Taiwan | history - geography - self-governing island, Asia | Britannica.com Country Data Overview (PDF) Taiwan, Chinese (Wade-Giles romanization) T’ai-wan or (Pinyin) Taiwan, Portuguese Formosa, island , located about 100 miles (161 km) off the southeast coast of the China mainland. It is approximately 245 miles (394 km) long (north-south) and 90 miles across at its widest point. The largest city, Taipei , is the seat of the government of the Republic of China (ROC; Nationalist China). In addition to the main island, the ROC government has jurisdiction over 22 islands in the Taiwan group and 64 islands to the west in the Pescadores archipelago. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Taiwan is bounded to the north by the East China Sea , which separates it from the Ryukyu Islands , Okinawa, and mainland Japan; to the east by the Pacific Ocean; to the south by the Bashi Channel, which separates it from the Philippines; and to the west by the Taiwan (Formosa) Strait, which separates it from the China mainland.

From the mid-1660s to 1895, Taiwan was administered by the imperial Chinese government, after which (until 1945) the island was ruled by the Japanese as a colony. In 1945 Taiwan reverted to China, and in 1949 it became the last territory controlled by the Nationalist government. The government of the ROC continued to claim jurisdiction over the Chinese mainland, whereas the government of the People’s Republic of China on the mainland claimed jurisdiction over Taiwan; both governments remained in agreement that the island is a sheng (province) of China. Taipei was the provincial capital until 1967, when the capital was moved to Chung-hsing Hsin-ts’un . Elevated segment of the municipal rapid-transit system, central Taipei, Taiwan. © Corbis The land Relief Taiwan is part of the great island system rimming the western Pacific Ocean . The island of Taiwan is formed by a fault block trending north-northeast to south-southwest and tilted toward the west. The more gently rising western face of the block borders the shallow Taiwan Strait , under which the continental shelf connects the island to the Chinese mainland.

The terraced tablelands and alluvial plains along the western face of the block provide the principal areas of dense population and the major cities. The steeply sloping eastern face of the block marks the edge of the continental shelf and the beginning of the Pacific Ocean. Aside from one major rift valley, the east coast provides little room for human settlement. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Urbanization was the dominant settlement pattern of the 20th century. There has been a noticeable migration from rural areas to towns, especially since mid-century, when the urban population increased from less than half to more than three-fourths of the total population. Three major urban areas have developed: Taipei and its port of Chi-lung in the north and the two port cities of Kao-hsiun in the south and Tʾai-chung in the west. The people Ethnolinguistic groups The original inhabitants of Taiwan were Malayo-Polynesian aborigines. Taiwan’s indigenous peoples have historically been referred to in terms of their language groups, the largest of which are the Ami , Atayal, and Paiwan.

Chinese immigrants largely displaced or assimilated the plains aborigines and carried on a protracted conflict with the mountain aborigines, who were subdued only by the Japanese. The aborigines, nearly all of whom now live in the foothills and highlands, constitute about 2 percent of the population. Although several aboriginal dialects and many tribal customs have been retained, the people have increasingly become assimilated, linguistically and culturally, into modern Taiwanese society. Nonetheless, many indigenous groups increased their political activity in the early 21st century, with 14 gaining official recognition as of 2008. The great majority of the population—those now called Taiwanese—are descendants of the original immigrants from the Chinese provinces of Fukien and Kwangtung . The Hokkien from southern Fukien constitute the largest of the immigrant groups; their dialect of Chinese is often called the Taiwanese dialect. The Hakka , originally from northern Kwangtung, also have a distinct dialect. The most recent addition to Taiwan’s population are the predominantly Mandarin-speaking Nationalist adherents, who came to Taiwan from all parts of China in the late 1940s. These “mainlanders” still compose about 15 percent of the population.

Because of their prominence in the Nationalist government, Mandarin has become the principal language of Taiwan. Religions Numerous religions have been introduced into Taiwan from many parts of the world. The Chinese brought their religions, principally Buddhism and Taoism . In 1622 the Dutch introduced Protestant Christianity; two years later the Spanish brought Roman Catholicism to the island. In addition, Confucianism has immensely influenced the Chinese people of Taiwan in ethics , morality , and academic thinking. Religion, however, is not a divisive factor on Taiwan. The Chinese tend to be eclectic about religion, many practicing a little of several kinds. Related Topics nation-state The principal religions in Taiwan, in addition to the forms of worship of the aborigines, are Taoism and Buddhism. Christians constitute a small but significant percentage of the population; about three-fifths are Protestant and the rest Roman Catholic. There are also a large number of Muslims, most of whom live in the larger cities. Demography The population of Taiwan tripled in the first half of the 20th century. From mid-century, however, the rate of growth steadily declined from about 4 percent to less than 2 percent per year.

Modern health measures had lowered the death rate, and Nationalist land reform temporarily raised the birthrate by expanding rural opportunities. In response to growing urban opportunities, however, families soon began concentrating more resources on fewer children. In addition, the government actively promoted family planning and birth control. Family structure The family has long been the most important organizing unit in traditional Taiwanese society. Based on the Confucian precepts of filial piety and ancestor worship, the patrilineal extended family performs many of the savings, investment, and production functions of Western corporations and provides many of the social services assumed by Western governments. The family owns property, pools its resources, and diversifies the occupations of its members, thus maximizing the returns and spreading the risks across the multiple branches and generations. The economy During the 20th century Taiwan’s economy has been transformed from agricultural to industrial, and the island’s postwar economic development has been one of the most spectacular of any developing country. In constant prices, gross national product increased more than 10 times between the mid-1950s and mid-1980s. The major reason was vigorous export promotion in an expanding global economy.

Per capita product and personal income quintupled, while a relatively equal distribution of income became more equitable. The major reasons were the initially broad distribution of ownership of land and capital and the high returns to labour, first in agriculture and later in the export industries. The obligation to increase and repay family resources has motivated the individual Chinese and has produced much of the rapid growth of Taiwan’s economy. This growth has proceeded in three phases. The first (c. 1905–55) was the modernization of agriculture and the development of other primary or extractive industries. The second (c. 1935–85) was the development of modern secondary manufacturing industries. The third (since 1965) began the modernization of service industries. Resources Although more than 50 kinds of minerals have been found in Taiwan, total mineral resources are modest. In the north, copper, gold , iron, sulfur, and pyrite exist in only token amounts. In the east, limestone, marble, and dolomite are abundant, although their exploitation contributes little to the economy. Coal reserves are rapidly becoming exhausted. Petroleum and natural gas exist in small quantities on shore, but the continental shelf may contain extensive reserves, particularly of natural gas.

Forests are most abundant in the high mountains, but their inaccessability makes exploitation uneconomical. Agriculture Until the mid-20th century Taiwan’s best assets were its fertile soils, tropical climate, and large agricultural labour force. Agriculture provided the logical starting point for economic development after World War II . Since about 1970, however, rising agricultural costs have made agricultural exports uncompetitive, and Taiwan has had to rely increasingly on food imports. One-quarter of Taiwan’s total area is arable, and all available land is fully cultivated , including sloping areas, dry riverbeds, and reclaimed tidal lands. The single most important crop is rice, with which more than one-half of the total cultivated area and most of the irrigated portion is planted. More than two-thirds of the paddy fields are double-cropped. The Japanese introduced improved strains of rice, chemical fertilizers, and modern irrigation methods, and the Nationalists continued to modernize rice production. Rice yields per acre have therefore increased dramatically, although this has created an oversupply. Sugarcane, tea, and fresh bananas, once principal exports, are still important domestically.

Other fruits, such as pineapples, litchis, longans, oranges, grapes, and strawberries, abound. Most vegetables—including mushrooms and asparagus, which are canned for export—are produced in the central and southern regions. Forestry and fisheries With many mountains, Taiwan has abundant timber. Inaccessibility, low quality, and high costs limit production, however, and have made it necessary to import lumber. In addition, overcutting and inadequate reforestation measures have caused erosion and destructive floods. With the exception of eels and snails, which are high-value exports, fishery production is mostly for domestic consumption . The warm currents off the east coast provide good deep-sea fishing grounds, especially for tuna. Mining and quarrying Petroleum has replaced coal as the major energy source. Domestic natural gas also is produced. The quarrying of marble and dolomite is increasing as rail connections are improved. Salt is produced by solar evaporation along the southwestern coast. Energy Northern Taiwan once produced some coal, but its poor reserves are now exhausted. Heavy rainfall and high mountains hold great hydroelectric potential, but most economical sites have been exploited, and hydropower provides a declining proportion of the energy supply.

