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| CIA Background Information |
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 eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.
People
Population (2008): 23.0 million.
Annual growth rate (2008): 0.39%.
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese, Hakka.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance (2007)--99.30%. Literacy (2007)--97.63%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2007)--0.47%. Life expectancy (2006)--77.90 yrs; male 74.86 yrs.; female 81.41 yrs.
Work force (2008): 10.8 million.
Political Establishment
Type: Multi-party democracy. There are two major parties, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the ... Read this Article
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Location: Taiwan is 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 See Map
Capital: name: Taipei
geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Currency (Code): New Taiwan dollar (TWD) ...More
Area: total: 35,980 sq km , land: 32,260 sq km , water: 3,720 sq km , note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands ( 1 sq km is approximately 0.4 sq miles or 250 acres)
Area Comparison: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Elevation Extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m , highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Population: 22,920,946 (July 2008 est.)
Unemployment: 3.9% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religion: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
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| History
Taiwan's indigenous peoples, who originated in Austronesia and southern Asia, have lived on Taiwan for 12,000 to 15,000 years. Significant migration to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland began as early as A.D. 500. Dutch traders first claimed the island in 1624 as a base for Dutch commerce with Japan and the China ... Read this Article
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| Geographic Info for Taiwan : |
Geography
Area: 36,189 sq. km. (13,973 sq. mi.).
Cities (2008): Capital--Taipei (pop. 2.6 million). Other cities--(Kaohsiung 1.5 million), Taichung (1.06 million).
Terrain: Two thirds of the island is largely mountainous with 100 peaks over 3,000 meters (9,843 ft.).
Climate: Maritime subtropical.
People
Population (2008): 23.0 million.
Annual growth rate (2008): 0.39%.
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese, Hakka.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance (2007)--99.30%. ... Read this Article
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