Statistical information Taiwan 1998

Taiwan in the World
top of pageBackground: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however 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 that over five decades has gradually democratized and incorporated native Taiwanese within its structure. Throughout this period, the island has prospered as one of East Asia's economic tigers. The dominant political issue continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and Mainland China and the question of eventual reunification.
top of pageLocation: 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
Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map reference:
Southeast AsiaAreaTotal: 35,980 km²
Land: 32,260 km²
Water: 3,720 km²
Note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August; cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
ElevationExtremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land useArable land: 24%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests and woodland: 55%
Other: 15%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 21,908,135 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 0.94% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Chinese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 22% (male 2,543,524; female 2,367,077)
15-64 years: 69% (male 7,730,185; female 7,472,525)
65 years and over: 9% (male 963,797; female 831,027) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.94% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 14.79 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.42 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.02 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
International agreements party to: none of the selected agreements
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 6.34 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 76.82 years
Male: 73.82 years
Female: 80.05 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 86%
Male: 93%
Female: 79% (1980 est.)
Note: literacy for the total population increased to 92.65% in 1997
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Taiwan
Local long form: none
Local short form: T'ai-wan
Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president
Capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities claimed to be the government of all China, the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note_the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
Note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
Dependent areasIndependenceNational holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President LEE Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988, elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996); Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996): ead of
Government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Vincent SIEW (since 1 September 1997) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 10 December 1997)
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 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier
Election results: LEE Teng-hui elected president; percent of vote_LEE Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (164 seats_128 elected by popular vote, 36 indirectly elected on the basis of proportional representation; members serve three-year terms; note_in 1997, the National Assembly passed an amendment to increase the membership of the Legislative Yuan to 225 seats, of which 168 are to be elected by popular vote, 41 by proportional representation, and 16 from aboriginal and Chinese groups) and unicameral National Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Legislative Yuan_last held 2 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1998); National Assembly_last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: Legislative Yuan_percent of vote by party_KMT 46%, DPP 33%, CNP 13%, independents 8%; seats by party_KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 4; note_since the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows_KMT 81, DPP 46, CNP 19, independents 8, other 5, vacant 5; National Assembly_percent of vote by party_KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party_KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
From the us: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia (
From the us telephone: [1] (703) 525-8,474 and
From the us fax: [1] (703) 841-1385) and offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (22) 709-2000, FAX [886] (22) 702-7,675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8,237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3,207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10,548, telephone [886] (22) 720-1550, FAX [886] 757-7,162
Flag description
: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Spillover from the Asian financial crisis hit Taiwan in the fourth quarter of 1997, wreaking havoc on the stock and currency markets. While the economy remains sound (the government forecasts 6% GDP growth for 1998), the New Taiwan Dollar depreciated 20% in 1997. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8.5% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are low. Agriculture contributes only 3% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved off-shore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 6.8% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $14,200 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 3.3%
Industry: 35.7%
Services: 61% (1996)
Agriculture products: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997)
Labor forceTotal: 9.4 million (1997)
By occupation services: 52%
By occupation industry: 38%
By occupation agriculture: 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1997)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $40 billion
Expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1998 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July_30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodoties: machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%, electronic products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile products 11.6% (1997)
Partners: US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan 9.6% (1997)
Imports: total value:$114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Commodoties: machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%, electronic products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument 5.6% (1997)
Partners: Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong 1.7% (1997)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $80 million (1997 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1_32.45 (yearend 1997), 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 23.763 million kW (1996)
Production: 124.973 billion kWh (1996)
Consumption per capita: 5,500 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 10,010,614 (1996)
Telephone systemDomestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and west coasts
International: 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
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $11.5 billion (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 3.6% (FY96/97)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 40 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 36
With paved runways over 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km
RailwaysTotal: 4,600 km (498 km electrified); note_1,108 km belongs to the Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492 km is dedicated to industrial use
Narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 193 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,621,906 GRT/8,583,808 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 49, cargo 30, combination bulk 2, container 81, oil tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)
Ports and terminalsTaiwan - Transnational issues 1998
top of pageDisputes international: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin