Taiwan

AM 158, FM 48, shortwave 21

8.62 million

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

11.526 million (1998 est.)

29 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)

10.8 million (1996 est.)

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

revenues: $40 billion expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

$80 million (1997 est.)

$NA

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 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. 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.

134.906 billion kWh (1996)

0 kWh (1996)

0 kWh (1996)

134.906 billion kWh (1996)

fossil fuel: 63.2% hydro: 7.1% nuclear: 29.7% other: 0% (1997)

New Taiwan dollars per US$1--32.45 (yearend 1997), 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994)

$122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%, electronic products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile products 11.6% (1997)

US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan 9.6% (1997)

1 July--30 June

purchasing power parity--$362 billion (1998 est.)

agriculture: 2.7% industry: 35.3% services: 62% (1997)

purchasing power parity?$16,500 (1998 est.)

4.8% (1998 est.)

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

$114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%, electronic products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument 5.6% (1997)

Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong 1.7% (1997)

7% (1997)

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

2.1% (1998)

9.4 million (1997)

services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996)

NA%

2.7% (1998)

total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

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

1,448 km

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m

air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

23 30 N, 121 00 E

NA sq km

0 km

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 55% other: 15%

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

Southeast Asia

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

earthquakes and typhoons

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

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

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

Taipei

1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan

TW

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

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

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%

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

multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president

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

Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly

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

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

Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist parties

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

20 years of age; universal

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.

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

$7.446 billion (FY98/99)

2.8% (FY98/99)

males age 15-49: 6,544,602 (1999 est.)

males age 15-49: 5,019,737 (1999 est.)

19 years of age

males: 204,711 (1999 est.)

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.)

14.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

5.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

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

6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

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

total population: 77.49 years male: 74.38 years female: 80.85 years (1999 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% (1998 est.) male: 93% (1980 est.) female: 79% (1980 est.)

noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese

-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

22,113,250 (July 1999 est.)

0.93% (1999 est.)

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

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.)

1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin

39 (1998 est.)

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.)

total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

2 (1998 est.)

total: 19,634 km paved: 17,171 km (including 548 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,463 km (1997)

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.)

petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km

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

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