1996 Edition

Description

red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Location

23 30 N, 121 00 E -- 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 Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

land area

32,260 sq km

note

includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

total area

35,980 sq km

Climate

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Coastline

1,448 km

Environment

current issues

water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; air pollution; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species

international agreements

signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation

natural hazards

earthquakes and typhoons

Geographic coordinates

23 30 N, 121 00 E

International disputes

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; Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

24%

forest and woodland

55%

meadows and pastures

5%

other

15%

permanent crops

1%

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Terrain

eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

highest point

Yu Shan 3,997 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 23% (male 2,605,495; female 2,436,864) 15-64 years: 69% (male 7,505,344; female 7,252,188) 65 years and over: 8% (male 907,310; female 758,680) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

15.01 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.52 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Infant mortality rate

7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.82 years (1996 est.)

male

73.43 years

total population

76.02 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

female

79%

male

93%

total population

86%

Nationality

adjective

Chinese

noun

Chinese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

21,465,881 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.89% (1996 est.)

Religions

mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Sex ratio

all ages

1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

some of the ruling party in Taipei claim to be the government of all China; in keeping with that claim, the central administrative divisions include 2 provinces (sheng, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural) - Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu), Kao-hsiung*, T'ai-pei*, and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note - the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 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

Capital

Taipei

Constitution

1 January 1947, amended in 1992, presently undergoing revision

Data code

TW

Diplomatic representation in 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 10 other US cities

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Yuan was appointed by the president

chief of state

President LI 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, reelected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996); election last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); results - LI Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%; Vice President-elect LIEN Chan (to be inaugurated 20 May 1996)

head of government

Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIEN Chan (since 23 February 1993) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February 1993) were appointed by the president; note - LIEN Chan will continue to serve as premier until 20 May 1996 when he will be inaugurated as vice president; a new premier is expected to be appointed sometime in May 1996

Flag

red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

International organization participation

APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Judicial Yuan, justices nominated and appointed for nine-year terms by the president

Legal system

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Yuan and unicameral National Assembly

Legislative Yuan

elections last held 2 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (164 total) KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 4; note - since the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats - KMT 83, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 6

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Taiwan

local long form

none

local short form

T'ai-wan

National Assembly

elections last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); results - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats - (334 total) KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6

National holiday

National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Revolution)

Other political or pressure groups

Taiwan independence movement, various 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 the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, both within the DPP and the ruling Kuomintang, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; the aims 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

Political parties and leaders

Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), leader NA; Chinese New Party (CNP), leader NA; Labor Party (LP), leader NA

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Type of government

multiparty democratic regime; opposition political parties legalized in March 1989

US diplomatic representation

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices in Taipei at #7, Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 702-7675, 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) 720-1550

Agriculture

rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish catch increasing, reached 1.4 million metric tons in 1988

Budget

expenditures

$30.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

revenues

$30.3 billion

Currency

1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

$NA

Economic overview

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable government guidance of investment and foreign trade and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 9% 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. Agriculture contributes about 4% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Taiwan currently ranks as number 13 among major trading countries. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being 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.

Electricity

capacity

21,460,000 kW

consumption per capita

4,789 kWh (1993)

production

108 billion kWh

Exchange rates

New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992), 25.748 (1991)

Exports

$93 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

electrical machinery 19.7%, electronic products 19.6%, textiles 10.9%, footwear 3.3%, foodstuffs 1.0%, plywood and wood products 0.9% (1993 est.)

partners

US 27.6%, Hong Kong 21.7%, EU countries 15.2%, Japan 10.5% (1994 est.)

External debt

$620 million (1992 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $290.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

3.6%

industry

37.3%

services

59.1% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$13,510 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

6% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

an important heroin transit point; also a drug money laundering center

Imports

$85.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

machinery and equipment 15.7%, electronic products 15.6%, chemicals 9.8%, iron and steel 8.5%, crude oil 3.9%, foodstuffs 2.1% (1993 est.)

partners

Japan 30.1%, US 21.7%, EU countries 17.6% (1993 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

4.5% (1994 est.)

Industries

electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1995 est.)

Labor force

8.874 million

by occupation

services 49%, industry 39%, agriculture 11% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.6% (1995)

Branches

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion, 3.6% of GDP (FY96/97)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

6,278,159

males fit for military service

4,849,057

males reach military age (19) annually

204,313 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 91, FM 23, shortwave 0

Radios

8.62 million

Telephone system

best developed system in Asia outside of Japan

domestic

extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and west coasts

international

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

Telephones

10,253,773 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

15 (repeaters 13)

Televisions

6.66 million (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

38

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

12

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

6

with paved runways over 3 047 m

8

with paved runways under 914 m

7

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

17,119 km (including 382 km of expressways)

total

19,860 km

unpaved

2,741 km (1990 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 50, cargo 29, combination bulk 3, combination ore/oil 1, container 83, oil tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995 est.)

total

198 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,812,534 GRT/8,885,092 DWT

Pipelines

petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km

Ports

Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Railways

narrow gauge

4,600 km 1.067-m

total

4,600 km; note - 1,075 km in common carrier service and about 3,525 km is dedicated to industrial use