Country Details
| Land Area |
32,260 sq km |
Population |
22034096 |
| Capital City |
Taipei |
People |
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% |
| Language |
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects |
Religion |
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% |
| Government Type |
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly e |
Life Expectancy |
76.54 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
|
GNP per Capita |
$17,400 |
| Currency |
new Taiwan dollar (TWD) |
Major Exports |
machinery and electrical equipment 51%, metals, te |
| National Holiday |
Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) |
Dialing Code |
886 |
| Electricity |
110/220V |
Malaria Risk |
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| Water Quality |
|
Inoculations |
Yellow Fever, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Polio, Typhoid |
| Crime |
|
Driving License |
|
| Photography |
|
Entry Regs |
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| Time Zone |
GMT+8 |
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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 native 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.