In the 1960s and ’70s the principal growth in energy sources came from thermal electric power generation using imported petroleum. Rising oil costs and national defense needs, however, accelerated the development of nuclear electric power. By the 1980s three nuclear plants accounted for one-third of Taiwan’s installed capacity and about one-half of actual generation. Industry In the 1950s and ’60s Taiwan’s comparative trade advantage lay in its abundant cheap labour supply. Consequently, labour-intensive light industry predominated, producing such nondurable consumer goods as foodstuffs and textiles, at first largely for domestic consumption but after 1960 increasingly for export. By the 1960s and ’70s investment had shifted to more capital-intensive heavy industries turning out consumer durables (appliances, vehicles), producer nondurables (steel, petrochemicals), and producer durables (machinery, ships). Some capital-intensive industries, particularly those run by state firms, have proved unprofitable, but the government maintains them to supply the private sector and to bolster national defense. In the 1970s labour became scarce and wages increased, making Taiwan’s labour-intensive exports less competitive.

Consequently, both government and private business accelerated efforts to develop skill-intensive high-technology industries such as those producing specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, precision instruments, sophisticated electronics, and information-processing systems. Trade Because of Taiwan’s limited resources and intermediate technology, its manufactures long depended heavily on imported materials, equipment, and technology (particularly from Japan and the United States ). Moreover, because of the limited domestic market, Taiwan’s manufactures also depended heavily on exports (particularly to the United States). Thus until the mid-1980s Taiwan balanced a chronic trade deficit with Japan against a chronic trade surplus with the United States. In the 1980s Taiwan attempted to diversify its trade with Europe and the Third World. By the late 20th century manufactured goods accounted for more than 95 percent of all exports, led by electronic products and appliances, articles of clothing, footwear, textile yarns and fabrics, toys and sporting goods, and metal products. Imports were highly diversified, consisting of a variety of consumer goods and raw materials, including petroleum and petroleum products, electronic products, nonelectrical machinery, and chemicals.

Services Since the mid-1970s there has been an accelerating shift from traditional personal services (small shops and restaurants) to modern personal services (department stores and hotels) and modern commercial services (finance and communications). Commerce and services became internationalized as Taiwan handled a larger proportion of its own trade, imported foreign services such as fast food, and exported services such as construction management and computer programming. Nevertheless, most private businesses remained family firms, most of them small. The cultural importance of the family has made Taiwan’s economy lean and flexible, but it also has inhibited an increase in the scale and modernization of accounting, finance, advertising, and trade. Management of the economy Since 1945 the state has played a dominant economic role, although a private sector also has functioned. Since about 1975 private business increasingly charted its own course, often ahead of government initiatives and often in collaboration with foreign firms. Economic development has since acquired much momentum of its own.

The government continues, however, to run key industries (electricity, steel, petroleum), construct basic infrastructure (railways, highways, waterways), oversee the financial system (both government and private banks), and initiate the development of new sectors by facilitating the transfer of technology and by disseminating market information. Taxes in Taiwan include income, legacy , commodity, stamp, stock, farm, land, increment on land value, and business taxes. They are levied according to a progressive rate; people with small incomes pay little tax. The Chinese Federation of Labour (CFL) is a nationwide organization of industrial and craft unions. Other national labour organizations include those for seamen, railway workers, and postal workers. There are local unions in all factories, transportation and public utility units, and occupational and vocational groups. Transportation The primary internal transport links are the well-developed highway and railway networks, although domestic air travel is also important. The principal roads consist of a highway running around the perimeter of the island; three east–west highways crossing the island in the northern, middle, and southern regions; and a north–south expressway connecting the major west coast cities. Passenger-bus transportation is provided between large cities and small towns throughout the island.

Few people own cars, but many have motorcycles. The railway system of Taiwan consists of a trunk line that roughly parallels the north–south expressway and a smaller line along the east side of the island that extends to the southeastern port of T’ai-tung; the construction of a line in the south will complete the encirclement of the island. The major domestic air routes are between Taipei and the larger cities. External transport links are by sea and air. The international seaports are Chi-lung, Kao-hsiung, T’ai-chung, Su-ao , and Hua-lien . Chi-lung, Kao-hsiung, and T’ai-chung have good facilities for anchoring large ships; Hua-lien has facilities that are somewhat more limited. The Chiang Kai-shek Airport at T’ao-yüan is the facility for international air travel in northern Taiwan. The southern part of the island is served by the international airport at Kao-hsiung. Administration and social conditions Government For centuries Taiwan has been ruled by outsiders—Imperial Chinese bureaucrats , colonial Japanese administrators, and, most recently, Nationalist Party (Kuomintang; KMT) refugees from the Chinese mainland.

