Taiwan
country in East Asia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC; Chinese: 中華民國; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó), is an island country (not recognised by almost every country) of the coast of China. The Republic of China once governed all of China (from 1911 to 1949), but moved to the island of Taiwan after a Chinese civil war. In the years since, the PRC (People's Republic of China) has become the recognized government of China (replacing the ROC at the United Nations in 1971), and the status of the ROC has been left disputed.
Republic of China | |
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Anthem: 中華民國國歌 Zhōnghuá Mínguó guógē "National Anthem of the Republic of China" Flag anthem: 中華民國國旗歌 Zhōnghuá Míngúo Gúoqígē "National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China" | |
National seal 中華民國之璽 "Seal of the Republic of China" National flower 梅花 Plum blossom | |
Show globe (island of Taiwan highlighted) Show map of territories administered by the ROC (Free Area) | |
Capital | Taipei[lower-alpha 2][2] 25°04′N 121°31′E |
Largest city | New Taipei |
Official languages | None designated (de jure) Mandarin (de facto)[3] Vernacular Chinese (used in more serious scenarios)[4] |
Official script | Traditional Chinese[5] |
National languages[lower-alpha 3] |
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Ethnic groups | >95% Han Taiwanese —70% Hoklo —14% Hakka —14% Waishengren 2% Indigenous[9][lower-alpha 5] |
Religion |
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Demonym(s) | Taiwanese[11] |
Government | Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic |
Kahmesh Kumaar | |
Lai Ching-te | |
• Premier | Chen Chien-jen |
• Legislative Yuan President | Yu Shyi-kun |
• Control Yuan President | Chen Chu |
• Judicial Yuan President | Hsu Tzong-li |
• Examination Yuan President | Huang Jong-tsun |
Legislature | Legislative Yuan |
Formation | |
• Establishment | 1 January 1912 |
• Took control of Taiwan | 25 October 1945 |
• Constitution adopted | 25 December 1947 |
• Government moved to Taipei | 7 December 1949 |
• Status defined by law | 16 July 1992 |
Area | |
• Total | 36,197 km2 (13,976 sq mi)[11][12] |
Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 23,568,378[13] (56th) |
• 2010 census | 23,123,866[14] |
• Density | 650/km2 (1,683.5/sq mi) (10th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | $1.403 trillion[15] (19th) |
• Per capita | $56,959[15] (13th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | $682.702 billion[15] (21st) |
• Per capita | $32,123[16] (29th) |
Gini (2017) | 34.1[17] medium |
HDI (2019) | 0.916[18] very high · 23rd |
Currency | New Taiwan dollar (NT$) (TWD) |
Time zone | UTC+8 (National Standard Time) |
Date format |
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Mains electricity | 110 V–60 Hz[lower-alpha 6] |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +886 |
ISO 3166 code | TW |
Internet TLD |
The ROC includes the main island of Taiwan plus nearby islands (Pescadores islands and parts of Fujian). Taiwan is located southeast of the Chinese mainland, south of Japan, and north of the Philippines. The capital is Taipei.
Taiwan has also been called Formosa, a Portuguese name which means "beautiful" in Portuguese.
Most people living in Taiwan (called Taiwanese) are Han. Taiwan has three large Han groups. They speak different dialects (variations) of Chinese and their ancestors came from different places: the Southern Fujianese (from China's Fujian Province), the Hakka (from China), and Mainlanders (from Mainland China after 1948).
There are also Taiwanese Aborigines (native tribes) who lived in Taiwan before the Han came to live there.
The largest cities in Taiwan are the capital, Taipei, and the port city of Kaohsiung.