Taiwan

First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which then governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang, KMT) control after World War II. With the communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949, the Nationalist-controlled Republic of China government and 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and continued to claim to be the legitimate government for mainland China and Taiwan, based on a 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Until 1987, however, the Nationalist Government ruled Taiwan under a civil war martial law declaration dating to 1948. Beginning in the 1970s, Nationalist authorities gradually began to incorporate the native population into the governing structure beyond the local level. <br><br>The democratization process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, leading to the then-illegal founding of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan’s first opposition party, in 1986 and the lifting of martial law the following year. Taiwan held legislative elections in 1992, the first in over 40 years, and its first direct presidential election in 1996. In the 2000 presidential elections, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power with the KMT loss to the DPP and afterwards experienced two additional democratic transfers of power in 2008 and 2016. Throughout this period, the island prospered and turned into one of East Asia's economic "Tigers," becoming a major investor in mainland China after 2000 as cross-Strait ties matured. The dominant political issues continue to be economic reform and growth, as well as management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China.

Land

32,260 sq km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Kinmen islands

Total

35,980 sq km

Water

3,720 sq km

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

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

1,566.3 km

Asia

Highest point

Yu Shan 3,952 m

Lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

1,150 m

23 30 N, 121 00 E

strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

3,820 sq km (2012)

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

22% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

Forest

0% (2022 est.)

Other

78% (2022 est.)

No

Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/HgMKFQjNadF3Wa6B6

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/449220

Southeast Asia

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

earthquakes; typhoons <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is the only historically active volcano, but it has not erupted in centuries

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, asbestos, arable land

distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts

Eastern Asia

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

UTC+08:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

12.1% (male 1,472,059/female 1,391,031)

15-64 years

69% (male 8,132,356/female 8,155,582)

65 years and over

18.8% (2024 est.) (male 2,002,076/female 2,442,170)

7.22 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio

28.7 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.5 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

46.5 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

17.7 (2025 est.)

Han Chinese (including Holo, who compose approximately 70% of Taiwan's population, Hakka, and other groups originating in mainland China) more than 95%, indigenous Malayo-Polynesian peoples 2.3%

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> there are 16 officially recognized indigenous groups: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Hla'alua, Kanakaravu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami; Amis, Paiwan, and Atayal are the largest and account for roughly 70% of the indigenous population<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> although not definitive, the majority of current genetic, archeological, and linguistic data support the theory that Taiwan is the ultimate source for the spread of humans across the Pacific to Polynesia; the expansion (ca. 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1200) took place via the Philippines and eastern Indonesia and reached Fiji and Tonga by about 900 B.C.; from there voyagers spread across the rest of the Pacific islands over the next two millennia

0.54 (2025 est.)

Female

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Mandarin (official), Min Nan, Hakka dialects, approximately 16 indigenous languages

Major-language sample(s)

<br>世界概況  –  不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

1

Female

84.7 years

Male

78.6 years

Total population

81.6 years (2024 est.)

4.504 million New Taipei City, 2.754 million TAIPEI (capital), 2.319 million Taoyuan, 1.553 million Kaohsiung, 1.369 million Taichung, 863,000 Tainan (2023)

Female

45.5 years

Male

43.6 years

Total

45.1 years (2025 est.)

Adjective

Taiwan (or Taiwanese)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan

Noun

Taiwan (singular and plural)

1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Female

12,003,941

Male

11,596,835

Total

23,600,776 (2025 est.)

0.02% (2025 est.)

Buddhist 35.3%, Taoist 33.2%, Christian 3.9%, folk religion (includes Confucian) approximately 10%, none or unspecified 18.2% (2005 est.)

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

1.12 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

80.1% of total population (2023)

includes main island of Taiwan, plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (<em>xian</em>, singular and plural), 3 cities (<em>shi</em>, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan <br><br><strong>counties:</strong> Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlin <br><br><strong>cities:</strong> Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelung <br><br><strong>special municipalities:</strong> Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city)

note

<strong>note:</strong> Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems for names; a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, but the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names; other local authorities use different romanization systems

Etymology

the name means "Northern Taiwan," from the Chinese words <em>tai </em>(a short form of Taiwan) and <em>bei </em>(north), reflecting the city's position in the far north of the island

Geographic coordinates

25 02 N, 121 31 E

Name

Taipei

Time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

no

Citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Taiwan

Dual citizenship recognized

yes, except that citizens of Taiwan are not recognized as dual citizens of the People's Republic of China

Residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/tw.svg

Amendment process

proposed by at least one fourth of the Legislative Yuan membership; passage requires approval by at least three-fourths majority vote of at least three fourths of the Legislative Yuan membership and approval in a referendum by more than half of eligible voters

History

previous 1912, 1931; latest adopted 25 December 1946, promulgated 1 January 1947, effective 25 December 1947

alternative spellings

TW, Táiwān, Republic of China, 中華民國, Zhōnghuá Mínguó, Chinese Taipei

Conventional long form

none

Conventional short form

Taiwan

Etymology

the name may derive from the Chinese words <em>tai </em>(terrace) and <em>wan </em>(bay), referring to the island's terrain; in 1590, the Portuguese named it Formosa, meaning "beautiful"

FIFA code

TPE

Former

Formosa

Local long form

none

local long form (zho)

中華民國

Local short form

Taiwan

Branch office(s)

American Institute in Taiwan<br>No. 100, Jinhu Road,<br>Neihu District 11461, Taipei City

Chief of mission

the US does not have an embassy in Taiwan; commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts; it is managed by Director Raymond F. GREENE (since 8 July 2024)

Email address and website

TaipeiACS@state.gov<br><br>https://www.ait.org.tw/

FAX

[886] 2-2162-2251

Mailing address

4170 AIT Taipei Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-4170

Other offices

Kaohsiung (Branch Office)

Telephone

[886] 2-2162-2000

Chief of mission

none

Note

<strong>Note</strong>:  commercial and cultural relations with its citizens in the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts, represented by Ambassador Alexander YUI (since 11 December 2023); office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016; telephone: [1] (202) 895-1800; fax: [1] (202) 363-0999

Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices)

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver (CO), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC

Cabinet

Executive Yuan; ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier

Chief of state

President LAI Ching-te (since 20 May 2024)

Election results

<em><br>2024: </em>LAI Ching-te elected president; percent of vote<em><em> - </em></em>LAI Ching-te (DPP) 40.1%, HOU Yu-ih (KMT) 33.5%, KO Wen-je (TPP) 26.5%)<em><br><br>2020: </em>TSAI Ing-wen reelected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 57.1%, HAN Kuo-yu (KMT) 38.6%, James SOONG (PFP) 4.3%

Election/appointment process

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier

Expected date of next election

2028

Head of government

Premier CHO Jung-tai (President of the Executive Yuan) (since 20 May 2024)

Most recent election date

13 January 2024

<strong>description:</strong> red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper-left corner, bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> blue stands for liberty, justice, and democracy; red for fraternity, sacrifice, and nationalism; white for equality, frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays represent the months of the year and the traditional Chinese hours (each ray equals two hours)<br><br><strong>history:</strong> the blue-and-white design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to 1895

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flag of Samoa

The flag of Taiwan has a red field with a dark blue rectangle in the canton, bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/tw.svg

semi-presidential republic

No

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

ADB (Chinese Taipei), APEC (Chinese Taipei), BCIE, CABEI, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), SICA (observer), WTO (Chinese Taipei)

note

<strong>note:</strong> separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 100 judges organized into civil and criminal panels, each with a chief justice and 4 associate justices); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 13 justices)

Judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court justices appointed for life by the president; Constitutional Court justices appointed by the president, with approval of the Legislative Yuan, for 8-year terms, with half the membership renewed every 4 years

Subordinate courts

high courts; district courts; hierarchy of administrative courts

civil law system

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

January 2028

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Legislative Yuan

Most recent election date

13 January 2024

Number of seats

113 (directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Kuomintang (KMT) 52, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 51, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) 8, independent 2

Percentage of women in chamber

41.6%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

blue, white, red

Republic Day (National Day), 10 October (1911)

note

<strong>note:</strong> celebrates the anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, also known as Double Ten (10-10) Day

white sun with 12 rays on a blue field

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP <br>Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) <br>Taiwan People's Party or TPP

note

<strong>note:</strong> the DPP and the KMT are the two major political parties; more than 30 parties garnered votes in the 2024 election

Monday

20 years of age; universal

No

rice, vegetables, pork, chicken, cabbages, milk, sugarcane, tropical fruits, pineapples, eggs (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

13.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$105.833 billion (2019 est.)

Revenues

$94.943 billion (2019 est.)

code

TWD

name

New Taiwan dollar (TWD) [$]

Current account balance 2021

$118.298 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$101.032 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$105.076 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income East Asian economy; most technologically advanced computer microchip manufacturing; increasing Chinese interference threatens market capabilities; minimum wages rising; longstanding regional socioeconomic inequality

Currency

New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

28.211 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

28.022 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

29.777 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

31.15 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

32.108 (2024 est.)

Exports 2021

$446.371 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$479.415 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$432.432 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> figures complied according to the General Trade System - exports of goods and services in current dollars

integrated circuits, machine parts, broadcasting equipment, computers, plastics (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 20%, USA 17%, Hong Kong 13%, Singapore 9%, Japan 7% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports of goods and services

64% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

13.3% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

48.3% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-49.1% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

23.7% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

-0.6% (2023 est.)

$611.391 billion (2023 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

33.9 (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Imports 2021

$381.958 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$428.083 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$351.441 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> figures complied according to the General Trade System - imports of goods and services in current dollars

integrated circuits, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, coal (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 21%, Japan 13%, USA 11%, S. Korea 9%, Australia 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

electronics, communications and information technology products, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.9% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> annual % change based on consumer prices

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data for central government

Public debt 2017

35.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.512 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.664 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.743 trillion (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.62% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.59% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.28% (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data are in current dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$32,900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$32,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$32,300 (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

3.7% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Consumption

64.609 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

47,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

58.15 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

5.212 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

1 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

270.648 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

64.535 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

7.907 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Biomass and waste

1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

84.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Hydroelectricity

1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear

6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar

4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

206.102 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

27.222 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports

26.997 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

60.761 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

6.23 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

0.94GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

5 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

1 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

6.9% (2023 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

2.38 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

954,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

800 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2019 est.)

Total

5,831,470 (2019 est.)

5 national TV networks with about 22 stations; over 300 satellite TV channels available; about half of households use multi-channel cable TV; almost all subscribe to digital cable TV; national and regional radio networks with about 171 radio stations (2023)

.tw

Percent of population

90% (2021 est.)

#####

+886

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

43 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

10 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

128 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

29.8 million (2024 est.)

57 (2025)

B

Right

56 (2025)

By type

bulk carrier 29, container ship 53, general cargo 58, oil tanker 35, other 290

Total

465 (2023)

Key ports

Chi-Lung, Hua-Lien Kang, Kao-Hsiung, Su-Ao

Large

1

Medium

3

Ports with oil terminals

8

Small

2

Total ports

8 (2024)

Very small

2

Narrow gauge

1,118.1 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (793.9 km electrified)

Note

150 0.762-m gauge <strong>note:</strong> the 0.762-gauge track belongs to three entities: the Forestry Bureau, Taiwan Cement, and TaiPower

Standard gauge

345 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (345 km electrified)

Total

1,613.1 km (2018)

RC

the military&rsquo;s primary responsibility is external security, including the defense and protection of the country&rsquo;s air space, maritime claims, sea lines of communications, sovereignty, and territory; its main focus is the challenge posed by the People&rsquo;s Republic of China (2025)

Taiwan Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Information Communication and Electronic Force (ICEF)<br><br>Ocean Affairs Council: Coast Guard Administration (CGA)<br><br>Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025)

note

<strong>note: </strong>the CGA is a law enforcement organization with homeland security functions during peacetime and national defense missions during wartime

approximately 170,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)

the military's inventory is a mix of domestically produced and foreign-supplied armaments, mostly from the US either as secondhand or direct acquisitions; Taiwan's domestic defense industry produces weapons systems such as aircraft, armored vehicles, missiles, and naval platforms (2025)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

men 18-36 years of age may volunteer or must complete 12 months of compulsory military service; civil service can be substituted for military service in some cases; women can volunteer (2025)

note

<strong>note: </strong>in January 2024, Taiwan extended compulsory service from 4 to 12 months for men born in 2005 and thereafter

USG identification

<br>major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

IDPs

380 (2024 est.)

1997 - launched first sounding rocket<br><br>1999 - first scientific satellite (FORMOSAT-1) built and launched by the US<br><br>2004 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (FORMOSAT-2) built by France and launched by US<br><br>2017 - first domestically built RS satellite (FORMOSAT-5) launched by US <br><br>2021 - initiated development of a commercial 3-stage, hybrid-engine rocket (Hapith-5)<br><br>2023 - first domestically made RS/meteorological satellite (FormoSat-7R/Triton) launched on European rocket

Taiwan Space Agency (TASA; renamed and reorganized in 2023 from the former National Space Program Organization or NSPO, which was established in 1991) (2025)

sounding rockets launched from Jui Peng Air Base (Pingtung); has announced intentions to build a future national space port on the southeast coast (Pingtung) (2025)

has had a national space program since the early 1990s, with a focus on acquiring satellites and developing independent space capabilities, such as rocket manufacturing and satellite launch services; manufactures and operates satellites and sounding rockets; researching and developing other space technologies, including remote sensing, telecommunications, small satellites, satellite payloads and ground station components, spacecraft components, navigational control, and rocket propulsion systems; has bilateral relations with the space programs of France, India, Japan, Paraguay, Poland, the UK, and the US; has a commercial space industry that provides components and expertise for the Taiwan Space Agency and is independently developing satellites and a small satellite launch vehicle; the government passed a space promotion act in 2021 to encourage private investment in the space industry (2025)

From coal and metallurgical coke

140.734 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

56.361 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

92.014 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

289.109 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

67 cubic meters (2011)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

7.336 million tons (2015 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

13.8% (2022 est.)