In 1949, with the success of the communist rebellion in mainland China, the KMT retreated to Taiwan and set up office. For most of the post-World War II period (1945–90), the Nationalist government’s claim to rule Taiwan was predicated on its claim to rule all of China, and so-called temporary emergency measures in effect led to the creation of an authoritarian regime in Taiwan based on martial law . By the 1990s, however, the Nationalist party-state had largely shifted its focus to Taiwan, restaffing its leadership with Taiwanese and submitting itself to election, and the government began initiating liberalization measures. Some groups on Taiwan agitated for independence, but such calls were met with considerable opposition from the government of the People’s Republic of China . Constitutional structure Formally, the KMT applied to postwar Taiwan the constitution they had drawn up in 1947 for all of China. This eclectic document includes elements from traditional China (personnel and investigative councils), from Western parliamentarism (a cabinet and premier approved by the legislative body), and from Western presidentialism (a president elected by a National Assembly).

The 1947 constitution permits democracy , guarantees civil liberties, and promotes political participation and cultural development. The central government also includes five constitutionally mandated councils ( yüans): Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Examination, and Control. The Legislative Yuan, the membership structure of which parallels that of the National Assembly , enacts legislation. The Executive Yuan, the cabinet, is headed by a premier, who is appointed by the president but is nominally answerable to the Legislative Yuan. The Judicial Yuan oversees the court system. The Examination Yuan fulfills the functions of a civil service commission , and the Control Yuan oversees government administration. The constitution also provides for provincial and local administrative institutions. The island of Taiwan and the cities of Taipei and Kao-hsiung have provincial status. At the local level are 16 counties (hsien) and five municipalities (shih), which, according to the constitution, are self-governing. In reality, however, they have had little autonomy from the national government. Power structure In practice, for most of the period since 1949, Taiwan has been ruled by a dictator who led three sectors: an external and internal security apparatus, a quasi-Leninist party, and a technocratic government.

The dictator’s position as “paramount leader” was the most important, tying together institutional sectors through personal networks. The security sector was the ultimate foundation of the regime, reinforced by a large military budget. The KMT was the arena for promoting personnel and deciding policy. For more than four decades the National Assembly consisted mostly of the same representatives that had been elected on the mainland in 1948, supplemented by minority additions periodically elected by Taiwan. The KMT held regular elections for representatives to the community , local, and provincial offices, but these posts had little power. The government managed the economy with a success that became an example among developing countries and which facilitated Taiwanese acceptance of Nationalist rule. Beginning in 1986, responding to opposition and public demands, the KMT began allowing increased liberalization of government. The KMT abolished martial law in 1987 and legalized the formation of opposition political parties; opposition candidates, notably those of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), began winning seats in the legislature . In 1991 the KMT rescinded the emergency provisions and forced all original mainland national representatives to retire. A National Security Council was created.

With the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2000 and 2001, respectively, the DPP became the first party to oust the KMT from the government. In 2008, however, both the presidency and control of the legislature (with more than a two-thirds majority) returned to the KMT. Armed forces The military and security forces have had considerable power, particularly during the decades of martial law. The armed forces include the air force, army, navy, combined service force, military police, and garrison force. Education Both the Chinese government and the Chinese family have long believed in investing heavily in education, in the postwar period increasingly for girls as well as for boys. In the past, educational opportunities usually were open only to the elite. The Japanese during the early 20th century, when they ruled the island, began to extend primary education to ordinary Taiwanese in an effort to train loyal citizens and literate workers. Taiwan now has one of the best-educated populations in Asia , second only to that of Japan. The preferred educational route is through liberal arts, looking to a career in government, or through professional training at a prestigious university.

As postwar economic development gathered momentum, however, both government and families have also recognized the value of commercial and technical education. Education is compulsory for nine years (six years of primary school and three years of middle school); secondary education includes senior high schools and vocational schools. There are also preschool education and social education, including adult education and special education. There are over 100 institutions of higher education, more than two-thirds of them private. Among the major public ones are the National Taiwan University (founded 1928) at Taipei, National Cheng Kung University (1931) at T’ai-nan , National Chung Hsing University (1961) at T’ai-chung, and National Sun Yat-sen University (1980) at Kao-hsiung. Health and welfare Modern health practices were instituted early in the 20th century by the Japanese and were further developed by the Nationalist government. The Japanese largely eliminated tropical diseases—which until then had been a principal barrier to development in Taiwan—by installing water- and sewage-treatment plants and by training and equipping medical personnel. Taiwan now has a well-developed hospital system and medical profession.

