Map of Taiwan | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background:


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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

Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 35,980 km²
Land: 32,260 km²
Water: 3,720 km²
Note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Kinmen islands
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 1,566.3 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

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

Elevation
Highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 1,150 m

Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, asbestos, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 22.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 16.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 5.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 77.3% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,820 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 67 m³ (2011)

Natural hazards: earthquakes; typhoons
Volcanism: Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries

Geography
Note: strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait


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Population
Distribution: distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts
Total: 23,595,274
Male: 11,606,491
Female: 11,988,783 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.03% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
Adjective: Taiwan (or Taiwanese)
Note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan

Ethnic groups: Han Chinese (including Holo, who compose approximately 70% of Taiwan's population, Hakka, and other groups originating in mainland China) more than 95%, indigenous Malayo-Polynesian peoples 2.3%
Note 1: there are 16 officially recognized indigenous groups: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Hla'alua, Kanakaravu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami; Amis, Paiwan, and Atayal are the largest and account for roughly 70% of the indigenous population
Note 2: although not definitive, the majority of current genetic, archeological, and linguistic data support the theory that Taiwan is the ultimate source for the spread of humans across the Pacific to Polynesia; the expansion (ca. 3,000 B.C. to A.D. 1200) took place via the Philippines and eastern Indonesia and reached Fiji and Tonga by about 900 B.C.; from there voyagers spread across the rest of the Pacific islands over the next two millennia

Languages: Mandarin (official), Min Nan, Hakka dialects, approximately 16 indigenous languages
Major-language samples: Gheos,990;,028;,351;,335;A,292;,981;,487;,110; ,570;,340;%,325;#,201;,449;,687;,469;,304; (Mandarin); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Buddhist 35.3%, Taoist 33.2%, Christian 3.9%, folk religion (includes Confucian) approximately 10%, none or unspecified 18.2% (2005 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 12.1% (male 1,472,059/female 1,391,031)
15-64 years: 69% (male 8,132,356/female 8,155,582)
65 years and over: 18.8% (2024 est.) (male 2,002,076/female 2,442,170)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 40.2
Youth dependency ratio: 17.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 22.4
Potential support ratio: 4.5 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 44.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 43.6 years
Female: 45.5 years

Population growth rate: 0.03% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 7.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts

Urbanization
Urban population: 80.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 4.504 million New Taipei City, 2.754 million TAIPEI (capital), 2.319 million Taoyuan, 1.553 million Kaohsiung, 1.369 million Taichung, 863,000 Tainan (2023)

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.6 years
Female: 84.7 years

Total fertility rate: 1.11 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 75.2% (2016)
Note: percent of women aged 20-52

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: NA
Unimproved urban: NA

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: NA
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: NA

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.5%
Male: 99.7%
Female: 97.3% (2014)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Taiwan
Local long form: none
Local short form: Taiwan
Former: Formosa
Etymology: 'Tayowan' was the name of the coastal sandbank where the Dutch erected their colonial headquarters on the island in the 17th century; the former name 'Formosa' means 'beautiful' in Portuguese

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Capital
Name: Taipei
Geographic coordinates: 25 02 N, 121 31 E
Time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the Chinese meaning is 'Northern Taiwan,' reflecting the city's position in the far north of the island

Administrative divisions: includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (xian, singular and plural), 3 cities (shi, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan; counties: Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlin; cities: Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelung; special municipalities: Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city)
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

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday: Republic Day (National Day), 10 October (1911)
Note: celebrates the anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, also known as Double Ten (10-10) Day

Constitution
History: previous 1912, 1931; latest adopted 25 December 1946, promulgated 1 January 1947, effective 25 December 1947
Amendments: proposed by at least one fourth of the Legislative Yuan membership; passage requires approval by at least three-fourths majority vote of at least three fourths of the Legislative Yuan membership and approval in a referendum by more than half of eligible voters; revised several times, last in 2005

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Taiwan
Dual citizenship recognized: yes, except that citizens of Taiwan are not recognized as dual citizens of the People's Republic of China
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Note: in March 2022, the Legislative Yuan approved lowering the voting age to 18, but the change will require a constitutional amendment that must be submitted to a referendum

Executive branch
Chief of state: President LAI Ching-te (since 19 May 2024)
Head of government: Premier CHO Jung-tai (President of the Executive Yuan) (since 20 May 2024)
Cabinet: Executive Yuan - ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier
Elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 January 2024 (next to be held in 2,028); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier
Election results: 2023: LAI Ching-te elected president; percent of vote - LAI Ching-te (DPP) 40.1%, HOU Yu-ih (KMT) 33.5%, KO Wen-je (TPP) 26.5%
Note: TSAI is the first woman elected president of Taiwan

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats; 73 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 34 directly elected in a single island-wide constituency by proportional representation vote, and 6 directly elected in multi-seat aboriginal constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 13 January 2024 (next to be held in 2,028)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - DPP 40.6%, KMT 37.2%, TPP 12.6%, other 5.7%, independent 3.9%; seats by party - KMT 52, DPP 51, TPP 8, independent 2; composition - men 66, women 47, percentage women 41.6%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 100 judges organized into civil and criminal panels, each with a chief justice and 4 associate justices); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 13 justices)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices appointed by the president; Constitutional Court justices appointed by the president, with approval of the Legislative Yuan; Supreme Court justices serve for life; Constitutional Court justices appointed for 8-year terms, with half the membership renewed every 4 years
Subordinate courts: high courts; district courts; hierarchy of administrative courts

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP , Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) , Taiwan People's Party or TPP

International organization participation: ADB (Chinese Taipei), APEC (Chinese Taipei), BCIE, CABEI, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), SICA (observer), WTO (Chinese Taipei)
Note: separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: none; Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver (CO), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC
In the us note: commercial and cultural relations with its citizens in the US 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, represented by Ambassador Alexander YUI (since 11 December 2023); office: 4,201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,016
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 895-1800
In the us fax: [1] (202) 363-0999
From the us chief of mission: the US does not have an embassy in Taiwan; commercial and cultural relations with the people of 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; it is managed by Director Sandra OUDKIRK (since July 2021)
From the us mailing address: 4,170 AIT Taipei Place, Washington DC 20,521-4,170
From the us telephone: [886] 2-2,162-2000
From the us fax: [886] 2-2,162-2,251
From the us email address and website: TaipeiACS@state.gov; [link]
From the us branch offices: American Institute in Taiwan, No. 100, Jinhu Road, Neihu District 11,461, Taipei City
From the us other offices: Kaohsiung (Branch Office)

Flag description: red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays; the blue and white design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to 1895; it was later adopted as the flag of the Kuomintang Party; blue signifies liberty, justice, and democracy, red stands for fraternity, sacrifice, and nationalism, and white represents equality, frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays of the sun are those of the months and the twelve traditional Chinese hours (each ray equals two hours)
Note: similar to the flag of Samoa

National symbols: white, 12-rayed sun on blue field; national colors: blue, white, red

National anthem
Name: 'Zhonghua Minguo guoge' (National Anthem of the Republic of China)
Lyrics/music: HU Han-min, TAI Chi-t'ao, and LIAO Chung-k'ai/CHENG Mao-yun
Note: adopted 1930; also the song of the Kuomintang Party; it is informally known as 'San Min Chu I' or 'San Min Zhu Yi' (Three Principles of the People); because of political pressure from China, 'Guo Qi Ge' (National Banner Song) is used at international events rather than the official anthem of Taiwan; the 'National Banner Song' has gained popularity in Taiwan and is commonly used during flag raisings

National heritage


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Economy overview: high-income East Asian economy; most technologically advanced computer microchip manufacturing; increasing Chinese interference threatens market capabilities; minimum wages rising; longstanding regional socioeconomic inequality

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.143 trillion (2019 est.); $1.113 trillion (2018 est.); $1.083 trillion (2017 est.)
Note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2.71% (2019 est.); 2.75% (2018 est.); 3.31% (2017 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $47,800 (2019 est.); $46,600 (2018 est.); $45,400 (2017 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 53% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 14.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 65.2% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -52.6% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 36% (2017 est.)
Services: 62.1% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: rice, vegetables, pork, chicken, cabbages, sugarcane, milk, eggs, tropical fruits, pineapples (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: electronics, communications and information technology products, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 11.498 million (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.73% (2019 est.); 3.69% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $94.943 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $105.833 billion (2019 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 16% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 35.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: data for central government

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.5% (2019 est.); 1.3% (2018 est.); 0.6% (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $65.173 billion (2019 est.); $70.843 billion (2018 est.)

Exports: $388.49 billion (2019 est.); $383.484 billion (2018 est.); $382.736 billion (2017 est.)
Partners: China 22%, US 15%, Hong Kong 12%, Singapore 7%, Japan 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: integrated circuits, machine parts, computers, refined petroleum, plastics (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $308.744 billion (2019 est.); $305.428 billion (2018 est.); $303.067 billion (2017 est.)
Partners: China 19%, Japan 12%, US 10%, South Korea 7%, Australia 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: integrated circuits, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, coal (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $456.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.); $439 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 61.944 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 274.029 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 9.615 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 83.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 8.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 5.608 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 66.855 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 52,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 63.855 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 1.022 million bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 2.38 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 63.747 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 27.157 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 27.085 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.23 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 306.035 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 143.069 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 106.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 56.227 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 208.336 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 10 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 30 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128 (2023 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 2.1% of GDP (2022); 2.1% of GDP (2021); 2.1% of GDP (2020); 1.8% of GDP (2019)

Military and security forces: Taiwan Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force; Ocean Affairs Council: Coast Guard Administration (CGA); Ministry of Interior: National Police (2024)
Note: the CGA is a law enforcement organization with homeland security functions during peacetime and national defense missions during wartime; it was established in 2000 from the integration of the Coast Guard Command (formerly under the Ministry of Defense), the Marine Police Bureau (formerly under the National Police), and several cutters from the Taiwan Directorate General of Customs (Ministry of Finance)

Military service age and obligation: men 18-36 years of age may volunteer or must complete 12 months of compulsory military service; civil service can be substituted for military service in some cases; women may enlist but are restricted to noncombat roles in most cases (2024)
Note 1: in January 2024, Taiwan extended compulsory service from 4 to 12 months for men born in 2005 and thereafter
Note 2: as of 2023, women made up about 15% of the active-duty military

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 216

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: B

Airports: 53 (2024)

Heliports: 39 (2024)

Pipelines: 25 km condensate, 2,200 km gas, 13,500 km oil (2018)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 43,206 km
Paved: 42,793 km (includes 1,348 km of highways and 737 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 413 km (2017)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics