Taiwan 臺灣 台灣
Taiwan is mostly mountainous in the east and gently sloping plains in the west. The Penghu Islands (the Pescadores) are west of Taiwan (Satellite photo by NASA). The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean, 120 km (74. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions 6 mi) off the coast of mainland China
Coordinates	23°46′N 121°0′E / 23.767, 121
Area	35,801 km² (13,822. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction 8 sq mi)
Rank	39th
Highest point	Yu Shan — 3,952 m (2. This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by area. It includes all islands with an area greater than 2500 km² (970 square miles Yushan ( also known as Jade Mountain or Yu Mountain, is a national park and central mountain range in Taiwan. 5 mi)
Administration
Republic of China
Demographics
Population	approx. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES 23 million (as of 2005)
Indigenous people	98% Han Chinese   84% Taiwanese Min-nan (70% of the total population) Hakka (14% of the total population)   14% Mainlander 2% Taiwanese aborigines
Please note that all population percentages are those of the total population of the island

Taiwan (traditional Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; simplified Chinese: 台湾; Hanyu Pinyin: Táiwān; Tongyong Pinyin: Táiwan; Wade-Giles: T'ai²-wan¹; Taiwanese: 大圓, Tâi-oân) is an island in East Asia. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Tongyong pinyin ( was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) between 2002 and 2008 Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the territories governed by the Republic of China (ROC) and to ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island in the Pacific off the Taiwan coast, the Pescadores in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands off the coast of mainland Fujian. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Orchid Island ( Yami language: Ponso no Tao or Pongso no Tao;; POJ: Lân-sū is a 45- Km² Volcanic island off the Green Island ( POJ: Le̍k-tó is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, about 33 km (20 The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide (11185-mile-wide Strait between Mainland China and Taiwan. Kinmen, ( Traditional Chinese: 金門 Simplified Chinese: 金门 Hanyu Pinyin: Jīnmén Tongyong Pinyin: Jinmén Wades-Giles The Matsu Islands (also Mazu Islands ( are a minor Archipelago of 19 Islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang This article is about the People's Republic of China province The island groups of Taiwan and Penghu (except the municipalities of Taipei and Kaohsiung) are officially administered as Taiwan Province of the ROC. Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of History In 1683 following a naval engagement with Admiral Shi Lang, Koxinga 's (Cheng Ch'eng Kung grandson Zheng Keshuang and ruler of Taiwan However, in practice, almost all government power is exercised at the national and local (city/county) levels.

Taiwan is also currently claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) as a PRC province. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan Province of the People's Republic of China ( is a theoretical administrative Province of the People's Republic of China (PRC, covering an area over which Though the government of the PRC has never controlled Taiwan island or any of the current ROC territory commonly referred to as "Taiwan".

The main island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa (from Portuguese (Ilha) Formosa, meaning "beautiful (island)"), is located in East Asia off the coast of mainland China, southwest of the main islands of Japan but directly west of the end of Japan's Ryukyu Islands, and north-northwest of the Philippines. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Ryukyu Islands, in Japanese called the (literally Southwest Islands are a chain of Japanese islands in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP It is bound to the east by the Pacific Ocean, to the south by the South China Sea and the Luzon Strait, to the west by the Taiwan Strait and to the north by the East China Sea. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The South China Sea is a Marginal sea south of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the The Luzon Strait is an important Strait connecting the Philippine Sea, in the western Pacific, to the South China Sea, between Taiwan The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide (11185-mile-wide Strait between Mainland China and Taiwan. The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km² The island is 394 kilometers (245 miles) long and 144 kilometers (89 miles) wide and consists of steep mountains covered by tropical and subtropical vegetation.

History

Main articles: History of Taiwan and Timeline of Taiwanese history

Prehistory

Main article: Prehistory of Taiwan

Evidence of human settlement in Taiwan dates back thirty thousand years, although the first inhabitants of Taiwan may have been genetically distinct from any groups currently on the island. This article discusses the history of Taiwan (including the Pescadores) This is a timeline of the History of Taiwan including the History of the Republic of China on Taiwan (1945-present The prehistory of Taiwan includes the late Paleolithic era During that time roughly 50000 BC to 10000 BC people were already living in Taiwan. About four thousand years ago, ancestors of current Taiwanese aborigines settled in Taiwan. Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples These aborigines are genetically related to Malay and Polynesians, and linguists classify their languages as Austronesian. The concept of a Malay race ( Bangsa Melayu) was proposed by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840 Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over ^[1] Polynesians are suspected to have ancestry traceable back to Taiwan.

Early settlement

Han Chinese began settling in the Pescadores in the 1200s, but Taiwan's hostile tribes and its lack of the trade resources valued in that era rendered it unattractive to all but "occasional adventurers or fishermen engaging in barter" until the sixteenth century. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ ^[2]

Records from ancient China indicate that Han Chinese might have known of the existence of the main island of Taiwan since the Three Kingdoms period (third century, 230 A. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of D. ), having assigned offshore islands in the vicinity names like Greater Liuqiu and Lesser Liuqiu (etymologically, but perhaps not semantically, identical to Ryūkyū in Japanese), though none of these names has been definitively matched to the main island of Taiwan. Liuqiu (流求 琉求 or 琉球 pinyin "Liúqiú" was the name given by the Chinese to some island(s in the East China Sea and nearby waters usually Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time Semantics is the study of meaning in communication The word derives from Greek σημαντικός ( semantikos) "significant" from The Ryukyu Islands, in Japanese called the (literally Southwest Islands are a chain of Japanese islands in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities It has been claimed but not verified that the Ming Dynasty admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He) visited Taiwan between 1403 and 1424. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Zheng He ( Birth name 馬三寶 / 马三宝; Arabic / Persian name حجّي محمود شمس Hajji Mahmud Shams) (1371&ndash1433 was a Hui Zheng He ( Birth name 馬三寶 / 马三宝; Arabic / Persian name حجّي محمود شمس Hajji Mahmud Shams) (1371&ndash1433 was a Hui

European settlement

Main article: Taiwan under Dutch rule

In 1544, a Portuguese ship sighted the main island of Taiwan and dubbed it "Ilha Formosa", which means "Beautiful Island. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. " The Portuguese made no attempt to colonize Taiwan.

In 1624, the Dutch established a commercial base on Taiwan and began to import workers from Fujian and Penghu as laborers, many of whom settled. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands This article is about the People's Republic of China province The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ The Dutch made Taiwan a colony with its colonial capital at Tayoan City (present day Anping, Tainan). Anping District ( is a district of Tainan City. The history of Anping dates back to the 17th century when Dutch East India Company occupied Tayuan / Both Tayoan and the island name Taiwan derive from a word in Sirayan, one of the Formosan languages. The Siraya were an Indigenous people of Taiwan, comprising at least five major subtribes Mattauw Soelangh Baccloangh Sinckan and Taivoan

The Dutch military presence was concentrated at a stronghold called Castle Zeelandia. Fort Zeelandia ( POJ: Ji̍at-lân-jia Siâⁿ was a fortress built over ten years from 1624&ndash1634 by the Dutch Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie ^[3] The Dutch colonists also started to hunt the native Formosan Sika deer (Cervus nippon taioanus) that inhabited Taiwan, contributing to the eventual extinction of the subspecies on the island. The Sika Deer ( Cervus nippon) is a member of the deer family Cervidae that inhabits much of East Asia. ^[4]

Koxinga and Imperial Chinese rule

Main article: Taiwan under Qing Dynasty rule

Naval and troop forces of Southern Fujian defeated the Dutch in 1662, subsequently expelling the Dutch government and military from the island. The Chinese Qing Dynasty ruled Taiwan from 1683 to 1895 Qing China in 1683 sent an army led by general Shi Lang and annexed Taiwan. This article is about the People's Republic of China province The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands They were led by Koxinga (traditional Chinese: 鄭成功; simplified Chinese: 郑成功; pinyin: Zhèng Chénggōng). Koxinga ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Kok-sèng-iâ/Kok-sìⁿ-iâ Lord with the Imperial Surname) is the traditional Western spelling of the popular appellation of Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Following the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Koxinga retreated to Taiwan as a self-styled Ming loyalist and established the Kingdom of Tungning (1662–83). The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led The Kingdom of Tungning was the first Han Chinese Government to rule Taiwan, between 1661 and 1683 Koxinga established his capital at Tainan and he and his heirs, Zheng Jing (traditional Chinese: 鄭經; simplified Chinese: 郑经; pinyin: Zhèng Jīng), who ruled from 1662–82, and Zheng Keshuang (traditional Chinese: 鄭克塽; simplified Chinese: 郑克塽; pinyin: Zhèng Kèshuàng), who served less than a year, continued to launch raids on the south-east coast of mainland China well into the Qing Dynasty, attempting to recover the mainland. Zheng Jing ( (c 1643-c 1682 was a 17th century Chinese pirate and warlord Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Zheng Keshuang (鄭克塽 1669 &ndash 1707 Pinyin: Zhèng Kèshuǎng was the son of Zheng Jing and a grandson of Koxinga. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China

In 1683, following the defeat of Koxinga's grandson by an armada led by Admiral Shi Lang of Southern Fujian, the Qing Dynasty formally annexed Taiwan, placing it under the jurisdiction of Fujian province. Shi Lang ( 1621-1696 was a Ming - Qing admiral who had extensive experience in southeastern China Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The Qing Dynasty government tried to reduce piracy and vagrancy in the area, issuing a series of edicts to manage immigration and respect aboriginal land rights. Immigrants mostly from Southern Fujian continued to enter Taiwan. The border between taxpaying lands and "savage" lands shifted eastward, with some aborigines 'Sinicizing' while others retreated into the mountains. Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or During this time, there were a number of conflicts between Chinese from different regions of Southern Fujian, and between Southern Fujian Chinese and aborigines. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world.

In 1887, the Qing government upgraded Taiwan's status from prefecture of Fujian to full province, the twentieth in the country, with its capital at Taipei. This was accompanied by a modernization drive that included building Taiwan's first railroad and starting a postal service. ^[5]

Japanese rule

Main article: Taiwan under Japanese rule

The building currently known as the ROC Presidential Office was originally built as the Office of the Governor-General by the Japanese government. The Japanese colonial period, Japanese rule or the Imperial Japanese occupation, in the context of Taiwan 's history refers to the period between The Presidential Office Building ( houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China. The position of Governor-General of Taiwan existed when Taiwan and the Pescadores were part of the Empire of Japan, from 1895 to 1945

Imperial Japan had sought to control Taiwan since 1592, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi began extending Japanese influence overseas. The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. In 1609, the Tokugawa Shogunate sent Arima Harunobu on an exploratory mission. Arima Harunobu was the second son and successor of Japanese Daimyo Arima Yoshisada. In 1616, Murayama Toan led an unsuccessful invasion of the island.

