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Compare Lebanon (2001) - Taiwan (2001)

Compare Lebanon (2001) z Taiwan (2001)

 Lebanon (2001)Taiwan (2001)
 LebanonTaiwan
Administrative divisions 5 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Ech Chimal, Ej Jnoub, El Bekaa, Jabal Loubnane since in the past the authorities claimed to be the government of all China, 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); note - the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 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:
27.57% (male 509,975; female 490,031)

15-64 years:
65.72% (male 1,136,995; female 1,247,184)

65 years and over:
6.71% (male 110,964; female 132,625) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
21.22% (male 2,470,270; female 2,276,108)

15-64 years:
69.97% (male 7,944,451; female 7,707,250)

65 years and over:
8.81% (male 1,034,230; female 938,152) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Airports 8 (2000 est.) 39 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
5

over 3,047 m:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total:
35

over 3,047 m:
8

2,438 to 3,047 m:
9

1,524 to 2,437 m:
8

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
3

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Area total:
10,400 sq km

land:
10,230 sq km

water:
170 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 Connecticut slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about 25,000 troops in Lebanon based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern Lebanon in May of 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. 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. Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issue continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and China and the question of eventual reunification.
Birth rate 20.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 14.31 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$3.31 billion

expenditures:
$5.55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues:
$42.74 billion

expenditures:
$48.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Beirut Taipei
Climate Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 225 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Taif Accord) of October 1989 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999
Country name conventional long form:
Lebanese Republic

conventional short form:
Lebanon

local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form:
Lubnan
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Taiwan

local long form:
none

local short form:
T'ai-wan

former:
Formosa
Currency Lebanese pound (LBP) new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Death rate 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $9.6 billion (2000 est.) $40 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador David M. SATTERFIELD

embassy:
Antelias, Beirut

mailing address:
P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Beirut; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002

telephone:
[961] (4) 543600, 543600

FAX:
[961] (4) 544136
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through a private corporation, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia (telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474 and FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385) and offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 2702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX [886] (2) 2757-7162
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD

chancery:
2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 939-6300

FAX:
[1] (202) 939-6324

consulate(s) general:
Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private 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 Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as a part of Lebanon from which Hizballah conducts cross-border attacks involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China
Economic aid - recipient $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) -
Economy - overview The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy has made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% per year in 1996 and 1997 but slowed to 2% in 1998, -1% in 1999, and 1% in 2000. Annual inflation fell during the course of the 1990s from more than 100% to 0%, and foreign exchange reserves jumped from $1.4 billion to more than $6 billion. Burgeoning capital inflows have generated foreign payments surpluses, and the Lebanese pound has remained very stable for the past two years. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. Solidere, a $2-billion firm, has managed the reconstruction of Beirut's central business district; the stock market reopened in January 1996; and international banks and insurance companies are returning. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by tapping foreign exchange reserves and by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. The newly re-installed HARIRI government's announced policies fail to address the ever-increasing budgetary deficits and national debt burden. The gap between rich and poor has widened in the 1990s, resulting in grassroots dissatisfaction over the skewed distribution of the reconstruction's benefits. 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 grown even faster and have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are low; the trade surplus is substantial; and foreign reserves are the world's fourth largest. Agriculture contributes 3% 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. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal. 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. Growth in 2001 will depend largely on conditions in Taiwan's export markets and may be about 5%.
Electricity - consumption 7.86 billion kWh (1999) 129.899 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 654 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 7.748 billion kWh (1999) 139.676 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
91.29%

hydro:
8.71%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
67.26%

hydro:
6.32%

nuclear:
26.42%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m

highest point:
Yu Shan 3,997 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills 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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
party to:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (January 2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.8 (1999), 1,516.1 (1998), 1,539.5 (1997), 1,571.4 (1996) new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 33.082 (yearend 2000), 31.395 (yearend 1999), 32.216 (1998), 32.052 (1997), 27.5 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)

head of government:
Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)

cabinet:
Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly; the current Cabinet was formed in 1998

elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim

election results:
Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
chief of state:
President CHEN Shui-bien (20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (since 20 May 2000)

head of government:
Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun-hsiung (since NA October 2000) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) LAI In-jaw (since NA October 2000)

