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Compare Bangladesh (2002) - Taiwan (2002)

Compare Bangladesh (2002) z Taiwan (2002)

 Bangladesh (2002)Taiwan (2002)
 BangladeshTaiwan
Administrative divisions 5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); Taiwan is further subdivided into 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un


note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
Age structure 0-14 years: 33.8% (male 23,069,242; female 21,995,457)


15-64 years: 62.8% (male 42,924,778; female 40,873,077)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,444,314; female 2,069,816) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,464,290; female 2,268,627)


15-64 years: 70% (male 8,010,014; female 7,774,296)


65 years and over: 9% (male 1,053,975; female 976,807) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Airports 18 (2001) 39 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 6 (2002)
total: 37


over 3,047 m: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 144,000 sq km


land: 133,910 sq km


water: 10,090 sq km
total: 35,980 sq km


land: 32,260 sq km


water: 3,720 sq km


note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Iowa slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development. In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within its governing structure. This culminated in 2000, when Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.
Birth rate 25.12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 14.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.9 billion


expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $36 billion


expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Capital Dhaka Taipei
Climate tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 580 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999
Country name conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh


conventional short form: Bangladesh


former: East Pakistan
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency taka (BDT) new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Death rate 8.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $17 billion (2000) (2000) $40 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS


embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212


mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000


telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722


FAX: [880] (2) 8823744
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office located at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD


chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183


FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Disputes - international only a small portion of the boundary with India remains undelimited; discussions to demarcate the boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, and allocate divided villages remain stalled; skirmishes, illegal border trafficking, and violence along the border continue; Bangladesh has protested India's attempts to fence off high traffic sections of the porous boundary; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on the border stream in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim refugees migrate into Bangladesh straining meager resources involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China
Economic aid - recipient $1.575 billion -
Economy - overview Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's level of political will to do so has been lacking. Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8% during the past three decades. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved offshore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam; 50,000 Taiwanese businesses are established in China. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998-99. The global economic downturn, however, combined with poor policy coordination by the new administration and increasing bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first whole year of negative growth since 1947. Unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis.
Electricity - consumption 12.548 billion kWh (2000) 139.3 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 13.493 billion kWh (2000) 149.78 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 92%


hydro: 8%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 69%


hydro: 6%


nuclear: 25%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
Environment - current issues many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Ethnic groups Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998) Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates taka per US dollar - 57.756 (January 2002), 55.807 (2001), 52.142 (2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997) new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.6 (2002), 34.49 (yearend 2001),, 33.08 (yearend 2000),, 31.4 (yearend 1999),, 32.22 (1998),, 32.05 (1997),, 27.5 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 Sepember 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections


head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president


elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president


election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA%
chief of state: President Shui-bian CHEN (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette Hsiu-lien LU (since 20 May 2000)


head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Shyi-kun YU (since 1 February 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) Hsin-yi LIN (since 1 February 2002)


cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 18 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier


election results: Shui-bian CHEN elected president; percent of vote - Shui-bian CHEN (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (independent) 36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%, LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13%
Exports $6.6 billion (2001) $122 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood machinery and electrical equipment 55%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals
Exports - partners US 31.8%, Germany 10.9%, UK 7.9%, France 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.42% (2000) US 23.5%, Hong Kong 21.1%, Europe 16%, ASEAN 12.2%, Japan 11.2% (2000)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)
Flag description green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $230 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $386 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 30%


industry: 18%


services: 52% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 2%


industry: 32%


services: 66% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,750 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2001 est.) -2.2% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 00 N, 90 00 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports - 3 (2002)
Highways total: 201,182 km


paved: 19,112 km


unpaved: 182,070 km (1997)
total: 34,901 km


paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways)


unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 29%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin
Imports $8.7 billion (2001) $109 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement machinery and electrical equipment 50%, minerals, precision instruments
Imports - partners India 10.5%, EU 9.5%, Japan 9.5%, Singapore 8.5%, China 7.4% (2000) Japan 27.5%, US 17.9%, Europe 13.6%, South Korea 6.4% (2000)
Independence 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh -
Industrial production growth rate 6.2% (2001 est.) -5% (2001 est.)
Industries cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Infant mortality rate 68.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.8% (2000 est.) 0.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 10 (2000) 8 (2000)
Irrigated land 38,440 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president) Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force 64.1 million (1998)


note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (1998)
9.8 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY95/96) services 56%, industry 36%, agriculture 8% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 4,246 km


border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 60.7%


permanent crops: 2.61%


other: 36.69% (1998 est.)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75%
Languages Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system based on English common law based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms


elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 201, AL 62, JI 18, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 1, other 4; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation within three months of a Legislative Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the president, or change national borders)


elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a nonstanding body and is called into session


election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%; seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and other parties 11
Life expectancy at birth total population: 60.92 years


male: 61.08 years


female: 60.74 years (2002 est.)
total population: 76.74 years


male: 73.99 years


female: 79.71 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 56%


male: 63%


female: 49% (2000 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86% (1980 est.)


male: 93% (1980 est.)


female: 79% (1980 est.)


note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998 est.)
Location Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India 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
Map references Asia Southeast Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 18 NM


continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 269,932 GRT/379,271 DWT


ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 26, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, includes s foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 5 (2002 est.)
total: 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,262,451 GRT/6,596,950 DWT


ships by type: bulk 40, cargo 28, combination bulk 3, container 53, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, Armed Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps) Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure $559 million (FY96/97) $8,041.2 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.8% (FY96/97) 2.8% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 37,303,372 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 6,575,625 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 22,139,736 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 5,018,882 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 198,766 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Bangladeshi(s)


adjective: Bangladeshi
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)


adjective: Chinese
Natural hazards droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources natural gas, arable land, timber, coal small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines natural gas 1,250 km petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999)
Political parties and leaders Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [[Naziur Rahman MANZUR] Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank Chang-ting HSIEH, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James Chu-yu SOONG, chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [Chu-wen HUANG, chairman]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups


note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
Population 133,376,684 (July 2002 est.) 22,548,009 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 36% 1% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.59% (2002 est.) 0.78% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj (2001) Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Radios 6.15 million (1997) 16 million (1994)
Railways total: 2,745 km


broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
total: 1,108 km


narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)


note: in addition to the above routes in common carrier service, there are several thousand kilometers of 1.067-m gauge routes that are dedicated to industrial use (2001)
Religions Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998) mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country


domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need


domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 500,000 (2000) 12.49 million (September 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 283,000 (2000) 16 million (September 2000)
Television broadcast stations 15 (1999) 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 2.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 35% (2001 est.) 4.5% (2001 est.)
Waterways up to 8,046 km depending on season


note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
NA
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