Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/228.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 14KB | 454 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\Taiwan.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Taiwan"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of Taiwan, click {z,"107.469118,15.441872,125.811533,29.395791",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} 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

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 35,980 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 32,260 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly smaller than Maryland
and Delaware combined
{3}note:{4} includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and
Quemoy

{2}Land boundaries:{4} 0 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 1,448 km

{2}Maritime claims:{4}
{3}exclusive economic zone:{4} 200 nm
{3}territorial sea:{4} 12 nm

{2}International disputes:{4} 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; Japanese-
administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku
Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan

{2}Climate:{4} tropical; marine; rainy season during
southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness
is persistent and extensive all year

{2}Terrain:{4} eastern two-thirds mostly rugged
mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
{3}lowest point:{4} South China Sea 0 m
{3}highest point:{4} Yu Shan 3,997 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} small deposits of coal, natural
gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 24%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 1%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 5%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 55%
{3}other:{4} 15%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} NA sq km

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} water pollution from industrial
emissions, raw sewage; air pollution;
contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
endangered species

{2}natural hazards:{4} earthquakes and typhoons

{2}international agreements:{4} signed, but not ratified -
Marine Life Conservation


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 21,465,881 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 23% (male 2,605,495; female
2,436,864)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 69% (male 7,505,344; female
7,252,188)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 8% (male 907,310; female
758,680) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 0.89% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 15.01 births/1,000 population (1996
est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (1996
est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} -0.61 migrant(s)/1,000
population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.08 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.07 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 1.04 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 1.2 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 7 deaths/1,000 live births
(1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 76.02 years
{3}male:{4} 73.43 years
{3}female:{4} 78.82 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 1.76 children born/woman
(1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Chinese (singular and plural)
{3}adjective:{4} Chinese

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} Taiwanese 84%, mainland
Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

{2}Religions:{4} mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and
Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

{2}Languages:{4} Mandarin Chinese (official),
Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write
(1980 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 86%
{3}male:{4} 93%
{3}female:{4} 79%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} none
{3}conventional short form:{4} Taiwan
{3}local long form:{4} none
{3}local short form:{4} T'ai-wan

{2}Type of government:{4} multiparty democratic
regime; opposition political parties legalized in
March 1989

{2}Capital:{4} Taipei

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} some of the ruling party
in Taipei claim to be the government of all China;
in keeping with that claim, the central
administrative divisions include 2 provinces
(sheng, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities*
(shih, singular and plural) - Fu-chien (some 20
offshore islands of Fujian Province including
Quemoy and Matsu), Kao-hsiung*, T'ai-pei*, 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
{3}note:{4} Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for
romanization

{2}National holiday:{4} National Day, 10 October (1911)
(Anniversary of the Revolution)

{2}Constitution:{4} 1 January 1947, amended in 1992,
presently undergoing revision

{2}Legal system:{4} based on civil law system; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

{2}Suffrage:{4} 20 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
{3}chief of state:{4} President LI 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, reelected
by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for
president 23 March 1996); election last held 23
March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); results - LI
Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-
kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%; Vice President-
elect LIEN Chan (to be inaugurated 20 May 1996)
{3}head of government:{4} Premier (President of the
Executive Yuan) LIEN Chan (since 23 February
1993) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the
Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February
1993) were appointed by the president; note -
LIEN Chan will continue to serve as premier until
20 May 1996 when he will be inaugurated as vice
president; a new premier is expected to be
appointed sometime in May 1996
{3}cabinet:{4} Executive Yuan was appointed by the
president

{2}Legislative branch:{4} unicameral Legislative Yuan
and unicameral National Assembly
Legislative Yuan: elections last held 2 December
1995 (next to be held NA December 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (164
total) KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 4;
note - since the election, there has been a change
in the distribution of seats - KMT 83, DPP 54,
CNP 21, independents 6
National Assembly: elections last held 23 March
1996 (next to be held NA 2000); results - KMT
55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats -
(334 total) KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6

{2}Judicial branch:{4} Judicial Yuan, justices nominated
and appointed for nine-year terms by the
president

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} Kuomintang (KMT,
Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman;
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), leader NA;
Chinese New Party (CNP), leader NA; Labor
Party (LP), leader NA

