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Compare East Timor (2006) - Taiwan (2007)

Compare East Timor (2006) z Taiwan (2007)

 East Timor (2006)Taiwan (2007)
 East TimorTaiwan
Administrative divisions 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby 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)


note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses


counties: Chang-hua (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), I-lan (Yilan), Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu), Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t'ou (Nantou), P'eng-hu (Penghu), P'ing-tung (Pingtung), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan), T'ai-pei (Taipei) [county], T'ai-tung (Taitung), T'ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and Yun-lin (Yunlin)


municipalities: Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan)


special municipalities: Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [city], T'ai-pei (Taipei) [city]
Age structure 0-14 years: 36.3% (male 196,293/female 189,956)


15-64 years: 60.6% (male 328,111/female 315,401)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 16,072/female 16,944) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,117,051/female 1,954,709)


15-64 years: 72% (male 8,306,351/female 8,141,268)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 1,150,001/female 1,189,492) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Airports 8 (2006) 41 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
total: 38


over 3,047 m: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2006)
total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Area total: 15,007 sq km


land: NA sq km


water: NA sq km
total: 35,980 sq km


land: 32,260 sq km


water: 3,720 sq km


note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative slightly larger than Connecticut slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state. 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 local 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 26.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 8.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $107.7 million


expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $73.1 billion


expenditures: $72.44 billion (2006 est.)
Capital name: Dili


geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E


time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Taipei


geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E


time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 706 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model) 25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005


note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste


conventional short form: East Timor


local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]


local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]


former: Portuguese Timor
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Death rate 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $0 $91.92 billion (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES


embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili


mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250


telephone: (670) 332-4684


FAX: (670) 331-3206
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, Kaohsiung, 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 chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Constancio PINTO


chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: 202 966-3202


FAX: 202 966-3205


consulate(s) general: 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), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities
Disputes - international UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about 1,000 peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the northern maritime boundaries; many refugees who left East Timor in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and East Timor agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Australia has hampered creation of a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia 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 became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting
Economic aid - recipient $153 million (2004 est.) -
Economy - overview In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. Non-petroleum GDP growth was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of the international presence but recovered somewhat in 2004. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above expectations - the result of high petroleum prices - but the technology-intensive industry does little to create jobs for the unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June 2005 unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of East Timor's petroleum wealth for future generations. 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 island runs a trade surplus, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and, in 2006, its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer spending recovered following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks tightened lending to address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer debt.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 201.6 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production NA kWh 210.3 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m


highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Environment - current issues widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion 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 NA 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 Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO


head of government: Prime Minister Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 10 July 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da SILVA (since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do ARAUJO (since 10 July 2006)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in May 2007)


election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3%
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000); Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)


head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun-hsiung (since 21 May 2007); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) CHIOU I-jen (since 21 May 2007)


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


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); 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 50.1%, LIEN Chan 49.9%
Exports $10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanilla exports computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners Indonesia 100% (2005) China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 July - 30 June
Flag description red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 23.1%


services: 68.4% (2001)
agriculture: 1.5%


industry: 26.8%


services: 71.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2005 est.) 4.7% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 50 S, 125 55 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports 9 (2006) 4 (2007)
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 NA regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs
Imports $202 million (2004 est.) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners - Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2006 est.)
Independence 28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia -
Industrial production growth rate 8.5% 6.5% (2006 est.)
Industries printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
Infant mortality rate total: 45.89 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 52.03 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 39.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.4% (2005) 0.6% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WToO APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer), WTO
Irrigated land 1,065 sq km (est.) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established, Court of Appeals is highest court Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force NA 10.52 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 5.5%


industry: 36%


services: 58.5% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries total: 228 km


border countries: Indonesia 228 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 8.2%


permanent crops: 4.57%


other: 87.23% (2005)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English


note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed and are expected to be promulgated in early 2006 based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis


elections: (next to be held in May 2007); direct elections for national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the national convention adopted a constitution and named themselves legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the national parliament


election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats; 168 members 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 islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve three-year terms)


note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the now defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election in 2007; amendments also eliminated National Assembly thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature


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


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: 66.26 years


male: 63.96 years


female: 68.67 years (2006 est.)
total population: 77.56 years


male: 74.65 years


female: 80.74 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 58.6%


male: NA%


female: NA% (2002)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1%


male: NA%


female: NA% (2003)
Location Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco 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 territorial sea: NA


exclusive economic zone: NA


continental shelf: NA


exclusive fishing zone: NA
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 102 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,537,256 GRT/4,203,423 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 20, chemical tanker 2, container 21, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 4 (Canada 3, France 1)


registered in other countries: 489 (Bahamas 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 11, Liberia 82, Panama 306, Singapore 60, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2007)
Military branches East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005) Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure $4.4 million (FY03) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 2.2% (2006; to increase to 2.85% in 2007)
National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1975) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Timorese


adjective: Timorese
noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)


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


adjective: Taiwan
Natural hazards floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO] Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHEN Shui-bian]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP
Political pressure groups and leaders Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring government 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 the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; 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 1,062,777


note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2006 est.)
22,858,872 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 42% (2003 est.) 0.9% (2006 est.)
Population growth rate 2.08% (2006 est.) 0.304% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Railways - total: 2,502 km


narrow gauge: 1,102 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)


note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry products and limited numbers of passengers (2006)
Religions Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.) mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.083 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.967 male(s)/female


total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 17 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system NA 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 14.497 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 23.249 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations NA 29 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mountainous eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.) 1.12 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; data do not include underemployed (2001 est.) 3.9% (2006 est.)
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