Life expectancy and infant-mortality rates are about the same as in most Western countries. The overall economic growth and the Chinese custom of families caring for their elderly and unemployed members have kept government welfare spending low, but, because the birth rate is decreasing as the number of elderly is increasing, concern has been growing about the Chinese family’s ability to provide social security in the future. The government has thus been instituting social insurance programs covering an increasing percentage of the population. The rapid growth of Taiwan’s large urban centres has resulted in housing shortages, which generally have been met by private developers. The government has built some apartments that have then been sold to the public by means of long-term, low-interest loans. In addition, the government has provided free housing for the poor. Page 1 of 2 Táiwan - definition of Táiwan by The Free Dictionary Táiwan - definition of Táiwan by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Taiwan Tai·wan (tī′wän′) An island off the southeast coast of China, the seat of the Republic of China since 1949.

Originally inhabited by Austronesian peoples, it was settled in the 1500s by Han Chinese, explored in 1590 by the Portuguese (who named the island Formosa), and held by the Dutch in the mid-1600s before being seized by China in 1683. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 and regained by China after World War II (1945). Taiwan broke off from mainland China in 1949 when the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-Shek fled from Mao Zedong's forces and established their government on the island. Taipei is the capital and the largest city. Taiwan (ˈtaɪˈwɑːn) n (Placename) an island in SE Asia between the East China Sea and the South China Sea, off the SE coast of the People's Republic of China: the principal territory of the Republic of China; claimed by the People's Republic of China since its political separation from mainland China in the late 1940s. Pop: 23 299 716 (2013 est). Former name: Formosa Tai•wan n. 1.

an island off the SE coast of China. Formerly, Formosa. 2. a republic consisting of this island, Penghu, Quemoy, Matsu, and other small islands: under Nationalist control since 1948 but claimed by the People's Republic of China. 22,113,250; 13,885 sq. mi. (35,960 sq. km). Cap.: Taipei. Tai`wan•ese′ (-wɑˈniz, -ˈnis) adj., n., pl. -ese. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: The Largest Islands in China, Most Famous Islands in China The Largest Islands in China TopChinaTravel would like to introduce the following The Largest Islands in China for you No. 1 Taiwan Island Taiwan is an island or island group in the western Pacific Ocean located off the southeast coast of mainland China. Covers an area of 35,774.6 km², it is the largest island in China, and the important transit hub that connected China and countries of Pacific area.

Separated from the Asian continent by the 160 km (99 mi) wide Taiwan Strait, Taiwan is 394 km (245 mi) long and 144 kilometres (89 mi) wide. This island enjoys abundant natural and cultural resources and is home to the Gaoshan nationality. No. 2 Hainan Island Hainan Island is the main island of Hainan Province, and is the second largest island of China. Located at the southernmost point of China, it separated from mainland China by the shallow and narrow Qiong-zhou Strait, facing Taiwan Island across the South China Sea. Hainan is the smallest province of China, it comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, 32,900 square kilometers of its land mass is Hainan Island, from which the province takes its name. Recommended Tours: Hainan Tours No. 3 Chongming Island Lied against the northern shore of the Yangtze River , Chongming Island is the third largest island of China.

Covers an area of 1,041.21 square kilometers, it is an alluvial island formed by silt carried along the river, the largest sandy island on earth. With an altitude of 3.5m-4.5m above sea level, Chongming Island is flat with fertilized soil and abundant wood and marine resources. People can take ferries or drive through the Yangtze Tunnel Bridge of Shanghai to reach the island. Chonghai Bridge is undergoing which will connect this island and Jiangsu Province. Recommended Tours: Classic Shanghai Tours No. 4 Zhoushan Island Located to the southeast of Hangzhou Bay, Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan Island is the principal island of the namesake archipelago Zhoushan Islands, covered an area of 468.7 square kilometers. At its closest point, it is 9.1 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. It is a mountainous island with Huangyang Jian as the tallest point at a height of 503.6 meters. The island is connected to Zhejiang Province via Zhoushan Cross-sea Bridge which was formally opened in Dec, 2009. No.

