1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
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.
Geography
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
Climate
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline
1,448 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
23 30 N, 121 00 E
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 55% other: 15%
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 hazards
earthquakes and typhoons
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
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
14.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Infant mortality rate
6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.49 years male: 74.38 years female: 80.85 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% (1998 est.) male: 93% (1980 est.) female: 79% (1980 est.)
Nationality
noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese
Net migration rate
-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
22,113,250 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.93% (1999 est.)
Religions
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
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.)
Total fertility rate
1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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--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, 1994, and 1997
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan
Data code
TW
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--LEE Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%
Flag description
red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Government type
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president
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 offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung
Judicial branch
Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist 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
Legal system
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats--168 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--last held 5 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2001); National Assembly--last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Legislative Yuan--percent of vote by party--KMT 46%, DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties 8%; seats by party--KMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15, other parties 6; National Assembly--percent of vote by party--KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party--KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
National holiday
National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution)
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Budget
revenues: $40 billion expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Currency
1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$80 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$NA
Economy--overview
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 capitaland 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.
Electricity--consumption
134.906 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
134.906 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 63.2% hydro: 7.1% nuclear: 29.7% other: 0% (1997)
Exchange rates
New Taiwan dollars per US$1--32.45 (yearend 1997), 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994)
Exports
$122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%, electronic products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile products 11.6% (1997)
Exports--partners
US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan 9.6% (1997)
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$362 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 35.3% services: 62% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$16,500 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4.8% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%, electronic products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument 5.6% (1997)
Imports--partners
Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong 1.7% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
7% (1997)
Industries
electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.1% (1998)
Labor force
9.4 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation
services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
2.7% (1998)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 158, FM 48, shortwave 21
Radios
8.62 million
Telephone system
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
11.526 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations
29 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
10.8 million (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports
39 (1998 est.) Airports--with 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--with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Heliports
2 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 19,634 km paved: 17,171 km (including 548 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,463 km (1997)
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.)
Pipelines
petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Railways
total: 4,600 km (519 km electrified); note--1,108 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
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$7.446 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2.8% (FY98/99)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 6,544,602 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,019,737 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
19 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 204,711 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
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