2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and 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 (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), I-lan (Yilan), Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu), Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t'ou (Nantou), P'eng-hu (Penghu), P'ing-tung (Pingtung), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan), T'ai-pei (Taipei) [county], T'ai-tung (Taitung), T'ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and Yun-lin (Yunlin)

municipalities

Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan)

note

Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses

special municipalities

Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [city], T'ai-pei (Taipei) [city]

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 2,330,951/female 2,140,965) 15-64 years: 70.8% (male 8,269,421/female 8,040,169) 65 years and over: 9.8% (male 1,123,429/female 1,131,152) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Airports

42 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8

total

38

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m

3 (2006)

Area

land

32,260 sq km

note

includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

total

35,980 sq km

water

3,720 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

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 local 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 Taiwan

Birth rate

12.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$77.93 billion (2006 est.)

revenues

$67.33 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates

25 03 N, 121 30 E

name

Taipei

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

1,566.3 km

Constitution

25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005

note

constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Taiwan

former

Formosa

local long form

none

local short form

T'ai-wan

Currency (code)

new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code

TWD

Current account balance

$9.7 billion (2006 est.)

Death rate

6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$93.06 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei,

Diplomatic representation in the US

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities

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

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 island runs a trade surplus, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Despite restrictions cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and, in 2006, its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer spending recovered following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks tightened lending to address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer debt.

Electricity - consumption

175.3 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

189.7 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

71.4%

hydro

6%

nuclear

22.6%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Yu Shan 3,952 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 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 because of Taiwan's international status

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status

Ethnic groups

Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Exchange rates

new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.19 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier)

chief of state

President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)

election results

CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

elections

president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); 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

head of government

Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) SU Tseng-chang (since 25 January 2006) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) TSAI Ing-wen (since 25 January 2006)

Exports

$215 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Exports - partners

China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00) Communications Taiwan

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1.5%

industry

25.2%

services

73.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$29,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$353.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$668.3 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

23 30 N, 121 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait People Taiwan

Government type

multiparty democracy

Heliports

3 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

41.1% (2002 est.)

lowest 10%

6.7%

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 This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$205.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)

Imports - partners

Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2006 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

6.5% (2006 est.)

Industries

electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Infant mortality rate

female

5.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

6.97 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer), WTO

Internet country code

.tw

Internet hosts

4,320,310 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

8 (2000)

Internet users

13.21 million (2005) Transportation Taiwan

Investment (gross fixed)

18.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Labor force

10.46 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

5.5%

industry

36%

services

58.5% (2005 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

24%

other

75% (2001)

permanent crops

1%

Languages

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

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms)

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

elections

Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007)

note

as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the now defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election in 2007; amendments also eliminated National Assembly thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.47 years (2006 est.)

male

74.67 years

total population

77.43 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA% (2003) Government Taiwan

male

NA%

total population

96.1%

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

Manpower available for military service

females age 19-49

5,680,773 (2005 est.)

males age 19-49

5,883,828

Manpower fit for military service

females age 19-49

4,644,607 (2005 est.)

males age 19-49

4,749,537

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 19-49

163,683 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

174,173

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

35 years (2006 est.)

male

34.1 years

total

34.6 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 35, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, container 25, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned

3 (Hong Kong 3)

registered in other countries

463 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 2, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 6, Italy 10, Liberia 69, Malta 2, Panama 308, Singapore 59, UK 1, US 1, unknown 2) (2006)

total

112 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,798,992 GRT/4,652,921 DWT

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 expenditures - dollar figure

$7.93 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.4% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Taiwan

Military service age and obligation

19-35 years of age for military service; service obligation 16 months (to be shortened to 12 months in 2008); women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles (2005)

National holiday

Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)

Nationality

adjective

Taiwan

note

example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan

noun

Taiwan (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

10.7 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - imports

9.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

1.1 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

76.46 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

earthquakes and typhoons

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

965,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

7,755 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

3 million bbl (2006 est.)

Pipelines

condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [YU Shyi-kun]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou]; People First Party or PFP [CHANG Chao-hsiung (acting)]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP

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 the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; 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

Population

23,036,087 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

0.9% (2006 est.)

Population growth rate

0.61% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

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

Public debt

34.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios

16 million (1994)

Railways

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 carry products and limited numbers of passengers (2005)

total

2,497 km

Religions

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$280.6 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

35,621 km (including 789 km of expressways)

total

37,299 km

unpaved

1,678 km (2002)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.1 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Taiwan, telephone

[886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Telephone system

domestic

thoroughly modern; completely digitalized

general assessment

provides telecommunications service for every business and private need

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

13.615 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

22.17 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

8.8 million (1998)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Taiwan is primarily a destination for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; women from China and Southeast Asian countries are trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and children, primarily from Vietnam, are trafficked through the use of fraudulent marriages, deceptive employment offers, and illegal smuggling for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant share of foreign workers - primarily from Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines - are recruited legally for low-skilled jobs, and are subjected to forced labor or involuntary servitude by labor agencies or employers upon arrival in Taiwan; to a much lesser extent, there is internal trafficking of children for sexual exploitation and trafficking of a small and declining number of Taiwanese women to Japan for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - Taiwan is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts over the past year to address trafficking, despite ample resources to do so, particularly the serious level of forced labor and sexual servitude among legally migrating Southeast Asian contract workers and brides

Unemployment rate

3.9% (2006 est.)