Taiwan
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and unicameral legislature
Taiwan as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 125 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
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
18 fieldsLand useshare of 35,980 sq km
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
Climate
- tropical;
- marine;
- rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August);
- cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
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
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female(2004 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 19.9% (male 2,359,467; female 2,167,438)
- 15-64 years:
- 70.7% (male 8,149,231; female 7,924,774)
- 65 years and over:
- 9.4% (male 1,091,473; female 1,057,455) (2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.1 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.09 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Government
Multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and unicameral legislature; President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000); Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) YEH Chu-lan (since 20 May 2004)
17 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislative Yuan, 225 seats, elected 11 December 2004one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Taiwan
- local long form:
- none
- local short form:
- T'ai-wan
- former:
- Formosa
Government type
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and unicameral legislature
Administrative divisions
- includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller islands near central island 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, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin
: municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan
: special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city
note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization; special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization for street and place names within city boundaries,
other local authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
- head of government:
- Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) YEH Chu-lan (since 20 May 2004)
- 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 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
- election results:
- CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders)
note: the number of seats in the legislature may be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the election in 2007 if a proposed constitutional amendment is approved
- elections:
- Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) according to proposed constitutional amendment
- 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
Judicial branch
Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman];
- Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman];
- People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman];
- Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang, chairman];
- other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP
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 Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; 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
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) in the US 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 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, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251;
- #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, 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
Flag description
red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Economy
Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities.
44 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2003)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. While Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China has become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market.
Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded.
Unemployment also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002.
Although the SARS epidemic, Typhoon Maemi, corporate scandals, and a drop in consumer spending caused GDP growth to contract to 3.2% in 2003, increasingly strong export performance kept Taiwan's economy on track, and the government expects Taiwan's economy to grow 4.1% in 2004.
Industries
electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Exports - commodities
computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Imports - commodities
machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Exchange rates
new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)
Fiscal year
- 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99);
- 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00;
- calendar year (after FY00)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- provides telecommunications service for every business and private need
- domestic:
- thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
- 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)
Transportation
9 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 2,544 km
- narrow gauge:
- 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2003)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT
- by type:
- bulk 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 3, container 37, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- Cuba 1, Hong Kong 4
- registered in other countries:
- 457 (2004 est.)
Military
Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military manpower - military age and obligation
- 19-40 years of age for military service (being lowered to 35 years of age in July 2005);
- service obligation 22 months (being shortened to 18 months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (January 2005)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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 asserted claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest actions
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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Taiwan.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/taiwan/2004.