5 Donghai Island Has a coastline of 159.48 kilometres, with a total area of 286 square kilometers, Donghai Island is the biggest island of Guangdong , and the 5th largest island in China, which located in the southeast part of Leizhou Penisular, administered by Zhanjiang. Leizhou Culture is the principal culture there as historically it was within former Leizhou County jurisdiction. Rich in cultural and marine resources, it is a popular tourist destination of Guangdong area. Donghai Cross-sea Bridge, which connected the island to Zhanjiang mainland, came into operation in early 2011. Geography & Natural Wonders in China Taioaan - definition of Taioaan by The Free Dictionary Taioaan - definition of Taioaan by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Taiwan Tai·wan (tī′wän′) An island off the southeast coast of China, the seat of the Republic of China since 1949.

Originally inhabited by Austronesian peoples, it was settled in the 1500s by Han Chinese, explored in 1590 by the Portuguese (who named the island Formosa), and held by the Dutch in the mid-1600s before being seized by China in 1683. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 and regained by China after World War II (1945). Taiwan broke off from mainland China in 1949 when the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-Shek fled from Mao Zedong's forces and established their government on the island. Taipei is the capital and the largest city. Taiwan (ˈtaɪˈwɑːn) n (Placename) an island in SE Asia between the East China Sea and the South China Sea, off the SE coast of the People's Republic of China: the principal territory of the Republic of China; claimed by the People's Republic of China since its political separation from mainland China in the late 1940s. Pop: 23 299 716 (2013 est). Former name: Formosa Tai•wan n. 1.

an island off the SE coast of China. Formerly, Formosa. 2. a republic consisting of this island, Penghu, Quemoy, Matsu, and other small islands: under Nationalist control since 1948 but claimed by the People's Republic of China. 22,113,250; 13,885 sq. mi. (35,960 sq. km). Cap.: Taipei. Tai`wan•ese′ (-wɑˈniz, -ˈnis) adj., n., pl. -ese. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Taiwan Taiwan tI' wan', an island off the southeast coast of China CONTENTS Facts and Figures Origin of Name Tayowan was the name of a coastal sandbank where the Dutch East India Company built Fort Zeelandia, the headquarters of their colony on the island. Area 13,887 sq mi. Population 23,464,787. Capital Taipei.

Formosa in 1957 Formosa in 1958 Domestic politics and the Communist bombardment of Nationalist islands in the Formosa Strait dominated the news from Formosa in 1958. Formosa Strait in 1958 It was estimated that Communist MIG-17's flew 90 sorties near Quemoy on August 12 in the first heavy Communist air activity in the area since 1954. Formosa in 1960 Despite his inability to recover mainland China for the Nationalists, Chiang Kai-shek was elected to a third term as President of Nationalist China in 1960. Taiwan Facts and History Tainan, 1,874,700 Taiwan's Government: Taiwan, formally the Republic of China, is a parliamentary democracy. Sufferage is universal for citizens 20 years old and older. The current head of state is President Ma Ying-jeou. Premier Sean Chen is the head of government and President of the unicameral legislature, known as the Legislative Yuan. The President appoints the Premier.

continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance The Legislature has 113 seats, including 6 set aside to represent Taiwan's aboriginal population. Both executive and legislative members serve four-year terms. Taiwan also has a Judicial Yuan, which administers the courts. The highest court is the Council of Grand Justices; its 15 members are tasked with interpreting the constitution. There are lower courts with specific jurisdictions as well, including the Control Yuan which monitors corruption. Although Taiwan is a prosperous and fully-functioning democracy, it is not recognized diplomatically by many other nations. Only 25 states have full diplomatic relations with Taiwan, most of them small states in Oceania or Latin America, because the People's Republic of China (mainland China ) has long withdrawn its own diplomats from any nation that recognized Taiwan. The only European state that formally recognizes Taiwan is Vatican City. Population of Taiwan: The total population of Taiwan is approximately 23.2 million as of 2011. Taiwan's demographic make-up is extremely interesting, both in terms of history and ethnicity. Some 98% of the Taiwanese are ethnically Han Chinese, but their ancestors migrated to the island in several waves and speak different languages.

