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Compare Liberia (2004) - Taiwan (2004)

Compare Liberia (2004) z Taiwan (2004)

 Liberia (2004)Taiwan (2004)
 LiberiaTaiwan
Administrative divisions 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe 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: 43.4% (male 742,508; female 730,677)


15-64 years: 52.9% (male 875,951; female 918,570)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 61,867; female 61,062) (2004 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 rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk, fish
Airports 53 (2003 est.) 40 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 51


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)
total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 111,370 sq km


land: 96,320 sq km


water: 15,050 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 larger than Tennessee slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of civil war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) - which is composed of rebel, government, and civil society groups - assumed control in October 2003. Chairman Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate to oversee efforts to rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish. 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 44.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $85.4 million


expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $56.58 billion


expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2003 est.)
Capital Monrovia Taipei
Climate tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 579 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution 6 January 1986 25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Liberia


conventional short form: Liberia
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency Liberian dollar (LRD) new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Death rate 17.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.1 billion (2000 est.) $53.44 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III


embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380


FAX: [231] 226-148
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aaron B. KOLLIE


chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011


telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437


FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436


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) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Disputes - international domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, and ethnic conflicts and refugees in border areas; the Cote d'Ivoire Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels 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 $94 million (1999) -
Economy - overview Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned, many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The departure of the former president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, the establishment of the all-inclusive National Transition Government of Liberia (NTGL), and the arrival of a UN mission are all encouraging signs that the political crisis is coming to an end. The restoration of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor countries. 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 435.9 million kWh (2001) 140.5 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 468.8 million kWh (2001) 151.1 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Environment - current issues tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage 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-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
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 indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 61.7542 (2002), 48.5833 (2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025 (1999) 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: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups participating in the Liberian peace process


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA October 2005)


election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor stepped down in August 2003


note:: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement, Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National Transitional Government on 14 October 2003
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 $1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners Germany 43.3%, Poland 10.9%, Greece 9.1%, US 6%, France 5.5%, Thailand 4.9%, China 4.1% (2003) 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 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.261 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 76.9%


industry: 5.4%


services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 30.3%


services: 67.9% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2003 est.) 3.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 30 N, 9 30 W 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports - 3 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 10,600 km


paved: 657 km


unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 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%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center 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 (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners South Korea 39.2%, Japan 16.2%, Singapore 12.4%, Germany 9.9%, Spain 4.1% (2003) Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)
Independence 26 July 1847 -
Industrial production growth rate NA 8.4% (2003)
Industries rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: 130.51 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 137.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 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) 15% (2003 est.) -0.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force - 10.08 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.) agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,585 km


border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 3.95%


permanent crops: 2.28%


other: 93.77% (2001)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA October 2005)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1
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: 47.93 years


male: 46.9 years


female: 48.99 years (2004 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: 57.5%


male: 73.3%


female: 41.6%


note: (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1% (2003)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone 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 Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 1,449 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752 GRT/79,125,329 DWT


by type: bulk 278, cargo 67, chemical tanker 161, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 20, container 388, liquefied gas 77, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 317, refrigerated cargo 62, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 33


foreign-owned: Argentina 9, Australia 3, Austria 16, Belgium 8, Bermuda 1, Brazil 5, Chile 7, China 40, Croatia 11, Cyprus 4, Denmark 4, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 510, Greece 142, Hong Kong 56, Iceland 1, India 3, Indonesia 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 81, South Korea 7, Latvia 22, Isle of Man 5, Mexico 1, Monaco 59, Netherlands 11, Nigeria 2, Norway 54, Panama 1, Poland 2, Portugal 6, Russia 68, Saudi Arabia 23, Singapore 43, Slovenia 1, Spain 1, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 36, Turkey 3, Ukraine 3, United Kingdom 36, United States 95, Uruguay 3


registered in other countries: 35 (2004 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 Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force 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 $10 million (2003) $7,611.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2003) 2.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 752,943 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 406,293 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 182,677 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 July (1847) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Liberian(s)


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


adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese
Natural hazards dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their ability to return (2004 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE] 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 NA Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups


note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
Population 3,390,635 (July 2004 est.) 22,749,838 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 80% 1% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.7% (2004 est.) 0.64% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Railways total: 490 km


standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge


note: none of the railways are in operation (2003)
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 indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 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 18 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia


domestic: NA


international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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 7,000 (2001) 13.355 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,000 (2001) 25,089,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 6.16 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 85% (2003 est.) 5% (2003 est.)
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