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Compare Jordan (2002) - Taiwan (2004)

Compare Jordan (2002) z Taiwan (2004)

 Jordan (2002)Taiwan (2004)
 JordanTaiwan
Administrative divisions 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba 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: 36.6% (male 991,370; female 949,247)


15-64 years: 60% (male 1,698,568; female 1,485,261)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 90,186; female 92,838) (2002 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 wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk, fish
Airports 18 (2001) 40 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 15


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 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: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 92,300 sq km


land: 91,971 sq km


water: 329 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 Indiana slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities, including an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade Association in 2001. 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 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.9 billion


expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $56.58 billion


expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2003 est.)
Capital Amman Taipei
Climate mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 26 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution 8 January 1952 25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
Country name conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


conventional short form: Jordan


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah


local short form: Al Urdun


former: Transjordan
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency Jordanian dinar (JOD) new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Death rate 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $8.2 billion (2002 est.) $53.44 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.


embassy: Abdoun, Amman


mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200


telephone: [962] (6) 5920101


FAX: [962] (6) 5920121
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR


chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664


FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
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 ODA, $600 million (2000 est.) -
Economy - overview Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), an association agreement with the EU (2000), and a free trade accord with US (2000). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The substantial trade deficit is covered by tourism receipts, worker remittances, and foreign assistance. Ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures. 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 7.092 billion kWh (2000) 140.5 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 5 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 650 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 6.932 billion kWh (2000) 151.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 99%


hydro: 1%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, 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 Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present )


note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies
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: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)


head of government: Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
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 $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners India 11.4%, US 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Israel 3.7% (2001) China 25.3%, US 20.5%, Japan 9.2% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 26%


services: 70% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 30.3%


services: 67.9% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2002 est.) 3.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 31 00 N, 36 00 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports 2 (2002) 3 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 8,000 km


paved: 8,000 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.)
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%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1997) (1997)
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 $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners Germany 8.8%, US 7.8%, Italy 5.6%, France 5.5% (2001) Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)
Independence 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) -
Industrial production growth rate -1.1% (2002 est.) 8.4% (2003)
Industries phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Infant mortality rate 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 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) 3.3% (2002 est.) -0.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 5 (2000) -
Irrigated land 750 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force 1.26 million


note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001)
10.08 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation services 83%, industry 13%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.) agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,635 km


border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 2.87%


permanent crops: 1.52%


other: 95.61% (1998 est.)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms


elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election postponed, next scheduled to be held in June 2003)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2


note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
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: 77.71 years


male: 75.26 years


female: 80.3 years (2002 est.)
total population: 77.06 years


male: 74.31 years


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


total population: 86.6%


male: 93.4%


female: 79.4% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1% (2003)
Location Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia 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 Middle East Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 NM territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,206 GRT/53,401 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, container 1, roll on/roll off 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 6 (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 branches Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or Socom); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations 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 $757.5 million (FY01) $7,611.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 8.6% (FY01) 2.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,517,751 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,073,991 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 57,131 (2002 est.) males: 182,677 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 25 May (1946) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Jordanian(s)


adjective: Jordanian
noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese
Natural hazards droughts; periodic earthquakes earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources phosphates, potash, shale oil small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif al-ARABIYAT, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general] 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 Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]; Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president] 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 5,307,470 (July 2002 est.) 22,749,838 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 30% (2001 est.) 1% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.89% (2002 est.) 0.64% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Al 'Aqabah Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Radios 1.66 million (1997) -
Railways total: 677 km


narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2001)
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 Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.) 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: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 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 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public


domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
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 403,000 (1997) 13.355 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 11,500 (1995) 25,089,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995) 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.) 5% (2003 est.)
Waterways none -
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