Topic: Photos of Tajikistan

Topic: Introduction
Background: The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (known as "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but in 1929 the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd Province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997. Though the country holds general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and legislature (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, with results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1992 during the civil war and was first elected president in 1994, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition political party in Tajikistan. In December 2015, RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared "Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation," with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which made RAHMON's first-born son Rustam EMOMALI, the mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. In April 2020, RAHMON orchestrated EMOMALI's selection as chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan's senate), positioning EMOMALI as next in line of succession for the presidency. RAHMON opted to run in the presidential election in October 2020 and received 91% of the vote.

The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers working in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, and the opiate trade and other destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and residents and informal leaders in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists with vehicles and knives, killing four.    The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (known as "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but in 1929 the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd Province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997.Though the country holds general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and legislature (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, with results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1992 during the civil war and was first elected president in 1994, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition political party in Tajikistan. In December 2015, RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared "Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation," with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which made RAHMON's first-born son Rustam EMOMALI, the mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. In April 2020, RAHMON orchestrated EMOMALI's selection as chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan's senate), positioning EMOMALI as next in line of succession for the presidency. RAHMON opted to run in the presidential election in October 2020 and received 91% of the vote.

The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers working in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, and the opiate trade and other destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and residents and informal leaders in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists with vehicles and knives, killing four.  Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 144,100 sq km

land: 141,510 sq km

water: 2,590 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: total: 4,130 km

border countries (4): Afghanistan 1,357 km; China 477 km; Kyrgyzstan 984 km; Uzbekistan 1,312 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Terrain: mountainous region dominated by the Alay Mountains in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofirnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Elevation: highest point: Qullai Somoniyon 7,495 m

lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m

mean elevation: 3,186 m
Natural resources: hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
Land use: agricultural land: 34.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 27.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 2.9% (2018 est.)

other: 62.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 7,420 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river source (shared with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Population distribution: the country's population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as much as 90% of the people living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west
Natural hazards: earthquakes; floods
Geography - note: landlocked; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR
Map description: Tajikistan map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.Tajikistan map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 9,119,347 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s)

adjective: Tajikistani
Ethnic groups: Tajik 84.3% (includes Pamiri and Yagnobi), Uzbek 13.8%, other 2% (includes Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkmen, Tatar, Arab) (2014 est.)
Languages: Tajik (official) 84.4%, Uzbek 11.9%, Kyrgyz 0.8%, Russian 0.5%, other 2.4% (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Китоби Фактҳои Ҷаҳонӣ, манбаи бебадали маълумоти асосӣ (Tajik)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: Russian widely used in government and business
Religions: Muslim 98% (Sunni 95%, Shia 3%) other 2% (2014 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.43% (male 1,420,271/female 1,368,445)

15-24 years: 18.13% (male 816,658/female 792,231)

25-54 years: 40.58% (male 1,789,271/female 1,811,566)

55-64 years: 6.23% (male 253,862/female 299,378)

65 years and over: 3.63% (2020 est.) (male 132,831/female 189,156)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 67.9

youth dependency ratio: 62.6

elderly dependency ratio: 5.3

potential support ratio: 18.7 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 25.3 years

male: 24.6 years

female: 26 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.4% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 20.73 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: the country's population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as much as 90% of the people living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west
Urbanization: urban population: 28% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 962,000 DUSHANBE (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23.2 years (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 32.33 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 37.03 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 27.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.36 years

male: 66.2 years

female: 72.69 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.45 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 29.3% (2017)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 96.5% of population

rural: 79.9% of population

total: 84.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.5% of population

rural: 20.1% of population

total: 15.6% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 7.1% (2019)
Physicians density: 1.72 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density: 4.7 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 98.9% of population

rural: 99.6% of population

total: 99.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population

rural: 0.4% of population

total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 14,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <500
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Asia; Tajikistan is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 14.2% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 7.6% (2017)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0.1%

women married by age 18: 8.7% (2017 est.)
Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2013)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: areas of high air pollution from motor vehicles and industry; water pollution from agricultural runoff and disposal of untreated industrial waste and sewage; poor management of water resources; soil erosion; increasing levels of soil salinity
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 40.05 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 5.31 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.87 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Land use: agricultural land: 34.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 27.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 2.9% (2018 est.)

other: 62.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 28% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 1.12% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.54% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Asia; Tajikistan is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,787,400 tons (2013 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km): Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river source (shared with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 647 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 407.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 10.44 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 21.91 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form: Tajikistan

local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form: Tojikiston

former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology: the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Tajikistan literally means "Land of the Tajik [people]"
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Dushanbe

geographic coordinates: 38 33 N, 68 46 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: today's city was originally at the crossroads where a large bazaar occurred on Mondays, hence the name Dushanbe, which in Persian means Monday, i.e., the second day (du) after Saturday (shambe)
Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor), 1 capital region** (viloyati poytakht), and 1 area referred to as Districts Under Republic Administration***; Dushanbe**, Khatlon (Bokhtar), Kuhistoni Badakhshon [Gorno-Badakhshan]* (Khorugh), Nohiyahoi Tobei Jumhuri***, Sughd (Khujand)

note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Independence: 9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan’s form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended; amended 1999, 2003, 2016
Legal system: civil law system
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tajikistan