In 1871, an Okinawan vessel shipwrecked on the southern tip of Taiwan and the crew of fifty-four were beheaded by the Paiwan aborigines. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The Paiwan ( 排[[wiktionary 灣|灣]] are an aboriginal tribe of Taiwan. When Japan sought compensation from Qing China, the court rejected the demand on the grounds that the "wild"/"unsubjugated" aboriginals (traditional Chinese: 台灣生番; simplified Chinese: 台湾生番; pinyin: Táiwān shēngfān) were outside its jurisdiction. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use This open renunciation of sovereignty led to a Japanese invasion of Taiwan. In 1874, an expeditionary force of three thousand troops was sent to the island. There were about thirty Taiwanese and 543 Japanese casualties (twelve in battle and 531 by endemic diseases). In Epidemiology, an Infection is said to be endemic (from Greek en- in or within + demos people in a Population when

Qing China was defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), and ceded Taiwan and the Pescadores to Japan in perpetuity in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. The First Sino-Japanese War ( 日清戦争 Romaji: Nisshin Sensō ( 1 August 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a war fought between The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July The Treaty of Shimonoseki ( Japanese: 下関条約 "Shimonoseki Jōyaku") known as the Treaty of Maguan ( in China was signed at Inhabitants wishing to remain Chinese subjects were given a two-year grace period to sell their property and remove to mainland China. Very few Taiwanese saw this as feasible. ^[6]

On May 25, 1895, a group of pro-Qing high officials proclaimed the Republic of Formosa to resist impending Japanese rule. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year This historical republic should not be confused with the proposed nation-state " Republic of Taiwan. Japanese forces entered the capital at Tainan and quelled this resistance on October 21, 1895. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

The Japanese were instrumental in the industrialization of the island; they extended the railroads and other transportation networks, built an extensive sanitation system and revised the public school system. During this period, both rice and sugarcane production greatly increased. At one point, Taiwan was the seventh greatest sugar producer in the world. Still, the ethnic Chinese and Taiwanese aborigines were classified as second- and third-class citizens. Large-scale violence continued in the first decade of rule. Japan launched over 160 battles to destroy Taiwan's aboriginal tribes during its 51-year rule of the island …'^[7] Around 1935, the Japanese began an island-wide assimilation project to bind the island more firmly to the Japanese Empire. The plan worked very well, to the point that tens of thousands of Taiwanese joined the Japanese army ranks, and fought loyally for them. ^[8] For example, former ROC President Lee Teng-hui's elder brother served in the Japanese navy and died while on duty in February 1945 in the Philippines.

Taiwan played a significant part in the system of Japanese prisoner of war camps that extended across South-East Asia between 1942 and 1945. '^[9] Allied POW's, as well as 'women and children as young as seven or eight years old,' were brutally enslaved at various locations like at the copper mine northwest of Keelung, sadistically supervised by Taiwanese and Japanese. '… it was found that, while the Japanese were invariably proud to give their name and rank, Taiwanese soldiers and 'hanchos' invariably concealed their names … some Taiwanese citizens … were willing participants in war crimes of various degrees of infamy … young males were to an extent highly nipponized; in fact a proportion in the 1930s are reported to have been actively hoping for a Japanese victory in China … One of the most tragic events of the whole Pacific war took place in Kaohsiung. This was the bombing of the prison ship Enoura Maru in Kaohsiung harbour on January 9th 1945. '

The Imperial Japanese Navy operated heavily out of Taiwan. For Combined Fleet, please see that article For Carrier Striking Task Force, please see that article The "South Strike Group" was based out of the Taihoku Imperial University in Taiwan. The was a political doctrine in the pre- World War II Empire of Japan which stated that Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands were Japan's Sphere National Taiwan University ( abbreviation NTU) is a national co-educational university located in Taipei City Taiwan Many of the Japanese forces participating in the Aerial Battle of Taiwan-Okinawa were based in Taiwan. Important Japanese military bases and industrial centers throughout Taiwan, like Kaohsiung, were targets of heavy American bombing.

By 1945, just before Japan lost World War II, desperate plans were put in place to incorporate popular representation of Taiwan into the Japanese Diet to make Taiwan an integral part of Japan proper. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Japan's rule of Taiwan ended when it lost World War II and signed the Instrument of Surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that established the Armistice ending the Pacific War and with it World War II. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar But the Japanese occupation had long lasting effects on Taiwan and Taiwanese culture. Taiwanese tend to have a more positive view of Japan than other Asians. Significant parts of Taiwanese infrastructure were started under the Japanese rule. The current Presidential Building was also built during that time. The Presidential Office Building ( houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China.

Kuomintang martial law period

Li Wu River

On October 25, 1945, ROC troops representing the Allied Command accepted the formal surrender of Japanese military forces in Taihoku. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of The ROC Government, led by Chiang Kai-shek, announced that date as "Taiwan Restoration Day" (traditional Chinese: 臺灣光復節; simplified Chinese: 台湾光复节; Hanyu Pinyin: Táiwān Guāngfùjié; Tongyong Pinyin: Táiwan Guangfùjié). Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Tongyong pinyin ( was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) between 2002 and 2008 They were greeted as liberators by some Taiwanese. Many other Taiwanese, however, who fought against China and the allies for the Japanese war machine greeted them reluctantly, this new generation of Chinese arrivals. The ROC under Chen Yi was generally unstable and corrupt; it seized the people's property and set up government monopolies of many industries. Chen Yi ( Courtesy names Gongxia (公俠 and later Gongqia (公洽 sobriquet Tuisu (退素 1883 - June 18, 1950) was the Chief Executive Many problems like this, compounded with hyperinflation, unrest due to the Chinese Civil War, and distrust due to political, cultural and linguistic differences between the Taiwanese and the Mainland Chinese, quickly led to the loss of popular support for the new government. Certain figures in this article use Scientific notation for readability ^[10] This culminated in a series of severe clashes between the ROC government and Taiwanese, in turn leading to the bloody 228 incident and the reign of White Terror. The 228 Incident ( Pe{{unicode|̍}}h-ōe-jī: Jī-jī-pat sū-kiāⁿ also known as the 228 Massacre ( was an anti-government Anti-Chinese uprising In general the term White Terror refers to acts of violence carried out by Reactionary (usually monarchist or conservative) groups as part of a ^[11]

In 1949, during the Chinese Civil War, the Kuomintang (KMT), led by Chiang Kai-shek, retreated from Mainland China and moved the ROC government from Nanjing to Taipei, Taiwan's largest city, while continuing to claim sovereignty over all of China, Outer Mongolia as well as other areas. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Outer Mongolia (Ar Mongol Manchu: Tulergi Monggo) was the main part of the Bogdo Khanate of Mongolia which proclaimed its independence on 29 December 1911 The Republic of China currently administers two historical Provinces of China (one completely and a small part of another one and centrally administers two Direct-controlled On the mainland, the victorious Communists established the PRC, claiming to be the sole representative of China including Taiwan and portraying the ROC government on Taiwan as an illegitimate entity. ^[12]

Some 2 million refugees from Mainland China, consisting mainly of soldiers, KMT party members and most importantly the intellectual and business elites fled the mainland and arrived in Taiwan around that time. In addition, as part of its escape from Communists on the mainland, the ROC government relocated to Taiwan with many national treasures including gold reserves and foreign currency reserves. This was often used by the PRC government to explain its economic difficulties and Taiwan's comparative prosperity. From this period through the 1980s, Taiwan was governed by a party-state dictatorship, with the KMT as the ruling party. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party The ruling party in a Parliamentary system is the Political party or Coalition of the majority in Parliament. Military rule continued and little to no distinction was made between the government and the party, with public property, government property, and party property being interchangeable. Government workers and party members were indistinguishable, with government workers, such as teachers, required to become KMT members, and party workers paid salaries and promised retirement benefits along the lines of government employees. In addition all other parties were outlawed, and political opponents were persecuted, incarcerated, and executed.

Taiwan remained under martial law and one-party rule, under the name of the "Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion" (traditional Chinese: 動員戡亂時期臨時條款; simplified Chinese: 动员戡乱时期临时条款; Hanyu Pinyin: dòngyuán kānluàn shíqí línshí tiáokuǎn; Tongyong Pinyin: dòngyuán kanluàn shíhcí línshíh tiáokuǎn), from 1948 to 1987, when the ROC Presidents Chiang Ching-kuo and Lee Teng-hui gradually liberalized and democratized the system. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party The Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion ( was a series of temporary constitutional provisions passed by the National Assembly of the Republic Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Tongyong pinyin ( was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) between 2002 and 2008 Chiang Ching-kuo ( POJ: ChiúⁿKeng-kok ( April 27 1, 1910 – January 13, 1988) Kuomintang (KMT Politician Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. Liberalism is a broad array of related ideas and theories of Government that consider individual Liberty to be the most important political goal With the advent of democratization, the issue of the political status of Taiwan has resurfaced as a controversial issue (previously, discussion of anything other than unification under the ROC was taboo). The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture

As the Chinese Civil War continued without truce, the ROC built up military fortification works throughout Taiwan. Within this effort, former KMT soldiers built the now famous Central Cross-Island Highway through the Taroko Gorge in the 1950s. The Central Cross-Island Highway (中部橫貫公路 is one of three highway systems that connect the west coast with the east of Taiwan. "Taroko" can also refer to the Truku aboriginal tribe The two sides would remain in a heightened military state well into the 1960’s on the islands on the border with unknown number of night raids and clashes with details that are rarely made public. During the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in September 1958, Taiwan's landscape added Nike-Hercules Missile batteries with the formation of the 1st Missile Battalion Chinese Army and would not be deactivated until 1997. The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was a conflict that took place between the People's Republic of China (PRC Nike-Hercules Missile, designation MIM-14 (initially SAM-N-25) was a Solid fuel propelled Surface-to-air missile, used by US and NATO Newer generations of missile batteries have since replaced the Nike Hercules systems throughout the island.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the ROC began to develop into a prosperous, industrialized developed country with a strong and dynamic economy, becoming one of the Four Asian Tigers while maintaining the authoritarian, single-party government. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors The term Four Asian Tigers or East Asian Tigers refers to the Economies of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore Because of the Cold War, most Western nations and the United Nations regarded the ROC as the sole legitimate government of China (while being merely the de-facto government of Taiwan) until the 1970s, when most nations began switching recognition to the PRC. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[13]

Modern democratic era

Chiang Kai-shek's eventual successor, his son Chiang Ching-kuo, began to liberalize Taiwan's political system. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash Chiang Ching-kuo ( POJ: ChiúⁿKeng-kok ( April 27 1, 1910 – January 13, 1988) Kuomintang (KMT Politician In 1984, the younger Chiang selected Lee Teng-hui, a native Taiwanese technocrat, to be his vice president. Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. In 1986, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was formed illegally and inaugurated as the first opposition party in Taiwan to counter the KMT. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans A year later Chiang Ching-kuo lifted martial law.

After the 1988 death of Chiang Ching-Kuo, his successor as President Lee Teng-hui continued to hand more government authority over to the native Taiwanese and democratize the government. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Under Lee, Taiwan underwent a process of localization in which local culture and history was promoted over a pan-China viewpoint. Lee's reforms included printing banknotes from the Central Bank rather than the Provincial Bank of Taiwan, and disbanding the Taiwan Provincial Government. History In 1683 following a naval engagement with Admiral Shi Lang, Koxinga 's (Cheng Ch'eng Kung grandson Zheng Keshuang and ruler of Taiwan Under Lee, the original members of the Legislative Yuan and National Assembly, elected in 1947 to represent mainland constituencies and having taken the seats without re-election for more than four decades, were forced to resign in 1991. The Legislative Yuan ( is the Legislative body of the Republic of China (ROC which administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and The National Assembly of the Republic of China ( refers to several Parliamentary bodies that existed in the History of the Republic of China. Restrictions on the use of Taiwanese in the broadcast media and in schools were lifted as well.