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:
CHEN Shui-bien elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bien (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 $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $148.38 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal and metal products, electrical equipment and products, jewelry, paper and paper products machinery and electrical equipment 51%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals
Exports - partners UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Syria 6%, US 6%, Kuwait 6%, France 5%, Belgium 5%, Jordan 4% (1999) US 23.5%, Hong Kong 21.1%, Europe 16%, ASEAN 12.2%, Japan 11.2% (2000)
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 horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $18.2 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $386 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
12%

industry:
27%

services:
61% (1999 est.)
agriculture:
3%

industry:
33%

services:
64% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $17,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2000 est.) 6.3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 33 50 N, 35 50 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity -
Heliports - 3 (2000 est.)
Highways total:
7,300 km

paved:
6,350 km

unpaved:
950 km (1999 est.)
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%:
NA%

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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs inconsequential producer of hashish; a Lebanese/Syrian eradication campaign started in the early 1990s has practically eliminated the opium and cannabis crops transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin
Imports $6.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $140.01 billion (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, textiles, metals, fuels, agricultural foods machinery and electrical equipment 51%, minerals, precision instruments
Imports - partners Italy 13%, France 11%, Germany 8%, US 7%, Switzerland 6%, Japan, UK, Syria (1999) Japan 27.5%, US 17.9%, Europe 13.6% (2000)
Independence 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) -
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8% (2000 est.)
Industries banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Infant mortality rate 28.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 6.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0% (2000 est.) 1.3% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 22 (2000) 8 (2000)
Irrigated land 860 sq km (1993 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed) Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be appointed by the president with the consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force 1.3 million (1999 est.)

note:
in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (1997 est.)
9.8 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA% services 55%, industry 37%, agriculture 8% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
454 km

border countries:
Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
18%

permanent crops:
9%

permanent pastures:
1%

forests and woodland:
8%

other:
64% (1996 est.)
arable land:
24%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
55%

other:
15%
Languages Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of which Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian 43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of which Sunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of nationwide 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 seats, note - total number of seats has been reduced from 334 to 300 since the last election; members are elected by proportional representation based on the election of the Legislative Yuan and serve four-year terms)

elections:
Legislative Yuan - last held 5 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2001); National Assembly - last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA June 2002)

election results:
Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 46%, DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties 8%; seats by party - KMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15, other parties 6; subsequent to the election there have been some changes in the distribution of seats in the Legislative Yuan due to new party formation and party defections, the new distribution is as follows - KMT 114, DPP 66, PFP 17, NP 9, other/independent 19; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party - KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Life expectancy at birth total population:
71.52 years

male:
69.13 years

female:
74.03 years (2001 est.)
total population:
76.54 years

male:
73.81 years

female:
79.51 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
86.4%

male:
90.8%

female:
82.2% (1997 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
86% (1980 est.); note - literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998 est.)

male:
93% (1980 est.)

female:
79% (1980 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria 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:
12 NM
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total:
71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 379,705 GRT/592,672 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 10, cargo 42, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 3

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Netherlands 1, Syria 1 (2000 est.)
total:
167 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,768,145 GRT/7,508,941 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 45, cargo 29, combination bulk 1, container 65, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)
Military branches Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force) Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure $343 million (FY99/00) $8.042 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.8% (FY99/00) 2.8% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
980,412 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
6,575,689 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
605,332 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
5,025,856 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
198,766 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 22 November (1943) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun:
Lebanese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Lebanese
noun:
Chinese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Chinese
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 72 km (none in operation) petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999)
Political parties and leaders political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations Chinese New Party or CNP [HAU Lang-bin]; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank HSIEH, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; New Party or NP [LI Ching-hwa]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG, 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 reunify 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 3,627,774 (July 2001 est.) 22,370,461 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 28% (1999 est.) 1% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 1.38% (2001 est.) 0.8% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Radios 2.85 million (1997) 16 million (1994)
Railways total:
399 km (mostly unusable because of damage in civil war)

standard gauge:
317 km 1.435-m

narrow gauge:
82 km (1999)
total:
4,600 km (519 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
4,600 km 1.067-m

note:
only 1,108 km of route length (including the electrified part) is used in common carrier service by the Taiwan Railway Administration; the remaining 3,492 km is dedicated to industrial use (1999)
Religions Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL% mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth:
1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.09 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway

domestic:
primarily microwave radio relay and cable

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables
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 700,000 (1999) 12.49 million (September 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 580,000 (1999) 16 million (September 2000)
Television broadcast stations 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995) 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 2.05 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 18% (1997 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Waterways none NA
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