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years or 3 years of continuous residence prior to application
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly Chairman since 19 November 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly

elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term for a maximum of two terms; however, as the "Leader of the Nation" President RAHMON can run an unlimited number of times; election last held on 11 October 2020 (next to be held in 2027); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: 2020: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 92.1%, Rustam LATIFZODA 3.1%, and other 4.8%

2013: Emomali RAHMOND reelected president; percent of vote 84%, Ismoil TALBAKOV 5%, other 11%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of:
National Assembly or Majlisi Milli (34 seats; 25 members indirectly elected by local representative assemblies or majlisi, 8 appointed by the president, and 1 reserved for each living former president; members serve 5-year terms)
Assembly of Representatives or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by 2-round absolute majority vote and 22 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:
National Assembly - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Assembly of Representatives - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 28, women 6, percent of women 17.6%
Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 50.4%, PERT 16.6%, APT 16.5%, SPT 5.2%, DPT 5.1%, CPT 3.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - PDPT 47, APT 7, PERT 5, CPT 2, SPT 1, DPT 1; composition - men 48, women 15, percent of women 23.8%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 21.6%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairmen, and 34 judges organized into civil, family, criminal, administrative offense, and military chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of the court chairman, deputy chairman, and 5 judges); High Economic Court (consists of 16 judicial positions)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Economic Court judges nominated by the president and approved by the National Assembly; judges of all 3 courts appointed for 10-year renewable terms with no term limits, but the last appointment must occur before the age of 65

subordinate courts: regional and district courts; Dushanbe City Court; viloyat (province level) courts; Court of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region
Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Rustam LATIFZODA]
Communist Party of Tajikistan or CPT [Miroj ABDULLOEV]
Democratic Party of Tajikistan or DPT [Saidjafar USMONZODA]
Party of Economic Reform of Tajikistan or PERT [Rustam RAHMATZODA]
People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]
Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan or SDPT [Qiyomiddin AZIZOV]
Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFORZODA]
International organization participation: ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Farrukh HAMRALIZODA (since 17 February 2021)

chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090; [1] (202) 223-2666

FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

email address and website:
tajemus@mfa.tj; tajikistan@verizon.net

https://mfa.tj/en/washington
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Mark POMMERSHEIM (since 15 March 2019)

embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue (Zarafshon district), Dushanbe 734019

mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Washington DC  20521-7090

telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00

FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50

email address and website:
DushanbeConsular@state.gov

https://tj.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe; red represents the sun, victory, and the unity of the nation, white stands for purity, cotton, and mountain snows, while green is the color of Islam and the bounty of nature; the crown symbolizes the Tajik people; the seven stars signify the Tajik magic number "seven" - a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness
National symbol(s): crown surmounted by an arc of seven, five-pointed stars; snow leopard; national colors: red, white, green
National anthem: name: "Surudi milli" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Gulnazar KELDI/Sulaimon YUDAKOV

note: adopted 1991; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan kept the music of the anthem from its time as a Soviet republic but adopted new lyrics
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Proto-urban Site of Sarazm (c); Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs) (n)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Tajikistan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, metals processing, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, antimony, tungsten, and coal. Industry consists mainly of small obsolete factories in food processing and light industry, substantial hydropower facilities, and a large aluminum plant - currently operating well below its capacity. The 1992-97 civil war severely damaged an already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Today, Tajikistan is the poorest among the former Soviet republics. Because less than 7% of the land area is arable and cotton is the predominant crop, Tajikistan imports approximately 70% of its food.   Since the end of the civil war, the country has pursued half-hearted reforms and privatizations in the economic sphere, but its poor business climate remains a hindrance to attracting foreign investment. Some experts estimate the value of narcotics transiting Tajikistan is equivalent to 30%-50% of GDP.   Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, more than one million Tajik citizens work abroad - roughly 90% in Russia - supporting families back home through remittances that in 2017 were equivalent to nearly 35% of GDP. Tajikistan’s large remittances from migrant workers in Russia exposes it to monetary shocks. Tajikistan often delays devaluation of its currency for fear of inflationary pressures on food and other consumables. Recent slowdowns in the Russian and Chinese economies, low commodity prices, and currency fluctuations have hampered economic growth. The dollar value of remittances from Russia to Tajikistan dropped by almost 65% in 2015, and the government spent almost $500 million in 2016 to bail out the country’s still troubled banking sector.   Tajikistan’s growing public debt – currently about 50% of GDP – could result in financial difficulties. Remittances from Russia increased in 2017, however, bolstering the economy somewhat. China owns about 50% of Tajikistan’s outstanding debt. Tajikistan has borrowed heavily to finance investment in the country’s vast hydropower potential. In 2016, Tajikistan contracted with the Italian firm Salini Impregilo to build the Roghun dam over a 13-year period for $3.9 billion. A 2017 Eurobond has largely funded Roghun’s first phase, after which sales from Roghun’s output are expected to fund the rest of its construction. The government has not ruled out issuing another Eurobond to generate auxiliary funding for its second phase.Tajikistan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, metals processing, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, antimony, tungsten, and coal. Industry consists mainly of small obsolete factories in food processing and light industry, substantial hydropower facilities, and a large aluminum plant - currently operating well below its capacity. The 1992-97 civil war severely damaged an already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Today, Tajikistan is the poorest among the former Soviet republics. Because less than 7% of the land area is arable and cotton is the predominant crop, Tajikistan imports approximately 70% of its food. Since the end of the civil war, the country has pursued half-hearted reforms and privatizations in the economic sphere, but its poor business climate remains a hindrance to attracting foreign investment. Some experts estimate the value of narcotics transiting Tajikistan is equivalent to 30%-50% of GDP. Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, more than one million Tajik citizens work abroad - roughly 90% in Russia - supporting families back home through remittances that in 2017 were equivalent to nearly 35% of GDP. Tajikistan’s large remittances from migrant workers in Russia exposes it to monetary shocks. Tajikistan often delays devaluation of its currency for fear of inflationary pressures on food and other consumables. Recent slowdowns in the Russian and Chinese economies, low commodity prices, and currency fluctuations have hampered economic growth. The dollar value of remittances from Russia to Tajikistan dropped by almost 65% in 2015, and the government spent almost $500 million in 2016 to bail out the country’s still troubled banking sector. Tajikistan’s growing public debt – currently about 50% of GDP – could result in financial difficulties. Remittances from Russia increased in 2017, however, bolstering the economy somewhat. China owns about 50% of Tajikistan’s outstanding debt. Tajikistan has borrowed heavily to finance investment in the country’s vast hydropower potential. In 2016, Tajikistan contracted with the Italian firm Salini Impregilo to build the Roghun dam over a 13-year period for $3.9 billion. A 2017 Eurobond has largely funded Roghun’s first phase, after which sales from Roghun’s output are expected to fund the rest of its construction. The government has not ruled out issuing another Eurobond to generate auxiliary funding for its second phase.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $34.88 billion (2020 est.)