In the 1990s, the ROC transformed into a true democratic country, as President Lee Teng-hui was elected by the first popular vote held in Taiwan during the 1996 Presidential election. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. In 2000, Chen Shui-bian of the DPP, was elected as the first non-KMT President and was re-elected to serve his second and last term since 2004. Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. Polarized politics has emerged in Taiwan with the formation of the Pan-Blue Coalition of parties led by the KMT, favoring eventual Chinese reunification, and the Pan-Green Coalition of parties led by the DPP, favoring an eventual and official declaration of Taiwan independence. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang There is also a specific Chinese reunification of 1928. Chinese reunification ( is a goal of Chinese nationalism that refers to The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a

On September 30, 2007, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party approved a resolution asserting separate identity from China and called for the enactment of a new constitution for a "normal country". Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans This article concerns the legal meaning of the term resolution. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity It also called for general use of "Taiwan" as the island's name, without abolishing its formal name, the Republic of China. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES ^[14] The Chen administration also pushed for referendums on national defense and UN entry in the 2004 and 2008 elections, which failed due to voter turnout below the required legal threshold of 50% of all registered voters. ^[15] The Chen administration was also dogged by public concern over reduced economic growth, legislative gridlock due to a pan-blue controlled Legislative Yuan, and alleged corruption scandals involving the First Family. ^{[16] [17]}

The KMT increased its majority in the Legislative Yuan in the January 2008 legislative elections, while its nominee Ma Ying-jeou went on to win the presidency in March of the same year, campaigning on a platform of increased economic growth, and better ties with the Mainland China under a policy of "mutual nondenial". NOTICE*************** Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction ^[15] Ma took office on May 20, 2008.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Taiwan

See also: Political divisions of the Republic of China#Counties

Map of Taiwan

The island of Taiwan lies some 120 kilometers off the southeastern coast of mainland China, across the Taiwan Strait, and has an area of 35,801 km² (13,822. Taiwan is a medium-sized Archipelago in East Asia, located at 23°30N 121°00E and running through the middle of the Tropic of Cancer (23°5N The Republic of China currently administers two historical Provinces of China (one completely and a small part of another one and centrally administers two Direct-controlled Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide (11185-mile-wide Strait between Mainland China and Taiwan. 8 sq mi). The East China Sea lies to the north, the Philippine Sea to the east, the Luzon Strait directly to the south and the South China Sea to the southwest. The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km² The Philippine Sea is a Marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated Surface area of 90 000 mi² (1 000 000 The Luzon Strait is an important Strait connecting the Philippine Sea, in the western Pacific, to the South China Sea, between Taiwan The South China Sea is a Marginal sea south of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the The island is characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirds, consisting mostly of rugged mountains running in five ranges from the northern to the southern tip of the island, and the flat to gently rolling plains in the west that are also home to most of Taiwan's population. Taiwan's highest point is the Yu Shan at 3,952 meters, and there are five other peaks over 3,500 meters. Yushan ( also known as Jade Mountain or Yu Mountain, is a national park and central mountain range in Taiwan. This makes it the world's seventh-highest island. This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by their highest point. Taroko National Park, located on the mountainous eastern side of the island, has good examples of mountainous terrain, gorges and erosion caused by a swiftly flowing river. "Taroko" can also refer to the Truku aboriginal tribe Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind

The shape of the main island of Taiwan is similar to a sweet potato seen in a south-to-north direction, and therefore, Taiwanese people, especially the Min-nan division, often call themselves "children of the Sweet Potato. The sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas) is a Dicotyledonous plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects "^[18] There are also other interpretations of the island shape, one of which is a whale in the ocean (the Pacific Ocean) if viewed in a west-to-east direction, which is a common orientation in ancient maps, plotted either by Western explorers or the Qing Dynasty. Whales are marine mammals which are neither Dolphins (ie members of the families Delphinidae or Platanistoidae) nor Porpoises Orcas The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China

Geology

The island of Taiwan lies in a complex tectonic area between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Plate. This article discusses the geologic usage for the philosophical or architectural usage see Architectonics ' Or see Plate tectonics. The Eurasian Plate is a Tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional Continents of Europe The Philippine Plate is a Tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean to the east of the Philippines. The upper part of the crust on the island is primarily made up of a series of terranes, mostly old island arcs which have been forced together by the collision of the Eurasian and Philippine plates. A terrane in Geology is a fragment of crustal material formed on or broken off from one Tectonic plate and accreted — " sutured " A volcanic arc is a chain of volcanic islands or Mountains formed by Plate tectonics as an oceanic Tectonic plate subducts under These have been further uplifted as a result of the detachment of a portion of the Eurasian Plate as it subducted beneath the Philippine Plate, a process which left the crust under Taiwan more buoyant. In Geology, a subduction zone is an area on Earth where two tectonic plates meet and move towards one another with one sliding underneath the other ^[19]

The major seismic faults in Taiwan correspond to the various suture zones between the various terranes. These have produced major quakes throughout the history of the island. On September 21, 1999, a 7. 3 quake known as the "Chi-Chi earthquake" occurred. Chichi earthquake ( also known as the 921 earthquake ( occurred at 14715

Climate

Siouguluan River

Taiwan's climate is marine tropical. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. ^[20] The Northern part of the island has a rainy season that lasts from January to late March during the southwest monsoon, and also experiences meiyu in May. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months ^[21] The entire island succumbs to hot humid weather from June until September, while October to December are arguably the most pleasant times of year. The middle and southern parts of the island do not have an extended monsoon season during the winter months, but can experience several weeks of rain, especially during and after Lunar New Year. Natural hazards such as typhoons and earthquakes^[22] are common in the region. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer

Taiwan is a center of bird endemism; see Endemic birds of Taiwan for further information. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the World's various zoogeographic zones

Environment and pollution

With its high population density and many factories, some areas in Taiwan suffer from heavy pollution. Most notable are the southern suburbs of Taipei and the western stretch from Tainan to Lin Yuan, south of Kaohsiung. In the past, Taipei suffered from extensive vehicle and factory air pollution, but with mandatory use of unleaded gasoline and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, the air quality of Taiwan has improved dramatically. ^[23] Motor scooters, especially older or cheaper two-stroke versions, which are ubiquitous in Taiwan, also contribute disproportionately to air pollution in Taiwan.

