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Compare Christmas Island (2003) - Taiwan (2004)

Compare Christmas Island (2003) z Taiwan (2004)

 Christmas Island (2003)Taiwan (2004)
 Christmas IslandTaiwan
Administrative divisions none (territory of Australia) includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller islands near central island and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)

counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin

municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan

special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city


note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization; special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization for street and place names within city boundaries, other local authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems
Age structure 0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 2,359,467; female 2,167,438)


15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,149,231; female 7,924,774)


65 years and over: 9.4% (male 1,091,473; female 1,057,455) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products NA rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk, fish
Airports 1 (2002) 40 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 37


over 3,047 m: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 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 about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan 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 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became 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 NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues: $56.58 billion


expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2003 est.)
Capital The Settlement Taipei
Climate tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 80 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution NA 25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
Country name conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency Australian dollar (AUD) new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $NA $53.44 billion (2003)
Dependency status territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of Australia) 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 at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; 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 none (territory of Australia) 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 none involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; 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; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan asserted claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest actions
Economic aid - recipient $NA -
Economy - overview Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. 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. 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 32% in 1952. While Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China has become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. 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. The global economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002. Although the SARS epidemic, Typhoon Maemi, corporate scandals, and a drop in consumer spending caused GDP growth to contract to 3.2% in 2003, increasingly strong export performance kept Taiwan's economy on track, and the government expects Taiwan's economy to grow 4.1% in 2004.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 140.5 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production NA kWh 151.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: NA%


hydro: NA%


nuclear: NA%


other: NA%
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Environment - current issues NA 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: 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 Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)


head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) YEH Chu-lan (since 20 May 2004)


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 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier


election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%
Exports $NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities phosphate computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners Australia, NZ China 25.3%, US 20.5%, Japan 9.2% (2002)
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 the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 30.3%


services: 67.9% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 3.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 30 S, 105 40 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports - 3 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 240 km


paved: 30 km


unpaved: 210 km (2000)
total: 35,931 km


paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways)


unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Illicit drugs - regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem
Imports $NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities consumer goods machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners principally Australia Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)
Independence none (territory of Australia) -
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8.4% (2003)
Industries tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% -0.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation none APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force NA 10.08 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages English (official), Chinese, Malay Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)


elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders)


note: the number of seats in the legislature may be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the election in 2007 if a proposed constitutional amendment is approved


elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) according to proposed constitutional amendment


election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%; seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7, independents 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2003 est.)
total population: 77.06 years


male: 74.31 years


female: 80.08 years (2004 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1% (2003)
Location Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia 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 Southeast Asia Southeast Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 12 NM


exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total: 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT


by type: bulk 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 3, container 37, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: Cuba 1, Hong Kong 4


registered in other countries: 457 (2004 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Australia -
Military branches - Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $7,611.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 182,677 (2004 est.)
National holiday NA Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese
Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources phosphate, beaches small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders none Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang, chairman]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP
Political pressure groups and leaders none 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 433 (July 2003 est.) 22,749,838 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 1% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate -9% (2003 est.) 0.64% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Flying Fish Cove Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Railways 24 km to serve phosphate mines total: 2,544 km


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


note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2003)
Religions Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Sex ratio NA (2003 est.) at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage - 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available


international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need


domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized


international: country code - 886; 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 NA 13.355 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 25,089,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations NA 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 5% (2003 est.)
Waterways none -
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