$33.38 billion (2019 est.)

$31.08 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 7.1% (2017 est.)

6.9% (2016 est.)

6% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $3,700 (2020 est.)

$3,600 (2019 est.)

$3,400 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.522 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.7% (2019 est.)

3.9% (2018 est.)

7.3% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: B3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: B- (2017)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 28.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 25.5% (2017 est.)

services: 45.9% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 98.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 13.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 11.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 2.5% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 10.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -36.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, potatoes, wheat, watermelons, onions, tomatoes, vegetables, cotton, carrots/turnips, beef
Industries: aluminum, cement, coal, gold, silver, antimony, textile, vegetable oil
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 2.295 million (2016 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 43%

industry: 10.6%

services: 46.4% (2016 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2016 est.)

2.5% (2015 est.)

note: official rate; actual unemployment is much higher
Population below poverty line: 26.3% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 34 (2015 est.)

34.7 (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: (2009 est.) NA

highest 10%: (2009 est.) NA
Budget: revenues: 2.269 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 2.374 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 50.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

42% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 31.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$35 million (2017 est.)

-$362 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $1.41 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.24 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.12 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Turkey 24%, Switzerland 22%, Uzbekistan 16%, Kazakhstan 12%, China 10% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, aluminum, cotton, zinc, antimony, lead (2019)
Imports: $3.13 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.41 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.22 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: China 40%, Russia 38%, Kazakhstan 19%, Uzbekistan 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, wheat, natural gas, bauxite, aircraft (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.292 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$652.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $6.47 billion (2019 est.)

$5.849 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar -

8.764 (2017 est.)

7.8358 (2016 est.)

7.8358 (2015 est.)

6.1631 (2014 est.)

4.9348 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 7.114 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 15,070,890,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 3.175 billion kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 281 million kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 2.429 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 8.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 91.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 2.103 million metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 2.16 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 57,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 375 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 26,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 900 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 12 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 172 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 22,460 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 18.208 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 157.611 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 139.375 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.643 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.362 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 2.971 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 309,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 27.651 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 502,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 9.904 million (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 111.53 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the nation of Tajikistan has had to struggle through a further two years of economic hardship following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic; the strain on financial resources inevitably means a continuation of the absence of any meaningful investment or development programs for telecommunications infrastructure; the fixed line telephony and fixed broadband markets continue to languish far behind the mobile sector in terms of teledensity and penetration; with only around 6,000 fixed broadband customers (0.07% penetration), there would appear to be massive growth potential but the limited fixed line infrastructure in the country suggests there’s little likelihood of that occurring any time soon; the size of Tajikistan’s mobile market dwarfs the fixed line segment, with an estimated penetration rate of nearly 120%; with a number of private sector companies active in the mobile market, there been more commitment to investment in network upgrades and expansion; three MNOs, MegaFon, Tcell, and ZET Mobile have all launched commercial 5G services, initially in areas of the capital city Dushanbe; the move towards higher speed mobile services should further underpin the growth in the nascent mobile broadband market, which is still estimated to be at a relatively low penetration level of 42% (at least relative to most other Asian nations) but is predicted to be a strong compound annual growth rate of more than 8% for at least the next five years. (2021)

domestic: fixed line availability has not changed significantly since 1998, while mobile cellular subscribership, aided by competition among multiple operators, has expanded; coverage now extends to all major cities and towns; fixed-line over 5 per 100 and mobile-cellular over 111 per 100 (2019)

international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); 3 satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: state-run TV broadcasters transmit nationally on 9 TV and 10 radio stations, and regionally on 4 stations; 31 independent TV and 20 radio stations broadcast locally and regionally; many households are able to receive Russian and other foreign stations via cable and satellite (2016)
Internet country code: .tj
Internet users: total: 2,050,625 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 22% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 6,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.1 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 492,320 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2.34 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: EY
Airports: total: 24 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 5 (2021)
Pipelines: 549 km gas, 38 km oil (2013)
Railways: total: 680 km (2014)

broad gauge: 680 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge
Roadways: total: 30,000 km (2018)
Waterways: 200 km (2011) (along Vakhsh River)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan: Land Forces, Mobile Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops (reserves for Armed Forces in wartime); State Committee on National Security: Border Guard Forces (2022)
Military expenditures: 2.1% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $360 million)

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $350 million)

2.2% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $330 million)

2.2% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $320 million)

2.2% of GDP (2015 est.) (approximately $310 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 9,500 active duty troops (8,000 Land and Mobile Forces; 1,500 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Tajikistan Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; it has received limited quantities of weapons systems since 2010, most of which was second-hand material from Russia (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men; 24-month conscript service obligation; in August 2021, the Tajik Government began allowing men to pay a fee in order to avoid conscription (2022)
Military - note: Tajikistan has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force (2022)

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Tajikistan-Afghanistan: none identified Tajikistan-China: in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; in 2011, Tajikistan and China ratified the 2002 border demarcation agreement whereby Tajikistan ceded approximately 1,100 square kilometers in the Pamirs to China Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan: disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan; in May 2021, both countries agreed to a ceasefire following recent clashes at their border Tajikistan-Uzbekistan: talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and clear minefields; as of January 2020, Uzbekistan reported that it had cleared all mines along its side of the borderTajikistan-Afghanistan: none identifiedTajikistan-China: in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; in 2011, Tajikistan and China ratified the 2002 border demarcation agreement whereby Tajikistan ceded approximately 1,100 square kilometers in the Pamirs to ChinaTajikistan-Kyrgyzstan: disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan; in May 2021, both countries agreed to a ceasefire following recent clashes at their borderTajikistan-Uzbekistan: talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and clear minefields; as of January 2020, Uzbekistan reported that it had cleared all mines along its side of the border
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 6,775 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2021)

stateless persons: 6,141 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: Tajikistan is a major route for drug trafficking in Central Asia; opiates and cannabis travel from Afghanistan through Tajikistan to markets in Russia, Belarus, and Western and Central Europe


Topic: Introduction
Background: As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. Divided after World War II, the decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German reunification in 1990.As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. Divided after World War II, the decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German reunification in 1990.

Topic: Geography
Area: total: 357,022 sq km

land: 348,672 sq km

water: 8,350 sq km
Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Natural resources: coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Topic: People and Society
Population: 84,316,622 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups: German 86.3%, Turkish 1.8%, Polish 1%, Syrian 1%, Romanian 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.9% (2020 est.)
Languages: German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Religions: Roman Catholic 26.7%, Protestant 24.3%, Muslim 3.5%, other 4.8%, none 40.7% (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.11% (2022 est.)

Topic: Government
Government type: federal parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Berlin
Executive branch: chief of state: President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017)

head of government: Chancellor Olaf SCHOLZ (since 8 December 2021)
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 seats statutory, 71 current; members appointed by each of the 16 state governments)
Federal Diet or Bundestag (736 seats statutory, 736 for the 2021-25 term - total seats can vary each electoral term; currently includes 4 seats for independent members; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members' terms depend upon the states they represent)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: leading EU services-based export-driven economy; COVID-19 disrupted its modern manufacturing sector; highly skilled and educated labor force; positive current account balances; increasing public debt; low defense spending; second Russian gas pipelineleading EU services-based export-driven economy; COVID-19 disrupted its modern manufacturing sector; highly skilled and educated labor force; positive current account balances; increasing public debt; low defense spending; second Russian gas pipeline
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $4,238,800,000,000 (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $50,900 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, sugar beet, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, maize, rye, rapeseed, triticale
Industries: among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles
Exports: $1,671,650,000,000 (2020 est.)
Exports - partners: United States 9%, France 8%, China 7%, Netherlands 6%, United Kingdom 6%, Italy 5%, Poland 5%, Austria 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, aircraft, medical cultures/vaccines, industrial machinery (2019)
Imports: $1,452,560,000,000 (2020 est.)
Imports - partners: Netherlands 9%, China 8%, France 7%, Belgium 6%, Poland 6%, Italy 6%, Czechia 5%, United States 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)
Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar -Page last updated: Friday, May 27, 2022


