The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1999 to 2025 Southeast Asia

Background Taiwan, in 27 editions.

The entry for Taiwan published Background in 27 editions of 36, from 1999 to 2025. The text changed in 18 editions. Each is shown as published. Background in every entry.

editions changed the text
18
the first edition with it
1999
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Background” (1999 to 2025).

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.

2004 edition

Changed since 2003

Open the 2004 entry

The same text in 3 editions, 2004 to 2006.

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.

In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. It 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 1947 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.

Cite this page

Central Intelligence Agency. “Taiwan: Background.” The World Factbook, 1999–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/taiwan/background.

How to cite