Taiwan

Administrative divisions

the authorities 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); 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; note--Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

Capital

Taipei

Constitution

25 December 1947, presently undergoing revision

Diplomatic representation

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 10 other US cities with all addresses and telephone numbers NA; US--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, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, 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

Executive branch

president, vice president, premier of the Executive Yuan, vice premier of the Executive Yuan, Executive Yuan

Flag

red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Judicial branch

Judicial Yuan Chief of State--President LI Teng-hui (since 13 January 1988); Vice President LI Yuan-zu (since 20 May 1990); Head of Government--Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) HAO Po-ts'un (since 2 May 1990); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) SHIH Ch'i-yang (since NA July 1988) Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Socialist Party and Young China Party controlled by Kuomintang; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP); Labor Party; 27 other minor parties

Legal system

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Yuan

Long-form name

none

Member of

expelled from UN General Assembly and Security Council on 25 October 1971 and withdrew on same date from other charter-designated subsidiary organs; expelled from IMF/World Bank group April/May 1980; seeking to join GATT; attempting to retain membership in INTELSAT; suspended from IAEA in 1972, but still allows IAEA controls over extensive atomic development; AsDB, ICC, ICFTU, IOC

National holiday

National Day (Anniversary of the Revolution), 10 October (1911)

Suffrage

universal at age 20 President--last held 21 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results--President LI Teng-hui was reelected by the National Assembly; Vice President--last held 21 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results--LI Yuan-zu was elected by the National Assembly; Legislative Yuan--last held 2 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results--KMT 65%, DPP 33%, independents 2%; seats--(304 total, 102 elected) KMT 78, DPP 21, independents 3; National Assembly:--originally elected in November 1947 (last supplementary election in December 1986; Assembly will be completely reelected in December 1991)

Type

one-party presidential regime; opposition political parties legalized in March, 1989

Airports

38 total, 37 usable; 33 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways over 3,659 m; 16 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Highways

20,041 km total; 17,095 km bituminous or concrete, 2,371 km crushed stone or gravel, 575 km graded earth

Merchant marine

226 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,557,167 GRT/9,153,646 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 52 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo, 75 container, 15 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 62 bulk

Pipelines

615 km refined products, 97 km natural gas

Ports

Kao-hsiung, Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Su-ao, T'ai-tung

Railroads

about 4,600 km total track with 1,075 km common carrier lines and 3,525 km industrial lines; common carrier lines consist of the 1.067-meter gauge 708 km West Line and the 367 km East Line; a 98.25 km South Link Line connection is under construction; common carrier lines owned by the government and operated by the Railway Administration under Ministry of Communications; industrial lines owned and operated by government enterprises

Telecommunications

best developed system in Asia outside of Japan; 7,800,000 telephones; extensive microwave transmission links on east and west coasts; stations--91 AM, 23 FM, 15 TV (13 relays); 8,620,000 radios; 6,386,000 TVs (5,680,000 color, 706,000 monochrome); earth stations--1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; submarine cable links to Japan (Okinawa), the Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Branches

Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, Taiwan Garrison Command, Ministry of National Defense