Topic: Photos of Taiwan

Topic: Introduction
Background: 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. 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 forty 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, became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers," and after 2000 became a major investor in mainland China 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.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: 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
Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 35,980 sq km

land: 32,260 sq km

water: 3,720 sq km

note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Kinmen islands
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 1,566.3 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); persistent and extensive cloudiness all year
Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation: highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 1,150 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, asbestos, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 22.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 16.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 5.8% (2018 est.)

other: 77.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,820 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts
Natural hazards: earthquakes; typhoonsvolcanism: Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuriesearthquakes; typhoonsvolcanism: Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries
Geography - note: strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Map description: Taiwan map showing major cities of this island in the Western Pacific Ocean.Taiwan map showing major cities of this island in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 23,580,712 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)

adjective: Taiwan (or Taiwanese)

note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan
Ethnic groups: 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 1: 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

note 2: 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
Languages: Mandarin (official), Taiwanese (Min Nan), Hakka dialects, approximately 16 indigenous languages

major-language sample(s):
世界概況  –  不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Buddhist 35.3%, Taoist 33.2%, Christian 3.9%, folk religion (includes Confucian) approximately 10%, none or unspecified 18.2% (2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 12.42% (male 1,504,704/female 1,426,494)

15-24 years: 11.62% (male 1,403,117/female 1,339,535)

25-54 years: 45.51% (male 5,351,951/female 5,389,112)

55-64 years: 14.73% (male 1,698,555/female 1,778,529)

65 years and over: 15.72% (2020 est.) (male 1,681,476/female 2,029,576)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 40

youth dependency ratio: 17.8

elderly dependency ratio: 22.2

potential support ratio: 4.5 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 42.3 years

male: 41.5 years

female: 43.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.04% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 7.39 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 7.89 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts
Urbanization: urban population: 79.7% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 4.471 million New Taipei City, 2.742 million TAIPEI (capital), 2.296 million Taoyuan, 1.547 million Kaohsiung, 1.354 million Taichung, 863,000 Tainan (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.16 years

male: 78.17 years

female: 84.34 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.08 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
Physicians density: NA
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.5%

male: 99.7%

female: 97.3% (2014)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); persistent and extensive cloudiness all year
Land use: agricultural land: 22.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 16.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 5.8% (2018 est.)

other: 77.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 79.7% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 7.336 million tons (2015 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 67 cubic meters (2011)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Taiwan

local long form: none

local short form: Taiwan

former: Formosa

etymology: "Tayowan" was the name of the coastal sandbank where the Dutch erected their colonial headquarters on the island in the 17th century; the former name "Formosa" means "beautiful" in Portuguese
Government type: semi-presidential republic
Capital: name: Taipei

geographic coordinates: 25 02 N, 121 31 E

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

etymology: the Chinese meaning is "Northern Taiwan," reflecting the city's position in the far north of the island
Administrative divisions: includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (xian, singular and plural), 3 cities (shi, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan counties: Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlin cities: Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelung special municipalities: Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city)

note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systemsincludes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (xian, singular and plural), 3 cities (shi, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuancounties: Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlincities: Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelungspecial municipalities: Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city)
National holiday: Republic Day (National Day), 10 October (1911); note - celebrates the anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, also known as Double Ten (10-10) Day
Constitution: history: previous 1912, 1931; latest adopted 25 December 1946, promulgated 1 January 1947, effective 25 December 1947

amendments: 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; revised several times, last in 2005
Legal system: civil law system
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: 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
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal; note - in March 2022, the Legislative Yuan approved lowering the voting age to 18, but the change will require a constitutional amendment that must be submitted to a referendum
Executive branch: chief of state: President TSAI Ing-wen (since 20 May 2016); Vice President LAI Ching-te (since 20 May 2020)

head of government: Premier SU Tseng-chang (President of the Executive Yuan) (since 11 January 2019); Vice Premier SHEN Jong-chin (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) (since 19 June 2020)

cabinet: Executive Yuan - ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier

elections/appointments: 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); election last held on 11 January 2020 (next to be held on 11 January 2024); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier

election results: 2020: TSAI Ing-wen elected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 57.1%, HAN Kuo-yu (KMT) 38.6%, James SOONG (PFP) 4.2%; note - TSAI is the first woman elected president of Taiwan

2016: TSAI Ing-wen elected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 56.1%, Eric CHU (KMT) 31%, James SOONG (PFP) 12.8%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats; 73 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 34 directly elected in a single island-wide constituency by proportional representation vote, and 6 directly elected in multi-seat aboriginal constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 11 January 2020 (next to be held on 11 January 2024)

election results: percent of vote by party - Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 34.0%, Kuomintang (KMT) 33.4%, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) 11.2%, New Power Party (NPP) 7.5%; seats by party - DPP 61, KMT 38, TPP 5, NPP 3
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 100 judges organized into 8 civil and 12 criminal divisions, each with a division 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 by the president; Constitutional Court justices appointed by the president, with approval of the Legislative Yuan; Supreme Court justices serve for life; Constitutional Court justices appointed for 8-year terms, with half the membership renewed every 4 years

subordinate courts: high courts; district courts; hierarchy of administrative courts
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen]
Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [CHU Chi-luan, aka Eric CHU]
Taiwan People's Party or TPP [KO Wen-je]
New Power Party or NPP [KAO Yu-ting]
Taiwan Statebuilding Party or TSP [CHEN Yi-chi]
People First Party or PFP [James SOONG] (2021)

note - the DPP and the KMT are the two major political parties; there are hundreds of registered minor parties
International organization participation: ADB (Taipei, China), APEC (Chinese Taipei), BCIE, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), SICA (observer), WTO (Taipei, China);

note - separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: none; 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 HSIAO Bi-khim (since 20 July 2020); office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016; telephone: [1] (202) 895-1800

Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver (CO), Houston, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US: 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 Sandra OUDKIRK (since July 2021)

mailing address: 4170 AIT Taipei Place, Washington DC  20521-4170

telephone: [886] 2-2162-2000

FAX: [886] 2-2162-2251

email address and website:
TaipeiACS@state.gov

https://www.ait.org.tw/

branch office(s): American Institute in Taiwan
No. 100, Jinhu Road,
Neihu District 11461, Taipei City

other offices: Kaohsiung (Branch Office)
Flag description: red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays; the blue and white design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to 1895; it was later adopted as the flag of the Kuomintang Party; blue signifies liberty, justice, and democracy, red stands for fraternity, sacrifice, and nationalism, and white represents equality, frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays of the sun are those of the months and the twelve traditional Chinese hours (each ray equals two hours)

note: similar to the flag of Samoa
National symbol(s): white, 12-rayed sun on blue field; national colors: blue, white, red
National anthem: name: "Zhonghua Minguo guoge" (National Anthem of the Republic of China)

lyrics/music: HU Han-min, TAI Chi-t'ao, and LIAO Chung-k'ai/CHENG Mao-yun

note: adopted 1930; also the song of the Kuomintang Party; it is informally known as "San Min Chu I" or "San Min Zhu Yi" (Three Principles of the People); because of political pressure from China, "Guo Qi Ge" (National Banner Song) is used at international events rather than the official anthem of Taiwan; the "National Banner Song" has gained popularity in Taiwan and is commonly used during flag raisings

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy that is driven largely by industrial manufacturing, and especially exports of electronics, machinery, and petrochemicals. This heavy dependence on exports exposes the economy to fluctuations in global demand. Taiwan's diplomatic isolation, low birth rate, rapidly aging population, and increasing competition from China and other Asia Pacific markets are other major long-term challenges.   Following the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed with China in June 2010, Taiwan in July 2013 signed a free trade deal with New Zealand - Taipei’s first-ever with a country with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations - and, in November of that year, inked a trade pact with Singapore. However, follow-on components of the ECFA, including a signed agreement on trade in services and negotiations on trade in goods and dispute resolution, have stalled. In early 2014, the government bowed to public demand and proposed a new law governing the oversight of cross-Strait agreements, before any additional deals with China are implemented; the legislature has yet to vote on such legislation, leaving the future of ECFA uncertain. President TSAI since taking office in May 2016 has promoted greater economic integration with South and Southeast Asia through the New Southbound Policy initiative and has also expressed interest in Taiwan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as bilateral trade deals with partners such as the US. These overtures have likely played a role in increasing Taiwan’s total exports, which rose 11% during the first half of 2017, buoyed by strong demand for semiconductors.   Taiwan's total fertility rate of just over one child per woman is among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues. Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over 65 expected to account for nearly 20% of the island's total population by 2025.   The island runs a trade surplus with many economies, including China and the US, and its foreign reserves are the world's fifth largest, behind those of China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. In 2006, China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Taiwan since 2009 has gradually loosened rules governing Chinese investment and has also secured greater market access for its investors on the mainland. In August 2012, the Taiwan Central Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cross-Strait currency settlement with its Chinese counterpart. The MOU allows for the direct settlement of Chinese renminbi (RMB) and the New Taiwan dollar across the Strait, which has helped Taiwan develop into a local RMB hub.   Closer economic links with the mainland bring opportunities for Taiwan’s economy but also pose challenges as political differences remain unresolved and China’s economic growth is slowing. President TSAI’s administration has made little progress on the domestic economic issues that loomed large when she was elected, including concerns about stagnant wages, high housing prices, youth unemployment, job security, and financial security in retirement. TSAI has made more progress on boosting trade with South and Southeast Asia, which may help insulate Taiwan’s economy from a fall in mainland demand should China’s growth slow in 2018.Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy that is driven largely by industrial manufacturing, and especially exports of electronics, machinery, and petrochemicals. This heavy dependence on exports exposes the economy to fluctuations in global demand. Taiwan's diplomatic isolation, low birth rate, rapidly aging population, and increasing competition from China and other Asia Pacific markets are other major long-term challenges. Following the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed with China in June 2010, Taiwan in July 2013 signed a free trade deal with New Zealand - Taipei’s first-ever with a country with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations - and, in November of that year, inked a trade pact with Singapore. However, follow-on components of the ECFA, including a signed agreement on trade in services and negotiations on trade in goods and dispute resolution, have stalled. In early 2014, the government bowed to public demand and proposed a new law governing the oversight of cross-Strait agreements, before any additional deals with China are implemented; the legislature has yet to vote on such legislation, leaving the future of ECFA uncertain. President TSAI since taking office in May 2016 has promoted greater economic integration with South and Southeast Asia through the New Southbound Policy initiative and has also expressed interest in Taiwan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as bilateral trade deals with partners such as the US. These overtures have likely played a role in increasing Taiwan’s total exports, which rose 11% during the first half of 2017, buoyed by strong demand for semiconductors. Taiwan's total fertility rate of just over one child per woman is among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues. Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over 65 expected to account for nearly 20% of the island's total population by 2025. The island runs a trade surplus with many economies, including China and the US, and its foreign reserves are the world's fifth largest, behind those of China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. In 2006, China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Taiwan since 2009 has gradually loosened rules governing Chinese investment and has also secured greater market access for its investors on the mainland. In August 2012, the Taiwan Central Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cross-Strait currency settlement with its Chinese counterpart. The MOU allows for the direct settlement of Chinese renminbi (RMB) and the New Taiwan dollar across the Strait, which has helped Taiwan develop into a local RMB hub. Closer economic links with the mainland bring opportunities for Taiwan’s economy but also pose challenges as political differences remain unresolved and China’s economic growth is slowing. President TSAI’s administration has made little progress on the domestic economic issues that loomed large when she was elected, including concerns about stagnant wages, high housing prices, youth unemployment, job security, and financial security in retirement. TSAI has made more progress on boosting trade with South and Southeast Asia, which may help insulate Taiwan’s economy from a fall in mainland demand should China’s growth slow in 2018.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,143,277,000,000 (2019 est.)