{2}Other political or pressure groups:{4} Taiwan
independence movement, various environmental
groups
{3}note:{4} debate on Taiwan independence has
become acceptable within the mainstream of
domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of the opposition
Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan's
legislature have opened public debate on the
island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan
independence, both within the DPP and the ruling
Kuomintang, oppose the ruling party's traditional
stand that the island will eventually unify with
mainland China; the aims of the Taiwan
independence movement include establishing a
sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN;
other organizations supporting Taiwan
independence include the World United
Formosans for Independence and the
Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

{2}International organization participation:{4} APEC,
AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4} 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 10
other US cities

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4} none; unofficial
commercial and cultural relations with the people
of Taiwan are maintained through a private
institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT),
which has offices in Taipei at #7, Lane 134, Hsin
Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000,
FAX [886] (2) 702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2
Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-
0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and
the American Trade Center at Room 3207
International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade
Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei
10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550

{2}Flag:{4} red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12
triangular rays


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} Taiwan has a dynamic
capitalist economy with considerable government
guidance of investment and foreign trade and
partial government ownership of some large
banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP
has averaged about 9% 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 about 4% to GDP,
down from 35% in 1952. Taiwan currently ranks
as number 13 among major trading countries.
Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily
being 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.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $290.5 billion
(1995 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 6% (1995 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $13,510 (1995 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} 3.6%
{3}industry:{4} 37.3%
{3}services:{4} 59.1% (1994 est.)

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 4% (1995 est.)

{2}Labor force:{4} 8.874 million
{3}by occupation:{4} services 49%, industry 39%,
agriculture 11% (1993 est.)

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} 1.6% (1995)

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $30.3 billion
{3}expenditures:{4} $30.1 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

{2}Industries:{4} electronics, textiles, chemicals,
clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling,
cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} 4.5% (1994 est.)

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 21,460,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 108 billion kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 4,789 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} rice, wheat, corn, soybeans,
vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
catch increasing, reached 1.4 million metric tons
in 1988

{2}Illicit drugs:{4} an important heroin transit point; also
a drug money laundering center

{2}Exports:{4} $93 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
{3}commodities:{4} electrical machinery 19.7%,
electronic products 19.6%, textiles 10.9%,
footwear 3.3%, foodstuffs 1.0%, plywood and
wood products 0.9% (1993 est.)
{3}partners:{4} US 27.6%, Hong Kong 21.7%, EU
countries 15.2%, Japan 10.5% (1994 est.)

{2}Imports:{4} $85.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
{3}commodities:{4} machinery and equipment 15.7%,
electronic products 15.6%, chemicals 9.8%, iron
and steel 8.5%, crude oil 3.9%, foodstuffs 2.1%
(1993 est.)
{3}partners:{4} Japan 30.1%, US 21.7%, EU countries
17.6% (1993 est.)

{2}External debt:{4} $620 million (1992 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4} $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

{2}Exchange rates:{4} New Taiwan dollars per US$1 -
27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4
(1992), 25.748 (1991)

{2}Fiscal year:{4} 1 July - 30 June


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 4,600 km; note - 1,075 km in common
carrier service and about 3,525 km is dedicated to
industrial use
narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 19,860 km
{3}paved:{4} 17,119 km (including 382 km of
expressways)
{3}unpaved:{4} 2,741 km (1990 est.)

{2}Pipelines:{4} petroleum products 615 km; natural gas
97 km

{2}Ports:{4} Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung,
Su-ao, T'ai-chung

{2}Merchant marine:{4}
{3}total:{4} 198 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
5,812,534 GRT/8,885,092 DWT
{3}ships by type:{4} bulk 50, cargo 29, combination bulk
3, combination ore/oil 1, container 83, oil tanker
19, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2
(1995 est.)

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 38
{3}with paved runways over 3,047 m:{4} 8
{3}with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:{4} 12
{3}with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 4
{3}with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 6
{3}with paved runways under 914 m:{4} 7
{3}with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 1 (1995
est.)
Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 10,253,773 (1993 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} best developed system in
Asia outside of Japan
{3}domestic:{4} extensive microwave radio relay trunk
system on east and west coasts
{3}international:{4} 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

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 91, FM 23,
shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} 8.62 million

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 15 (repeaters 13)

{2}Televisions:{4} 6.66 million (1993 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air
Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command,
Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined
Service Forces

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 6,278,159
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 4,849,057
males reach military age (19) annually: 204,313
(1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} exchange rate conversion
- $11.5 billion, 3.6% of GDP (FY96/97)