Defense expenditures

$9.10 billion, 4.5% of GDP (FY91) Appendix A: The United Nations System The UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows: 1) Secretariat 2) General Assembly: UNCHS United Nations Center for Human Settlements (Habitat) UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDP United Nations Development Program UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNHCR United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNSF United Nations Special Fund UNU United Nations University WFC World Food Council WFP World Food Program 3) Security Council: UNAVEM United Nations Angola Verification Mission UNDOF United Nations Disengagement Observer Force UNFICYP United Nations Force in Cyprus UNIFIL United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIIMOG United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group UNMOGIP United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan UNTSO United Nations Truce Supervision Organization 4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Specialized agencies FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization IDA International Development Association IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IFC International Finance Corporation ILO International Labor Organization IMF International Monetary Fund IMO International Maritime Organization ITU International Telecommunication Union UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization UPU Universal Postal Union WHO World Health Organization WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization WMO World Meteorological Organization Related organizations GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency Regional commissions ECA Economic Commission for Africa ECE Economic Commission for Europe ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia Functional commissions Commission on Human Rights Commission on Narcotic Drugs Commission for Social Development Commission on the Status of Women Population Commission Statistical Commission 5) Trusteeship Council 6) International Court of Justice (ICJ) ========================================================================= Appendix B: Abbreviations for International Organizations and Groups ABEDA Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa ACC Arab Cooperation Council ACCT Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation ACP African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries AfDB African Development Bank AFESD Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development AG Andean Group AL Arab League ALADI Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion; see Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) AMF Arab Monetary Fund AMU Arab Maghreb Union ANZUS Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation AsDB Asian Development Bank ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations BAD Banque Africaine de Developpement; see African Development Bank (AfDB) BADEA Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique; see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA) BCIE Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico; see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) BDEAC Banque de Developpment des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale; see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC) Benelux Benelux Economic Union BID Banco Interamericano de Desarvollo; see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) BIS Bank for International Settlements BOAD Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement; see West African Development Bank (WADB) C Commonwealth CACM Central American Common Market CAEU Council of Arab Economic Unity CARICOM Caribbean Community and Common Market CCC Customs Cooperation Council CDB Caribbean Development Bank CE Council of Europe CEAO Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest; see West African Economic Community (CEAO) CEEAC Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale; see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) CEMA Council for Mutual Economic Assistance; also known as CMEA or Comecon; abolished 1 January 1991 CEPGL Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs; see Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) CERN Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire; see European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) CG Contadora Group CMEA Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA); also known as Comecon; abolished 1 January 1991 COCOM Coordinating Committee on Export Controls Comecon Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA); also known as CMEA; abolished 1 January 1991 CP Colombo Plan CSCE Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe DC developed country EADB East African Development Bank EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EC European Community ECA Economic Commission for Africa ECAFE Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East; see Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) ECE Economic Commission for Europe ECLA Economic Commission for Latin America; see Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ECOSOC Economic and Social Council ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States ECWA Economic Commission for Western Asia; see Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) EFTA European Free Trade Association EIB European Investment Bank Entente Council of the Entente ESA European Space Agency ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FLS Front Line States FZ Franc Zone G-2 Group of 2 G-3 Group of 3 G-5 Group of 5 G-6 Group of 6 (not to be confused with the Big Six) G-7 Group of 7 G-8 Group of 8 G-9 Group of 9 G-10 Group of 10 G-11 Group of 11 G-19 Group of 19 G-24 Group of 24 G-30 Group of 30 G-33 Group of 33 G-77 Group of 77 GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GCC Gulf Cooperation Council Habitat see United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS) IADB Inter-American Development Bank IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency IBEC International Bank for Economic Cooperation IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization ICC International Chamber of Commerce ICEM Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration; see International Organization for Migration (IOM) ICFTU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ICJ International Court of Justice ICM Intergovernmental Committee for Migration; see International Organization for Migration (IOM) ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDA International Development Association IDB Islamic Development Bank IEA International Energy Agency IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IFC International Finance Corporation IGADD Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development IIB International Investment Bank ILO International Labor Organization IMCO Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization; see International Maritime Organization (IMO) IMF International Monetary Fund IMO International Maritime Organization INMARSAT International Maritime Satellite Organization INTELSAT International Telecommunications Satellite Organization INTERPOL International Criminal Police Organization IOC International Olympic Committee IOM International Organization for Migration ISO International Organization for Standardization ITU International Telecommunication Union LAES Latin American Economic System LAIA Latin American Integration Association LAS League of Arab States; see Arab League (AL) LDC less developed country LLDC least developed country LORCS League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies NAM Nonaligned Movement NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NC Nordic Council NEA Nuclear Energy Agency NIB Nordic Investment Bank NIC newly industrializing country; see newly industrializing economy (NIE) NIE newly industrializing economy OAPEC Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries OAS Organization of American States OAU Organization of African Unity OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States OIC Organization of the Islamic Conference OPANAL Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration RG Rio Group SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SACU Southern African Customs Union SADCC Southern African Development Coordination Conference SELA Sistema Economico Latinoamericana; see Latin American Economic System (LAES) SPC South Pacific Commission SPF South Pacific Forum UDEAC Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale; see Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) UN United Nations UNAVEM United Nations Angola Verification Mission UNCHS United National Center for Human Settlements (also known as Habitat) UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDOF United Nations Disengagement Observer Force UNDP United Nations Development Program UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNFICYP United Nations Force in Cyprus UNFPA United Nations Fund for Population Activities; see UN Population Fund (UNFPA) UNHCR United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund; see United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIFIL United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIIMOG United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group UNMOGIP United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNTSO United Nations Truce Supervision Organization UPU Universal Postal Union USSR/EE USSR/Eastern Europe WADB West African Development Bank WCL World Confederation of Labor WEU Western European Union WFC World Food Council WFP World Food Program WFTU World Federation of Trade Unions WHO World Health Organization WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization WMO World Meteorological Organization WP Warsaw Pact (members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance) WTO World Tourism Organization note: not all international organizations and groups have abbreviations ========================================================================= Appendix C: International Organizations and Groups ------------------------------------------------------------------------- developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- established--1 April 1976; aim--members have a preferential economic and aid relationship with the EC; members--(66) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Developpement (BAD); established--4 August 1963; aim--to promote economic and social development; regional members--(50) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe; nonregional members--(25) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US, Yugoslavia ------------------------------------------------------------------------- for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- from Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique; established--21 March 1970; aim--to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French-speaking countries; members--(30) Belgium, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mali, Mauritius, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zaire; associate members--(7) Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Mauritania, Morocco, Saint Lucia; participating governments--(2) New Brunswick (Canada), Quebec (Canada) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Caribbean (OPANAL)--acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL); established--14 February 1967; aim--to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons; members--(25) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela;

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 5,874,345; 4,577,294 fit for military service; about 187,807 currently reach military age (19) annually

Agriculture

accounts for 4% of GNP and 16% of labor force (includes part-time farmers); heavily subsidized sector; major crops--vegetables, rice, fruit, tea; livestock--hogs, poultry, beef, milk, cattle; not self-sufficient in wheat, soybeans, corn; fish catch increasing, 1.4 million metric tons (1988)

Budget

revenues $30.3 billion; expenditures $30.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.)

Currency

New Taiwan dollar (plural--dollars); 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

US, including Ex-Im (FY46-82), $4.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $445 million

Electricity

17,000,000 kW capacity; 68,000 million kWh produced, 3,310 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates

New Taiwan dollars per US$1--27.2 (January 1991), 27.243 (November 1990), 26.407 (1989), 28.589 (1988), 31.845 (1987), 37.838 (1986), 39.849 (1985)

Exports

$67.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--textiles 15.6%, electrical machinery 18.2%, general machinery and equipment 14.8%, basic metals and metal products 7.8%, foodstuffs 1.7%, plywood and wood products 1.6% (1989); partners--US 36.2%, Japan 13.7% (1989)

External debt

$1.1 billion (December 1990 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

GNP

$150.8 billion, per capita $7,380; real growth rate 5.2% (1990)

Imports

$54.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--machinery and equipment 15.3%, crude oil 5%, chemical and chemical products 11.1%, basic metals 13.0%, foodstuffs 2.2% (1989); partners--Japan 31%, US 23%, FRG 5% (1989)

Industrial production

growth rate 4.7% (1990 est.)

Industries

electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (1990)

Overview

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 GNP has averaged about 9% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Agriculture contributes about 4% to GNP, 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.

Unemployment rate

1.7% (1990)

Climate

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Coastline

1,448 km Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Comparative area

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Disputes

involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan

Environment

subject to earthquakes and typhoons

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 24%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 55%; other 15%; irrigated 14%

Natural resources

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

Terrain

eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Total area

35,980 km2; land area: 32,260 km2; includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Birth rate

16 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate

5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic divisions

Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Infant mortality rate

6 deaths/1,000 live births (19901

Labor force

7,900,000; industry and commerce 53%, services 22%, agriculture 15.6%, civil administration 7% (1989)

Language

Mandarin Chinese (official); Taiwanese and Hakka dialects also used

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 78 years female (1991)

Literacy

91.2% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Nationality

noun--Chinese (sing., pl.); adjective--Chinese

Net migration rate

NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor

1,300,000 or about 18.4% (government controlled) (1983)

Population

20,658,702 (July 1991), growth rate 1.1% (1991)

Religion

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

Total fertility rate

1.8 children born/woman (1991)