$1,113,126,000,000 (2018 est.)

$1,083,384,000,000 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2.71% (2019 est.)

2.75% (2018 est.)

3.31% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $24,502 (2018 est.)

$50,500 (2017 est.)

$23,865 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $611.391 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2019 est.)

1.3% (2018 est.)

0.6% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AA- (2016)

Moody's rating: Aa3 (1994)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2002)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 36% (2017 est.)

services: 62.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 53% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 14.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 20.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 65.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -52.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, vegetables, pork, cabbages, poultry, sugar cane, milk, eggs, pineapples, tropical fruit
Industries: electronics, communications and information technology products, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 11.498 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.9%

industry: 35.9%

services: 59.2% (2016 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.73% (2019 est.)

3.69% (2018 est.)
Population below poverty line: 1.5% (2012 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 33.6 (2014)

32.6 (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.4% (2010)

highest 10%: 40.3% (2010)
Budget: revenues: 91.62 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 92.03 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 35.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

36.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data for central government
Taxes and other revenues: 16% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $65.173 billion (2019 est.)

$70.843 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $388.49 billion (2019 est.)

$383.484 billion (2018 est.)

$382.736 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - partners: China 26%, United States 14%, Hong Kong 12%, Japan 7%, Singapore 7%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: integrated circuits, office machinery/parts, computers, refined petroleum, liquid crystal displays (2019)
Imports: $308.744 billion (2019 est.)

$305.428 billion (2018 est.)

$303.067 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: China 21%, Japan 16%, United States 11%, South Korea 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: integrated circuits, crude petroleum, photography equipment, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $456.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$439 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $189.684 billion (2019 est.)

$196.276 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar -

28.211 (2020 est.)

30.472 (2019 est.)

30.8395 (2018 est.)

31.911 (2014 est.)

30.363 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 57.738 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 269,570,325,000 kWh (2020 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 9.484 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 82.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 11.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 5.955 million metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 67.985 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 118,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 63.523 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 998,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 886,200 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 2.4 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 924,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 349,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 418,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 150.589 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 22,002,493,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 22,172,507,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 6.23 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 279.206 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 141.445 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 92.207 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 45.554 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 160.669 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 12,971,900 (2019 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 29,291,500 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123.21 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Taiwan has a highly developed telecoms sector in both the fixed-line and mobile segments; in part this is due to the country’s early moves to liberalize the market, allowing vigorous competition to flourish; the government has also made concerted efforts to take advantage of Taiwan’s strengths in the development of high-tech, export-oriented industries to encourage and enable the rapid adoption of advanced telecom platforms, while simultaneously leveraging the same telecoms infrastructure to push even further ahead with the country's industrial development plans; Taiwan has one of the highest teledensities in the region; while fixed-line subscriber numbers are trending downwards, the rate of decline has been slowed by the major fixed-line provider (Chunghwa Telecom) investing strongly in building out a widespread fiber network to allow customers to maintain a terrestrial voice connection as part of a fixed broadband package; fiber is the dominant platform in Taiwan’s fixed broadband market; cable services have retained an unusually strong following thanks to the success of cable providers in delivering competitive cable TV and telephony services as a way to get around Chunghwa Telecom’s control of the last mile for its copper and fiber networks; Taiwan also has high penetration rates in its mobile and mobile broadband segments, growth in both markets is almost at a standstill because the country reached 100% penetration very early on – way back when GSM was first introduced, in mobile’s case; the MNOs moved quickly to roll out 4G and 5G networks and services in rapid succession, but subscriber numbers (and market share) has barely changed; the improved quality and performance available with the new platforms will drive increased usage and ARPU; fierce competition following the launch of 4G saw the opposite happen, with price wars causing telco revenues to fall instead; it is possible that the same problem can be avoided with 5G, since the three smaller operators have recently been absorbed into the major providers Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and Far EasTone; allowing Taiwan to reach the target of 50% of subscribers on 5G by mid-2023. (2022)