Natural resources

Because of the intensive exploitation throughout Taiwan's pre-modern and modern history, the island's mineral resources (eg. coal, gold, marble), as well as wild animal reserves (eg. deer), have been virtually exhausted. Moreover, much of its forestry resources was harvested during Japanese rule for the construction of shrines (using particularly firs) and has only recovered slightly since then. The remaining forests nowadays do not contribute to significant timber production mainly because of concerns about production costs and regulations of environmental protection.

Camphor oil extraction and cane sugar production played an important role in Taiwan's exportation from the late nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth century. } Camphor is a waxy white or transparent solid with a strong aromatic odor Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. The importance of the above industries subsequently declined not because of the exhaustion of related natural resources but mainly of the decline of international market demands.

Nowadays, few natural resources with significant economic value are retained in Taiwan, which are essentially agriculture-associated. Domestic agriculture (rice being the dominant kind of crop) and fishery retain importance to a certain degree, but they have been greatly challenged by foreign imports since Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many For the fishing industry and the practice of fishing see Fishing. Consequently, upon the decline of subsistent importance, Taiwan's agriculture now relies heavily on the marketing and exportation of certain kinds of specialty, such as banana, guava, lychee, wax apple, and high-mountain tea. For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Guava is a Genus of about 100 Species of Tropical Shrubs and small Trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. The Lychee ( Litchi chinensis) also spelled Litchi (the US FDA spelling or Laichi and Lichu, Chinese: 荔枝 Syzygium samarangense ( syn Eugenia javanica) is a species in the Myrtaceae, native to Philippines, Indonesia and Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market

Energy resources

See also: Energy policy of Taiwan

Taiwan has significant coal deposits and some insignificant oil and gas deposits. As of 2006, in Taiwan, oil accounts for 48% of the total energy consumption Electrical power generation is nearly 55% coal-based, 18% nuclear power, 17% natural gas, and about 5% oil, and 5% from renewable energy sources. Nearly all oil and gas for transportation and power needs must be imported, making Taiwan particularly sensitive to fluctuations in energy prices. Because of this, Taiwan's Executive Yuan is pushing for 10% of energy generation to come from renewable energy by 2010, double from the current figure of approximately 5%. In fact, several wind-farms built by American and German companies have come online or will in the near future. Taiwan is rich in wind-energy resources, both on-shore and off-shore, though limited land area favors offshore wind resources. Solar energy is also a potential resource to some extent. By promoting renewable energy, Taiwan's government hopes to also aid the nascent renewable energy manufacturing industry, and develop it into an export market.

Society

Ethnic groups

Bunun dancer in traditional aboriginal dress. The Bunun ( are a tribe of Taiwanese aborigines and are best-known for their sophisticated polyphonic vocal music

Main articles: Demographics of Taiwan, Taiwanese aborigines, and Taiwanese people

The ROC's population was estimated in 2005 at 22. Taiwan's population was estimated in July 2007 at 22858872 spread across a total land area of 35980 km² making it the fifteenth most densely populated country in the world Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples Taiwanese people ( may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed Cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or the lands and territories which have 9 million, most of whom are on the island of Taiwan. About 98% of the population is of Han Chinese ethnicity. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Of these, 86% are descendants of early Han immigrants known as "native Taiwanese" (Chinese: 本省人; pinyin: Běnshěng rén; literally "home-province person"). Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use This group contains two subgroups: the Southern Fujianese or "Hokkien" or "Min-nan" (70% of the total population), who migrated from the coastal Southern Fujian (Min-nan) region in the southeast of mainland China; and the Hakka (15% of the total population), who originally migrated south to Guangdong, its surrounding areas and Taiwan, intermarrying extensively with Taiwanese aborigines. This article is about the People's Republic of China province Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples The remaining 12% of Han Chinese are known as "mainlanders" (Chinese: 外省人; pinyin: Wàishěng rén; literally "out-of-province person") and are composed of and descend from immigrants who arrived after the Second World War. Mainlanders (also called Inlanders) are people who live in a region considered a "mainland" Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This group also includes those who fled mainland China in 1949 following the Nationalist defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction For political reasons, more and more young people started to call the mainlanders xin zhùmín (traditional Chinese: 新住民), or "new residents". The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory Mainlanders (also called Inlanders) are people who live in a region considered a "mainland" A survey in November 2006 conducted by the Taiwanese National Chengchi University, the Japanese University of the Ryukyus and the Chinese University of Hong Kong showed that more than 60% of Taiwan's population consider themselves Taiwanese, compared to only 18% in 1992.

Dalu ren (traditional Chinese: 大陸人; simplified Chinese: 大陆人; pinyin: dàlù rén) refers to residents of mainland China. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Most Taiwanese, including the "mainlanders" discussed above, fall outside this group. Taiwanese people ( may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed Cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or the lands and territories which have Mainlanders (also called Inlanders) are people who live in a region considered a "mainland" It includes only the most recent immigrants from mainland China, such as (predominantly) women made ROC citizens through marriage. It also excludes foreign spouses from other countries, of which women come predominantly from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, while a greater proportion of men come from Western countries. One in seven marriages now involves a partner from another country. As Taiwan's birthrate is among the lowest in the world,^[24] this contingent is playing an increasingly important role in changing Taiwan's demographic makeup. Transnational marriages now account for one out of six births.

