<text><span class="style42"></span><span class="style12">CHINA, REPUBLIC OF (TAIWAN)</span><span class="style13"></span><span class="style14"></span><span class="style42">Official name: </span><span class="style13"> Chung-hua Min Kuo (also transliterated as Zhonghua Minguo) (The Republic of China)</span><span class="style42">Member of: </span><span class="style13"> Apec</span><span class="style42">Area: </span><span class="style13"> 35981 km2 (13893 sq mi)</span><span class="style42">Population: </span><span class="style13">20926000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Capital: </span><span class="style13">Taipei 2720000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Other major cities: </span><span class="style13">Kaohsiung 1406000, Taichung 802000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Language: </span><span class="style13">Chinese (northern or Amoy dialect, popularly known as Mandarin)</span><span class="style42">Religions:</span><span class="style13"> various Chinese folk religions (over 48%; includes Daoism), Buddhist (over 40%)</span><span class="style42">GOVERNMENT</span><span class="style13">The 161-member Parliament (the Legislative Yuan) comprises 125 members elected by universal adult suffrage for six years and additional indirectly elected members. The 325-member National Assembly ΓÇô also directly elected for six years ΓÇô has no legislative powers, other than to elect the President or to amend the constitution. The President, who serves for six years, appoints a Prime Minister and a Council of Ministers.</span><span class="style42">GEOGRAPHY</span><span class="style13">Taiwan is an island 160 km (100 mi) off the southeast coast of China. Its mountainous interior rises in the south to Yu Shan at 3997 m (13113 ft). Most of the inhabitants live on the coastal plain in the west. </span><span class="style42">Climate: </span><span class="style13">Taiwan ΓÇô which is subtropical in the north, and tropical in the south ΓÇô has rainy summers and mild winters. Tropical cyclones (typhoons) may occur between July and September.</span><span class="style42">ECONOMY</span><span class="style13">Despite TaiwanΓÇÖs diplomatic isolation, the island is a major international trading nation, exporting machinery, electronics, and textiles. Mineral resources include coal, marble, gold, petroleum and natural gas. Taiwan has achieved a GDP over one half that of its giant neighbor, mainland China. Despite the fertility of the soil, agriculture has declined in relative importance. </span><span class="style42">Currency: </span><span class="style13">New Taiwan dollar.</span><span class="style42">HISTORY</span><span class="style13">Taiwan was originally inhabited by Malays and Polynesians. The first settlers from China came in the 7th century. Named Formosa (ΓÇÿbeautifulΓÇÖ) by the Portuguese in 1590, the island was the object of Spanish-Portuguese rivalry and then briefly (1662ΓÇô83) independent under the Chinese general Koxinga. A period of Chinese rule and renewed migration lasted until a Japanese takeover (1895) began the modernization of agriculture, transport and education. In 1949, the Nationalist forces of Jiang Jie Shi (Chiang Kai-shek) were driven onto Taiwan by the Communist victory on the mainland. Under US protection, the resulting authoritarian regime on Taiwan declared itself the Republic of China, and claimed to be the legitimate government of all China. AmericaΓÇÖs rapprochement with the mainland PeopleΓÇÖs Republic of China lost Taiwan its UN seat in 1971 and US recognition in 1978. In 1991 Taiwan effectively recognized Communist China, but the islandΓÇÖs international status remains problematic. By the late 1980s Taiwan was moving cautiously towards democracy, and in 1988 a native Taiwanese was elected President. A new constitution in 1991 marked the transition to a more Taiwanese, less Chinese, identity.</span></text>