Approximately 70% of the population are Hoklo, meaning that they are descended from Chinese immigrants from Southern Fujian who arrived in the 17th century. Another 15% are Hakka , descendants of migrants from central China, mainly Guangdong Province. The Hakka are supposed to have immigrated in five or six major waves beginning just after the reign of Qin Shihuangdi (246 - 210 BCE). In addition to the Hoklo and Hakka waves, a third group of mainland Chinese arrived in Taiwan after the Nationalist Guomindang (KMT) lost the Chinese Civil War to Mao Zedong and the Communists. Descendants of this third wave, which took place in 1949, are called waishengren and make up 12% of Taiwan's total population. Finally, 2% of Taiwanese citizens are aboriginal people, divided into thirteen major ethnic groups. This are the Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Tao (or Yami), Thao, and Truku.

Taiwanese aborigines are Austronesian, and DNA evidence suggests that Taiwan was the starting point for the peopling of the Pacific islands by Polynesian explorers. Languages: The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin ; however, the 70% of the population who are ethnic Hoklo speak the Hokkien dialect of Min Nan (Southern Min) Chinese as their mother tongue. Hokkien is not mutually intelligible with Cantonese or Mandarin. Most Hoklo people in Taiwan speak both Hokkien and Mandarin fluently. The Hakka people also have their own dialect of Chinese which is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien - the language is also called Hakka. Mandarin is the language of instruction in Taiwan's schools, and most radio and TV programs are broadcast in the official langauge as well. The aboriginal Taiwanese have their own languages, though most can also speak Mandarin. These aboriginal languages belong to the Austronesian language family rather than the Sino-Tibetan family. Finally, some elderly Taiwanese speak Japanese , learned in school during the Japanese occupation (1895-1945), and do not understand Mandarin.

Religion in Taiwan: Taiwan's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and 93% of the population profess one faith or another. Most adhere to Buddhism , often in combination with the philosophies of Confucianism and/or Taoism . Approximately 4.5% of Taiwanese are Christians , including about 65% of Taiwan's aboriginal people. There are a wide variety of other faiths represented by less than 1% of the population: Islam , Mormonism, Scientology , Baha'i , Jehovah's Witnesses , Tenrikyo , Mahikari, Liism, etc. Taiwan's Geography: Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa, is a large island about 180 kilometers (112 miles) off the coast of southeast China. It has a total area of 35,883 square kilometers (13,855 square miles). The western third of the island is flat and fertile, so the vast majority of Taiwan's people live there. In contrast, the eastern two-thirds are rugged and mountainous, and hence much more sparsely populated. One of the most famous sites in eastern Taiwan is the Taroko National Park , with its landscape of peaks and gorges.

The highest point in Taiwan is Yu Shan, 3,952 meters (12,966 feet) above sea level. The lowest point is sea level. Taiwan sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire , situated at a suture between the Yangtze, Okinawa and Philippine tectonic plates . As a result, it is seismically active; on September 21, 1999, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit the island, and smaller tremors are quite common. Climate of Taiwan: Taiwan has a tropical climate, with a monsoonal rainy season from January through March. Summers are hot and humid. The average temperature in July is about 27°C (81°F), while in February the average drops to 15°C (59°F). Taiwan is a frequent target of Pacific typhoons. Taiwan's Economy: Taiwan is one of Asia's " Tiger Economies ," along with Singapore , South Korea and Hong Kong . After World War II, the island received a huge influx of cash when the fleeing KMT brought millions in gold and foreign currency from the mainland's treasury to Taipei.

Today, Taiwan is a capitalist powerhouse, and a major exporter of electronics and other high-tech products. It had an estimated 5.2% growth rate in its GDP in 2011, despite the global economic downturn and weakened demand for consumer goods. Taiwan's unemployment rate is 4.3% (2011), and a per capita GDP of $37,900 US. As of March 2012, $1 US = 29.53 Taiwanese New Dollars. History of Taiwan: Humans first settled the island of Taiwan as early as 30,000 years ago, although the identity of those first inhabitants is unclear. Around 2,000 BCE or earlier, farming people from the mainland of China immigrated to Taiwan. These farmers spoke an Austronesian language; their descendants today are called Taiwanese aboriginal people. Although many of them stayed in Taiwan, others continued on to populate the Pacific Islands, becoming the Polynesian peoples of Tahiti, Hawai'i, New Zealand, Easter Island, etc. Waves of Han Chinese settlers arrived in Taiwan via the off-shore Penghu Islands, perhaps as early as 200 BCE.

