T'ai-wan / Táiwān 台灣

Republic of China: Chung Hua Min Kuo / Zhōng Huá Mín Guó 中華民國

A tobacco-leaf shaped subtropical island in southeast Asia, about 150 km (90 miles) off the southeastern coast of China. The majority of the population is native Taiwanese who have dwelt there since there ancestors migrated from Fujian Province many years ago; these are generally at least bilingual, speaking Taiwanese and Mandarin fluently from childhood. A smaller percentage are mainlanders and their children who came over with Chiang Kai-shek when the KMT was forced to leave mainland China. These are both ethnic Chinese. Ethnic Chinese Hakka people and aboriginal people (ethnically believed to be Polynesian/Malaysian) make up the remainder. In all, there are at least 20 languages frequently spoken in Taiwan (the various surviving aboriginal tongues (increasingly rare as the aboriginal peoples are gradually being acculturated, several are already extinct), Taiwanese (highly related to the Fujian dialect), Mandarin (the official language), Japanese (rare, surviving from Japanese occupation when that was the language of education), Hakka, and English (for internationalization).

Primary religion is an amalgamation of Buddhism, Taoism, folk religion, and Confucian philosophy. There is a small but significant Christian minority.

Politically, Taiwan has had two primary parties, the KMT (Kuo Min Tang/Guómíndǎng 國民黨) nationalist party and the opposing DPP (Democratic Progressive Party), traditionally pro-independence. The KMT lost control of government to the DPP after former Taipei mayor Chen Hsui-bian (陳水扁) won the 2000 election. Another party that has arisen is the New Party. Although functionally autonomous with democratic elections, Taiwan is politically gray as far as status is concerned. Most of Taiwan's people possess a strong Chinese identity but are deeply split over the issue of independence. Most of the world does not recognize Taiwan as separate from China and thus it has been kicked from the WTO (though it is finally poised for reentry) and other organizations, and there is no American embassy in Taiwan (the American Institute in Taiwan is an ad hoc replacement).

Manufacturing is one of Taiwan's biggest industries. Semiconductors, electronics, plastics, paper, marble, agriculture (rice being the staple), and tourism are various big industries.

Taiwan has a population of approximately 25 million and is highly urban and developed. Big cities include Taipei 台北 (capital), Kaohsiung, and Taichung 台中. Taiwan has a wide western coastal plain, a much narrower eastern coastal plain, and a large range of high mountains in the middle. Southernmost Kenting on the "stem" of the tobacco leaf, with its beaches and sunny weather, is a popular vacation location.