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NAVIGATION
Taiwan
T'ai-wan
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. It 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 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
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Location:
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates:
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23 30 N, 121 00 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia |
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Area:
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total: 35,980 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy water: 3,720 sq km land: 32,260 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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1,566.3 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year |
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Terrain:
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eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m |
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Natural resources:
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small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos |
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Land use:
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arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1% other: 75% |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes and typhoons |
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Environment - current issues:
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air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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22,603,001 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.1% (male 2,366,560; female 2,175,886)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 8,095,741; female 7,871,954) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 1,074,112; female 1,018,747) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 33.2 years
male: 32.9 years female: 33.6 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.65% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 76.87 years
male: 74.12 years female: 79.88 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese |
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Ethnic groups:
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Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% |
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Religions:
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mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% |
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Languages:
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Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86% male: 93% female: 79% (1980) note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998) |