During the "Three Kingdoms" period, the emperor of Wu sent explorers to seek islands in the Pacific; they returned with thousands of captive aboriginal Taiwanese. The Wu decided that Taiwan was barbaric land, not worthy of joining the Sinocentric trade and tribute system. Larger numbers of Han Chinese began to come in the 13th and then again in the 16th centuries. Some accounts state that one or two ships from Admiral Zheng He's first voyage might have visited Taiwan in 1405. European awareness of Taiwan began in 1544, when the Portuguese sighted the island and named it Ilha Formosa, "beautiful island." In 1592, Toyotomi Hideyoshi of Japan sent an armada to take Taiwan, but the aboriginal Taiwanese fought the Japanese off. Dutch traders also established a fort on Tayouan in 1624, which they called Castle Zeelandia. This was an important way-station for the Dutch on their way to Tokugawa Japan , where they were the only Europeans allowed in to trade. The Spanish also occupied northern Taiwan from 1626 to 1642, but were driven off by the Dutch.

In 1661-62, pro-Ming military forces fled to Taiwan to escape the Manchus , who had defeated the ethnic-Han Chinese Ming Dynasty in 1644, and were extending their control southward. The pro-Ming forces expelled the Dutch from Taiwan and set up the Kingdom of Tungnin on the southwest coast. This kingdom lasted just two decades, from 1662 to 1683, and was beset by tropical disease and a lack of food. In 1683, the Manchu Qing Dynasty destroyed the Tungnin fleet and conquered the renegade little kingdom. During the Qing annexation of Taiwan, different Han Chinese groups fought one another and the Taiwanese aborigines. Qing troops put down a serious rebellion on the island in 1732, driving the rebels to either assimilate or take refuge high in the mountains. Taiwan became a full province of Qing China in 1885 with Taipei as its capital. This Chinese move was precipitated in part by increasing Japanese interest in Taiwan. In 1871, the Paiwan aboriginal people of southern Taiwan captured fifty-four sailors who were stranded after their ship ran aground.

The Paiwan beheaded all the shipwrecked crew, who were from the Japanese tributary state of the Ryukyu Islands. Japan demanded that Qing China compensate them for the incident. However, the Ryukyus were also a tributary of the Qing, so China rejected Japan's claim. Japan reiterated the demand, and the Qing officials refused again, citing the wild and uncivilized nature of Taiwanese aborigines. In 1874, the Meiji government sent an expeditionary force of 3,000 to invade Taiwan; 543 of the Japanese died, but they managed to establish a presence on the island. They were not able to establish control of the entire island until the 1930s, however, and had to use chemical weapons and machine guns to subdue the aboriginal warriors. When Japan surrendered at the end of World War II, they signed control of Taiwan over to mainland China. However, since China was embroiled in the Chinese Civil War, the Unted States was supposed to serve as the primary occupying power in the immmediate post-war period.

Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government, the KMT, disputed American occupation rights in Taiwan, and set up a Republic of China (ROC) government there in October of 1945. The Taiwanese greeted the Chinese as liberators from harsh Japanese rule, but the ROC soon proved corrupt and inept. When the KMT lost the Chinese Civil War to Mao Zedong and the Communists, the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan and based their government in Taipei. Chiang Kai-shek never relinquished his claim over mainland China; likewise, the People's Republic of China continued to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. The United States, preoccupied with the occupation of Japan, abandoned the KMT in Taiwan to its fate - fully expecting that the Communists would soon route the Nationalists from the island. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, however, the US changed its position on Taiwan; President Harry S Truman sent the American Seventh Fleet in to the Straits between Taiwan and the mainland to prevent the island from falling to the Communists. The US has supported Taiwanese autonomy ever since.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Taiwan was under the authoritarian one-party rule of Chiang Kai-shek until his death in 1975. In 1971, the United Nations recognized the People's Republic of China as the proper holder of the Chinese seat in the UN (both the Security Council and the General Assembly). The Republic of China (Taiwan) was expelled. In 1975, Chiang Kai-shek's son, Chiang Ching-kuo, succeeded his father. Taiwan received another diplomatic blow in 1979, when the United States withdrew its recognition from the Republic of China and instead recognized the People's Republic of China. Chiang Ching-kuo gradually loosened his grip on absolute power during the 1980s, recinding the state of martial law that had lasted since 1948. Meanwhile, Taiwan's economy boomed on the strength of high-tech exports. The younger Chiang passed away in 1988, and further political and social liberalization led to the free election of Lee Teng-hui as president in 1996.

Question: What was the previous name of Taiwan, the island off the southeast coast of mainland China?
Answer: Formosa