domestic: fixed-line over 53 per 100 and mobile-cellular roughly 123 per 100 (2020)

international: country code - 886; landing points for the EAC-C2C, APCN-2, FASTER, SJC2, TSE-1, TPE, APG, SeaMeWe-3, FLAG North Asia Loop/REACH North Asia Loop, HKA, NCP, and PLCN submarine fiber cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: 5 nationwide television networks operating roughly 22 TV stations; more than 300 satellite TV channels are available; about 60% of households utilize multi-channel cable TV; 99.9% of households subscribe to digital cable TV; national and regional radio networks with about 171 radio stations (2019)
Internet country code: .tw
Internet users: total: 21,158,750 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 89% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 5,831,470 (2019 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2019 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 216
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: B
Airports: total: 37 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 35

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 2 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Heliports: 31 (2021)
Pipelines: 25 km condensate, 2,200 km gas, 13,500 km oil (2018)
Railways: total: 1,613.1 km (2018)

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

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

150 0.762-m gauge note: the 0.762-gauge track belongs to three entities: the Forestry Bureau, Taiwan Cement, and TaiPower
Roadways: total: 43,206 km (2017)

paved: 42,793 km (2017) (includes 1,348 km of highways and 737 km of expressways)

unpaved: 413 km (2017)
Merchant marine: total: 429

by type: bulk carrier 37, container ship 49, general cargo 57, oil tanker 33, other 253 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Keelung (Chi-lung), Kaohsiung, Hualian, Taichung

container port(s) (TEUs): Kaohsiung (10,428,634), Taichung (1,793,966), Taipei (1,620,392) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Yung An (Kaohsiung), Taichung

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Taiwan Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force; Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (a law enforcement organization with homeland security functions during peacetime and national defense missions during wartime) (2022)
Military expenditures: 2.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2020)

1.8% of GDP (2019) (approximately $23.6 billion)

1.7% of GDP (2018) (approximately $21.9 billion)

1.8% of GDP (2017) (approximately $22.1 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 170,000 active duty troops (90,000 Army; 40,000 Navy, including approximately 10,000 marines; 40,000 Air Force) (2022)

note: Taiwan trains about 120,000 reservists annually, but in 2022 announced intentions to increase that figure to 260,000
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Taiwan military is armed mostly with second-hand weapons and equipment provided by the US; since 2010, the US continued to be the largest provider of arms; Taiwan also has a domestic defense industry capable of building and upgrading a range of weapons systems, including surface naval craft and submarines (2021)
Military service age and obligation: starting with those born in 1994, males 18-36 years of age may volunteer for military service or must complete 4 months of compulsory military training (5 weeks of basic training followed by 11 weeks of specialized training with field units); civil service can be substituted for military service in some cases; men born before December 1993 are required to complete compulsory service for 1 year (military or civil); men are subject to training recalls up to four times for periods not to exceed 20 days for 8 years after discharge; women may enlist, but are restricted to noncombat roles in most cases; as part of its transition to an all-volunteer military in December 2018, the last cohort of one-year military conscripts completed their service obligations (2022)

note: as of 2021, women made up about 15% of the active duty military
Military - note: the US Taiwan Relations Act of April 1979 states that the US shall provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character and shall maintain the capacity of the US to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or social or economic system, of the people of Taiwan (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Taiwan-Brunei-China-Malaysia-Philippines-Vietnam: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea that are thought to have large oil and natural gas reserves, as well as being located amidst prime fishing grounds and busy commercial shipping traffic; the Spratly Islands also are in a strategic position for establishing a military presence to monitor activity in the South China Sea; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants Taiwan-China-Philippines: border dispute over the Scarborough Reef in the South China Sea; Scarborough Reef, like the Spratly Islands, is strategically located and is surrounded by abundant fishing grounds; it may also be ripe for oil and natural gas exploration Taiwan-China-Vietnam: the Paracel Islands are occupied by China but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam Taiwan-Japan-China: in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting; Senkaku-shoto is situated near key shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds, and possibly significant oil and natural gas reservesTaiwan-Brunei-China-Malaysia-Philippines-Vietnam: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea that are thought to have large oil and natural gas reserves, as well as being located amidst prime fishing grounds and busy commercial shipping traffic; the Spratly Islands also are in a strategic position for establishing a military presence to monitor activity in the South China Sea; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputantsTaiwan-China-Philippines: border dispute over the Scarborough Reef in the South China Sea; Scarborough Reef, like the Spratly Islands, is strategically located and is surrounded by abundant fishing grounds; it may also be ripe for oil and natural gas explorationTaiwan-China-Vietnam: the Paracel Islands are occupied by China but claimed by Taiwan and VietnamTaiwan-Japan-China: in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting; Senkaku-shoto is situated near key shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds, and possibly significant oil and natural gas reserves
Illicit drugs: major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcoticsmajor source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics