Taiwan Facts

Taiwan, Republic of China, State of East Asia (regarding Taiwan’s international law status see State of the State and Politics); 36,000 km², 23.6 million residents (2019).The state includes the island of Taiwan (Formosa), about 150 km east of Fujian province on the Chinese mainland, and the small archipelago of Pescadores in the Formosa Strait between the island of Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China to the west. Taiwan also includes the fortified islands of Jinmen (Quemoy) and Mazu with associated small islands near mainland China. The capital is Taibei (2.7 million residents, 2015).

Taiwan National Flag

Country facts

• Chung-hua Min-kuo / Republic of China
• Country abbreviation: TW
• Area: 36 000 km²
• Population (2019): 23.6 million residents
• Capital: Taibei
• Main language: Chinese
• State: Republic
• Head of State: Tsai Ing-wen
• Head of Government: Su Tseng-chang
• Per capita GDP (2018): US $ 24 971
• GNI per capita: no data available
• Currency unit: 1 Taiwanese dollar = 100 cents
• Currency code: TWD
• Country code (telephony): 886
• Internet domain name: tw
• Time difference compared to Sweden: +7
• National Day: October 10 (Wuhan Uprising, 1911)

Nature

• Land use: forest (58%), agricultural land (23%), other (29%)
• Highest mountain: Yu Shan (3,952 m above sea level)

Population

• Population density (2019): 656 residents per km²
• Natural population growth (2019): 0.1%; birth rate 8 ‰, death rate 7 ‰
• Age structure (2019): 0-14 years (13%), 15-64 (73%), 65- (14%)
• Life expectancy (2019): men 77 years, women 84 years
• Infant mortality (2019): 4 per 1,000 live births
• Population forecast 2050: 21 million residents
• HDI: no data available
• Urbanization rate (2019): 78%
• Most populous cities (2015): Gaoxiong (2.8 million), Taizhong (2.7 million), Taibei (2.7 million)

Business

• Industry’s contribution to GDP (2017): agriculture (2%), industry (36%), service (62%)
• Exports (2017): US $ 349,800 million
• Main export products: electronics, machinery, metals
• Main exporting countries: China, USA, Japan
• Imports (2017): US $ 259,000 million
• Main import products: oil, electronics components, natural gas
• Main importing countries: China, Japan, USA
• Railway network (2018): 1 600 km

Taiwan encompasses the island of Taiwan and the small archipelago of Pescadores in the Formosa Strait. The island of Taiwan has, due to major faults, gained a north-south extent and a general slope to the west. The east coast is steep and straight. Inside it, the high Zhongyang Mountains rise. To the west towards the Taiwan Strait is a fertile coastal plain. Taiwan has a subtropical climate in the north, tropical in the south.

The country, although in practice it has been independent since 1949, is not a state but a part of China. This is the official position both in the People’s Republic of China, which controls the Chinese mainland, and in Taiwan. Both the President and Parliament are elected in general elections every four years.

During the late 1990s, the country was one of the world’s fastest growing economies and became one of Asia’s “tigers” (along with Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea). With the exception of a few years in the late 00s, the country has had a stable economy. Growth in the business sector is mainly in the transport and electronics and chemical industries. Among the most important export products are computers, textiles, sporting goods and toys.

Taiwan Map