Landscape of Taiwan
Flag of Taiwan

Taiwan

Asia

A self-governing island off the coast of China, Taiwan has operated independently since 1950. However, in the 1990s, China began to push a one-China policy claiming Taiwan as a rebel state of their own, and Taiwan has continued to operate as a sovereign state.1 Its economy has boomed in the last century to become one of the world’s largest capitalist economies. The island is sprinkled with Chinese temples and rolling mountains. Capital city Taipei is known for its lively nightlife, large industrial areas, high skyrises, and high population density.2 1 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-18980194
2 https://www.britannica.com/place/Taiwan/Cultural-life#toc337518

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About Taiwan

In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Beginning in the 1950s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Quick Facts

Population
23,299,716 (July 2013 est.)
Area
35,980 sq km
ISO Code
TW
Continent
Asia
Government
multiparty democracy
Active Causes
12
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Geography & Environment

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

Natural Resources

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Environmental Issues

air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

People & Society

79.71 years
Avg. Life Expectancy
96.1%
Literacy Rate

Languages

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Religions

mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Education Expenditure

NA of GDP

Economy

$39,400
GDP per Capita (PPP)
4.2%
Unemployment Rate
1.5% (2012 est.)
Below Poverty Line

Economic Overview

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing government guidance of investment and foreign trade. Exports, led by electronics, machinery, and petrochemicals have provided the primary impetus for economic development. This heavy dependence on exports exposes the economy to fluctuations in world demand. In 2009, Taiwan's GDP contracted 1.8%, due primarily to a 13.1% year-on-year decline in exports. In 2010 GDP grew 10.7%, as exports returned to the level of previous years, and in 2011, grew 4.0%. In 2012, however, growth fell to 1.3%, because of softening global demand. Taiw...

Causes in Taiwan

Environment

One of the prominent political parties, the Democratic Progressive Party, has stated that environment protection is one of its main tenants.1 Because of the rapid industrialization of the last century, there has been an increase in waste production, pollution, and a decrease in natural environments. Once densely forested, less than 50% of the land is now covered in natural habitat. Much of the forested areas are non-native invasive species.2

Family

Since modernization occurred, traditional family structure, once important to Taiwan, has become less prevalent. The average Taiwanese family has only one child, and they are increasingly living with less extended family.1 Studies show that 41% of women have experienced some form of violence in the home.2

Human Rights

The most pressing human rights concerns in Taiwan are the exploitation of workers, official corruption, human trafficking, and domestic abuse.1 There is also a strong lack of trust in the justice system to provide impartial and fair trials; in a 2016 survey by the National Chung Cheng University, 80% of Taiwanese citizens did not trust the fairness of prosecutors or judges.2 Human trafficking is one of the most pressing concerns, with many Southeast Asian women being lured to Taiwan under deceptive marriage and employment offers for sex trafficking purposes.2 Because of loopholes and government corruption, many prosecuted for trafficking in Taiwan are sentenced to less than one year in prison.3

Education

Schooling is compulsory for 12 years, and Taiwanese students routinely score amongst the highest in the world on internationally comparative exams, particularly in math and science.1 Even with their success in many educational areas, the Taiwanese education system has been accused of focusing only on memorization without encouraging creative thought. The country has focused heavily on increasing the amount of higher education institutions in the last several decades, and now 45% of the population hold a bachelor's degree or higher.2 Because of the massive push in education, the education sector and economy have been strained with highly educated individuals without an adequate labor market to absorb them.1

Poverty

Only 1.5% of the population lives below the poverty line.1 Even with this low number however, low income families are on the rise in Taiwan with welfare recipients increasing by 29% in the last decade.2 Traditionally, families are extremely close knit and rely on each other for economic prosperity, but with loosening family ties, there are more children living with one parent and elderly falling into poverty.2

Religion

35% of the population considers themselves Buddhist, 33% Taoists, 14% atheists, and many practice a combination of both Buddhism and Taoism combined with traditional cultural beliefs, like worship of ancestors or shamanism.1 Buddhism in Taiwan in particular has a focus on community service and relieving others of suffering, which has led to massive temple growth for Taiwanese Buddhist practices worldwide. The Church of Scientology has a strong influence in Taiwan, and this is likely due to many Taiwanese curiosity with reincarnation and reaching their full human potential. There are 15 Scientology churches in Taiwan making it one of the most per capita in the world.2

Clean Water

Familiar with typhoons and seasonal floods, in 2015, the unseasonably strong storms destroyed much of Taiwan’s water infrastructure which caused many to not have safe drinking water for months.1 In addition, the island nation experiences long seasons without any water, leaving major water reservoirs at less than 60% capacity, which forces the government to put limits on usage.2

Economy

Taiwan boasts one of the largest per capita economies in the world with the biggest GDP contributors being electronics, communication technology products, oil refining, and chemicals.1 Unemployment overall is at 4%.1 Compared to their neighbors in Asia, however, Taiwan’s economy is growing at a slow rate of 1% annually which is partially due to trade and international organization restrictions because of their conflict with China.2

Government

Taiwan is considered a semi-democratic republic and has been independent since 1950, but it is still considered by China as a rebel region to be reunited forcefully with mainland China.1 Because of this, Taiwan has had difficulty forming diplomatic relations with some states who are more loyal to China.2 Compared to many neighboring countries, Taiwan has relatively low levels of corruption, but bribes are still a significant problem with 1 in 4 people having paid off a government official for special access to services.3

Health

The air quality produces concern for those who are outside often, and respiratory diseases and asthma are common.1 Nearly 30% of deaths are caused by cancer, and a significant portion of these are lung cancer cases caused by the degradation of the environment..2 Despite this, the life expectancy is still high at 77 for men and 83 for women.3 14% of the population is over the age of 65 which takes up 60% of the healthcare budget and is causing strains on the health system.2

Children

Taiwan states that their main objectives for children are to prepare youth for careers and sufficiently educate on public policy in Taiwan and abroad.1 Youth in Taiwan are keen on becoming a fully independent and internationally recognized state. These young people are protesting for progressive leaders and against Chinese alignment.2 In 2015, Taiwan passed a law forbidding children under the age of two to use electronic devices and limiting electronics usage for those under 18 to not exceed a reasonable amount.3 This was passed in order to curb the growing technology addiction in children.

Animals

With plenty of protected national forests to live in, Taiwan is home to 338 bird and 70 mammal species.1 It is fourth in the world for countries with the highest consumption of using marine animal products for health benefits, and this is decreasing populations of sea lions, manatees, and seals..2 They recently passed the Wildlife Conservation Act that bans the export, import, and use of marine animals and their products. In 2017, the government banned the sale and consumption of dogs and cats, a practice common in many neighboring Asian countries.3

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