiwan is covered with mountains which offer breathtaking views, so hiking opportunities are very diverse.

Popular Destinations in Taiwan

Administrative regions of Taiwan

• Fukien
• Kaohsiung
• Taipei
• Taiwan

About the country

The terrain is eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains having flat to gently rolling plains in west. The average density of population is about 653 per km². The climate in Taiwan can be described as tropicalmarine, rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August), persistent and extensive cloudiness all year. Possible natural disasters include earthquakes, Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries and typhoons.

To reach someone Taiwan dial +886 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".tw". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 110 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, B). The sign for the locally used currency Dollar is TWD.

Red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays; the blue and white design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to 1895; it was later adopted as the flag of the Kuomintang Party; blue signifies liberty, justice, and democracy; red stands for fraternity, sacrifice, and nationalism, white represents equality, frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays of the sun are those of the months and the twelve traditional Chinese hours (each ray equals two hours).

First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. In the four years leading to the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government under the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. The Nationalist government established authoritarian rule under martial law in 1948. Beginning in the late 1970s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, with the founding of the first opposition party (the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP) in 1986 and the lifting of martial law in 1987. Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) to the DPP. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's sovereignty - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 139)	35,980	sq km
Land (World Rank: 137)	32,260	sq km
Water (World Rank: 77)	3,720	sq km
Comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Note	includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Coastline
1566.3
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 45)	3,952	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 156)	22.70	%
Arable (World Rank: 67)	16.90	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 52)	5.80	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 61)	3,820	sq km
Map reference
Southeast Asia
Environment
Issues	- air pollution - contamination of drinking water supplies - low-level radioactive waste disposal - raw sewage - trade in endangered species - water pollution from industrial emissions
Agreement party	none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Hazzards	- earthquakes - Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries - typhoons
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
Climate
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); persistent and extensive cloudiness all year
Terrain
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 55)	23,508,400
Deathrate (World Rank: 115)	0.74	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 217)	0.83	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 183)	0.17	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 57)	0.09	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 219)	1.13	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 37)	40.00
Female (World Rank: 50)	41.50
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 82)	1,559,070
0 14 female (World Rank: 82)	1,468,320
15 24 male (World Rank: 63)	1,551,230
15 24 female (World Rank: 65)	1,476,660
25 54 male (World Rank: 45)	5,445,340
25 54 female (World Rank: 46)	5,463,800
55 64 male (World Rank: 32)	1,622,110
55 64 female (World Rank: 32)	1,696,560
65 x male (World Rank: 30)	1,475,530
65 x female (World Rank: 32)	1,749,800
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 183)	0.43	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 40)	80	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 31)	84	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 44)	77	years

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 17)	264,100,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 14)	255,300,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 97)	75.40	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 112)	10.40	%
Source renew (World Rank: 93)	5.40	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 96)	196	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 13)	858,700	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 96)	2,380,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 23)	917,500	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 22)	955,300	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 23)	350,300	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 20)	416,200	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 74)	340,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 36)	31,710,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 21)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
25050000

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 21)	1,133,000,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 157)	1.50	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 31)	48,100	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 178)	1.90	%
Source industry (World Rank: 39)	36.10	%
Source service (World Rank: 106)	62.00	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 51)	11,730,000
In poverty (World Rank: 169)	1.50	%
Products
Industries	- cement - chemicals - communications - consumer products - electronics - food processing - information technology products - iron - machinery - petroleum refining - pharmaceuticals - steel - textiles - vehicles
Agriculture	- fish - flowers - fruit - pigs - poultry - rice - tea - vegetables
Exports	- automobile/auto parts - computers - electronics - flat display displays - petrochemicals - plastics - semiconductors - ships - steel - wireless communication equipment
Imports	- automobiles - coal - computers - fine chemicals - natural gas - oil/petroleum - semiconductors - steel - textiles - wireless communication equipment

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Nation

Budget
Surplus (World Rank: 44)	-0	% of GDP
National symbol
white
National colours
white
Adjective
Taiwan (or Taiwanese)
Noun
Taiwan (singular and plural)
Background
First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. In the four years leading to the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government under the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. The Nationalist government established authoritarian rule under martial law in 1948. Beginning in the late 1970s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, with the founding of the first opposition party (the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP) in 1986 and the lifting of martial law in 1987. Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) to the DPP. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's sovereignty - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.
Flag description
red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays; the blue and white design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to 1895; it was later adopted as the flag of the Kuomintang Party; blue signifies liberty, justice, and democracy; red stands for fraternity, sacrifice, and nationalism, white represents equality, frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays of the sun are those of the months and the twelve traditional Chinese hours (each ray equals two hours)

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 16)	13,771,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 9)	59.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 62)	127.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 32)	20,601,000
Population (World Rank: 29)	88.00	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 55)	35.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 172)	2.00
Heliports (World Rank: 8)	31.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 81)	1,597
Road
Total length (World Rank: 85)	42,520
Paved length (World Rank: 49)	42,078
Unpaved length (World Rank: 132)	442

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