Taiwan

Internet country code

.tw

Internet hosts

5.704 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 15

Internet users

15.143 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Radio broadcast stations

AM 21, FM 143, shortwave 1 (2008)

Telephone system

general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2

Telephones - main lines in use

14.273 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 19

Telephones - mobile cellular

25.412 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Television broadcast stations

76 (5 television networks with 46 digital and 30 analog stations) (2007)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $73.02 billion expenditures: $77.96 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

1.5% (January 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

4.06% (2008 est.)

Current account balance

$24.89 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $32.98 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$93.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $97.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Economy - overview

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing government guidance of investment and foreign trade. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms have been privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Recently opened cross-strait travel, transportation, and tourism links are likely to increase Taiwan and China's economic interdependence. In 2008 China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports, after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Growth fell to 0.1% in 2008 because of the global slowdown.

Electricity - consumption

233 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

225 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Exchange rates

New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 31.53 (2008 est.), 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004)

Exports

$254.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $246.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

electronics, flat panels, machinery, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2008)

Exports - partners

China 29.2%, US 12%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Japan 6.9%, Singapore 4.6% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$391.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$713.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $713 billion (2007 est.) $674.5 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1.7% industry: 25.1% services: 73.2% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$31,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $31,200 (2007 est.) $29,600 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 5.7% (2007 est.) 4.8% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Imports

$236.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $216.1 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

electronics, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2008)

Imports - partners

Japan 19.3%, China 13%, US 10.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.3%, South Korea 5.5% (2008 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 1.8% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Labor force

10.85 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 5.1% industry: 36.8% services: 58% (2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $654 billion (28 December 2007) $654 billion (28 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

12.44 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - imports

12.08 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - production

360 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.229 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Oil - consumption

959,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Oil - exports

303,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Oil - imports

1.251 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Oil - production

12,310 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - proved reserves

2.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Population below poverty line

0.95% (2007 est.)

Public debt

29.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 32.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$296.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$107.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $96.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$102.3 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $52.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$677.8 billion (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$618 billion (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $NA (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 3.9% (2007 est.)

Area

total: 35,980 sq km country comparison to the world: 138 land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Climate

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

Coastline

1,566.3 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 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

Geographic coordinates

23 30 N, 121 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001)

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

earthquakes; typhoons

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

67 cu km (2000)

Administrative divisions

includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby 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 (chih-hsia-shih, singular and plural) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei. counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu [county], Hualien, Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taichung [county], Tainan [county], Taipei [county], Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu [city], Keelung, Taichung [city], Tainan [city] special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]

Capital

name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted on 25 December 1946; effective 25 December 1947; amended in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none; commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts director: William A. STANTON office: #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan telephone: [1] [886] (02) 2162-2000 FAX: [1] [886] (07) 238-7744 other offices: Kaohsiung

Diplomatic representation in the US

none; commercial and cultural relations with the people in the United States are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts representative: Jason C. YUAN office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] 202 895-1800 Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Guam, Houston, Honolulu, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Executive branch

chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008); Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) WU Den-yih (since 10 September 2009); Vice Premier (Vice President of Executive Yuan) Eric Liluan CHU (since 10 September 2009) cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier) 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 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president; percent of vote - MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%

Flag description

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

Government type

multiparty democracy

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WFTU, WTO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in December 2011 or January 2012) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung], MA Ying-jeou elected in July 2009, takes office on 12 September 2009; Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Organization for Taiwan Nation Building; World United Formosans for Independence other: environmental groups; independence movement; various business 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 public consensus has developed that the government enjoys popular sovereignty and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding unification 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; advocates of eventual unification predicate their goal on the democratic transformation of the mainland

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

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 Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,283,134 females age 16-49: 6,098,599 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,106,730 females age 16-49: 5,008,563 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 165,738 female: 154,123 (2009 est.)

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

2.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 75

Military service age and obligation

19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009); women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training (2009)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 1,996,905/female 1,844,611) 15-64 years: 72.6% (male 8,416,300/female 8,267,675) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,183,382/female 1,265,474) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

8.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Death rate

6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 185 male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.96 years country comparison to the world: 52 male: 75.12 years female: 81.05 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA female: NA (2003)

Median age

total: 36.5 years male: 35.9 years female: 37.1 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Taiwan (singular and plural) note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan

Net migration rate

0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Population

22,974,347 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Population growth rate

0.227% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

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

Illicit drugs

regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs

Airports

42 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101

Airports - with paved runways

total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports

4 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 102 country comparison to the world: 50 by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 19, chemical tanker 1, container 24, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Canada 2, France 1) registered in other countries: 536 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 13, Kiribati 5, Liberia 91, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 320, Philippines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 72, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 406 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Chilung (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Taichung

Railways

total: 1,588 km country comparison to the world: 81 standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge; 150 km .762-m gauge note: the 150 km of .762 gauge track belongs primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities (2007)

Roadways

total: 40,262 km country comparison to the world: 88 paved: 38,171 km (includes 976 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,091 km (2007)