The other 2% of Taiwan's population, numbering about 458,000, are listed as the Taiwanese aborigines (traditional Chinese: 原住民; Hanyu Pinyin: yuánzhùmín; Tongyong Pinyin: yuánjhùmín), divided into 13 major groups: Ami, Atayal, Paiwan, Bunun, Rukai, Puyuma, Tsou, Saisiyat, Tao (Yami), Thao, Kavalan, Truku and Sakizaya . Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Tongyong pinyin ( was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) between 2002 and 2008 The Amis ( also Ami or Pangcah) are an indigenous people of Taiwan. The Atayal (泰雅 also known as the Tayal and the Tayan, are one tribe of Taiwanese aborigines. The Paiwan ( 排[[wiktionary 灣|灣]] are an aboriginal tribe of Taiwan. The Bunun ( are a tribe of Taiwanese aborigines and are best-known for their sophisticated polyphonic vocal music Rukai ( is one tribe of Taiwanese aborigines. They live in the mountains of southern Taiwan The Puyuma ( POJ: Puyuma-cho̍k Pi-lâm-cho̍k also known as the Peinan or Beinan tribe are one of the tribal groups of the Taiwanese aborigines The Saisiyat (賽夏 ("true people" also spelled Saisiat are an indigenous people of Taiwan, part of the larger Taiwanese aborigine The Tao ( commonly known by the misnomer Yami (雅美 are a Taiwanese aboriginal people native to tiny outlying Orchid Island in Taiwan. The Thao/Ngan ( are a small group of Taiwanese aborigines who have lived near Sun Moon Lake (Lake Candidius in central Taiwan for at least a Kavalan is also the ancient name for Yilan County, Taiwan. The Kavalan ( Endonym "kbaran" "people living The Truku (太魯閣族 also romanized as Taroko) people are an Indigenous Taiwanese tribe The Sakizaya (Native name Sakuzaya, literally "real man" occasionally Sakiraya or Sakidaya) are Taiwanese Aborigines with ^[25]

Languages

Main article: Languages of Taiwan

About 80% of the people in Taiwan belong to the Hoklo (Chinese: 福佬; pinyin: fúlǎo; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hok-ló) ethnic group and speak both Standard Mandarin (officially recognized by the ROC as the National Dialect) and Taiwanese (a variant of the Min Nan dialect spoken in Fujian province). A large majority of people on Taiwan speak Standard Mandarin, which has been the only officially sanctioned medium of instruction in the schools for more than four decades Hoklo ( Endonym Hok-ló, Hō-ló, or Ho̍h-ló) commonly refers to those Taiwanese people who claim Han Chinese ( Hokkien Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Pe̍h-ōe-jī ( POJ) ( is an Orthography in the Latin alphabet created and introduced to Fujian and Taiwan by Presbyterian Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects This article is about the People's Republic of China province Mandarin Chinese is the primary language of instruction in schools; however, most spoken media is split between Mandarin and Taiwanese. The Hakka (Chinese: 客家; pinyin: Kèjiā), about 15% of the population, have a distinct Hakka dialect. The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Aboriginal minority groups still speak their native languages, although most also speak Mandarin. English is a common second language, with many large private schools providing English instruction. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States English is also featured on several of Taiwan's education exams.

Although Mandarin is still the language of instruction in schools and dominates television and radio, non-Mandarin dialects have undergone a revival in public life in Taiwan. A large fraction of the populace speak the Taiwanese dialect, a variant of Min Nan spoken in southern Fujian, China, and a majority understand it. The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects This article is about the People's Republic of China province China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Many also speak Hakka. People educated during the Japanese period of 1900 to 1945 used Japanese as the medium of instruction. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities Some in the older generations only speak the Japanese they learned at school and the Taiwanese they spoke at home and are unable to communicate with many in the modern generations who only speak Mandarin.

Most aboriginal groups in Taiwan have their own languages which, unlike Taiwanese or Hakka, do not belong to the Chinese language family, but rather to the Austronesian language family.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Taiwan

Tainan Confucius Temple. A wide diversity of Religions can be found on Taiwan, due to its multicultural history and religious freedom written in the Constitution of the Confucius ( lit " Master Kung " September 28, 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher Four characters on the inscribed board mean "First School in All of Taiwan"

Over 93% of Taiwanese are adherents of a combination of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism; 4. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions 5% are adherents of Christianity, which includes Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, and other non-denominational Christian groups; and 2. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon 5% are adherents of other religions, such as Islam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Taiwanese aborigines comprise a notable subgroup among professing Christians: ". Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples . . over 64 percent identify as Christian. . . Church buildings are the most obvious markers of Aboriginal villages, distinguishing them from Taiwanese or Hakka villages. "^[26]

Confucianism is a philosophy that deals with secular moral ethics, and serves as the foundation of both Chinese and Taiwanese culture. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history The culture of Taiwan is a hybrid blend of Confucianist Han Chinese, Japanese, European, American, global, The majority of Taiwanese and Chinese usually combine the secular moral teachings of Confucianism with whatever religions they are affiliated with. Taiwanese people ( may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed Cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or the lands and territories which have The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B

One especially important goddess for Taiwanese people is Matsu, who symbolizes the seafaring spirit of Taiwan's ancestors from Fujian and Guangdong. Tin Hau redirects here For other meanings of Tin Hau see Tin Hau (disambiguation Mazu ( also spelt Matsu, is the Taoist This article is about the People's Republic of China province Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the

Culture

Main article: Culture of Taiwan

See also: Cinema of Taiwan, Literature of Taiwan, and Taiwanese photography

National Palace Museum, in Taipei City

Apo Hsu and the NTNU Symphony Orchestra on stage in the National Concert Hall

Taipei 101 set a new height record in 2004

The cultures of Taiwan are a hybrid blend of Confucianist Han Chinese cultures, Japanese, European, American, global, local and indigenous influences which are both interlocked and divided between perceptions of tradition and modernity (Harrell/Huang 1994:1-5). The culture of Taiwan is a hybrid blend of Confucianist Han Chinese, Japanese, European, American, global, The history of Chinese-language cinema has three separate threads of development Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China and Cinema of Taiwan. Literature of Taiwan is different from Chinese literature, but many books popular in China are also popular in Taiwan. Taiwanese photography is deeply rooted in the country's unique and rapidly changing history. The National Palace Museum ( is an art museum in Taipei City, Republic of China, in northern Taiwan. Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of National Taiwan Normal University ( Wade-Giles: kuo2li4 tai2wan1 shih1fan4 ta4 hsüeh2 Taipei 101 ( POJ: Tai-pak yat-leng-yat is a 101-floor Landmark Skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan The culture of Europe might better be described as a series of overlapping cultures

After the retreat to Taiwan, the Nationalists promoted an official interpretation of traditional Chinese culture over the local Taiwanese cultures. The government launched a program promoting Chinese calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting, folk art, and Chinese opera. The art of Calligraphy is widely practiced and revered in the East Asian Civilizations that use or used Chinese characters. Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world Chinese folk art are artistic forms inherited from a regional or ethnic scene in China. Chinese Opera ( Chinese: 戏曲/戲曲 Pinyin: xìqǔ is a popular form of Drama and Musical theatre in China with roots going back

Since the Taiwan localization movement of the 1990s, Taiwan's cultural identity has been allowed greater expression. Identity politics, along with the over one hundred years of political separation from mainland China has led to distinct traditions in many areas, including cuisine, opera, and music. Identity politics is Political action to advance the interests of members of a group whose members are oppressed by virtue of a shared and marginalized Identity (such Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Cuisines in Taiwan ( POJ: Tâi-oân liāu-lí have several variations Taiwanese (folk opera ( POJ: koa-á-hì; literally "song-drama" is the only form of Han traditional Drama known to have originated Taiwan is densely-populated and culturally diverse, including a majority of Han Chinese (including the Holo and Hakka peoples and significant

The status of Taiwanese culture is debated. It is disputed whether Taiwanese culture is part of Chinese culture or a distinct culture. Speaking Taiwanese as a symbol of the localization movement has become an emblem of Taiwanese identity.

One of Taiwan's greatest attractions is the National Palace Museum, which houses more than 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting and porcelain. The National Palace Museum ( is an art museum in Taipei City, Republic of China, in northern Taiwan. The KMT moved this collection from the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1949 when it fled to Taiwan. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial Palace from the mid- Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. The collection, estimated to be one-tenth of China's cultural treasures, is so extensive that only 1% is on display at any time.

Popular sports in Taiwan include basketball and baseball. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Cheerleading performances and billiards are quite fashionable. Cheerleading is a Sport that uses organized routines made from elements of Tumbling, Dance, jumps and stunting to direct spectators of events Badminton is also common. Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles or two opposing pairs (doubles who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court

Karaoke, drawn from contemporary Japanese culture, is extremely popular in Taiwan, where it is known as KTV. (kɑːrɑːˌoʊkɛ in Japanese karaoke) is a form of Entertainment in which Amateur Singers sing along with recorded Music (and/or a

Taiwan has a high density of 24-hour convenience stores, which in addition to the usual services, provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of parking fees, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments. A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. ^[27]

Taiwanese culture has also influenced other cultures. Bubble tea and milk tea are available in Australia, Europe and North America. Bubble tea, also called "Boba" tea, is a Tea beverage that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Ang Lee has directed critically acclaimed films such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Eat Drink Man Woman, Sense and Sensibility and Brokeback Mountain. Ang Lee ( (born October 23, 1954) is an Academy Award -winning Film director from Taiwan. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon ( is a Chinese-language Film in the Wuxia ( chivalric and martial arts) style Eat Drink Man Woman ( is a Taiwanese film directed by Ang Lee and stars Sihung Lung, Yu-wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu, Sense and Sensibility is a 1995 British Drama film directed by Ang Lee. Brokeback Mountain ( 2005) is a romantic - Drama film that depicts the complex romantic and sexual relationship between two men in the

Leading technologies

• Semiconductor device fabrication
• Biotechnology
• Bicycle manufacturing

See also

• List of basic Taiwan topics
• List of Taiwan-related articles
• List of Taiwan-related topics
• List of Taiwanese counties and cities by population
• Republic of China

References

Further reading

• Bush, R. & O'Hanlon, M. (2007). A War Like No Other: The Truth About China's Challenge to America. Wiley. ISBN 0471986771
• Bush, R. (2006). Untying the Knot: Making Peace in the Taiwan Strait. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815712901
• Carpenter, T. (2006). America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403968411
• Cole, B. (2006). Taiwan's Security: History and Prospects. Routledge. ISBN 0415365813
• Copper, J. (2006). Playing with Fire: The Looming War with China over Taiwan. Praeger Security International General Interest. ISBN 0275988880
• Federation of American Scientists et al. (2006). Chinese Nuclear Forces and U.S. Nuclear War Planning
• Gill, B. (2007). Rising Star: China's New Security Diplomacy. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815731469
• Shirk, S. (2007). China: Fragile Superpower: How China's Internal Politics Could Derail Its Peaceful Rise. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195306090
• Tsang, S. (2006). If China Attacks Taiwan: Military Strategy, Politics and Economics. Routledge. ISBN 0415407850
• Tucker, N. B. (2005). Dangerous Strait: the U. S. -Taiwan-China Crisis. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0231135645

External links

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese (

• Taiwan travel guide from Wikitravel
• Central Weather Bureau – local weather and earthquake reports
• Satellite view of Taiwan at WikiMapia
• Statistics of Taiwan