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Compare Nepal (2005) - Taiwan (2004)

Compare Nepal (2005) z Taiwan (2004)

 Nepal (2005)Taiwan (2004)
 NepalTaiwan
Administrative divisions 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti 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: 39% (male 5,575,157/female 5,221,794)


15-64 years: 57.3% (male 8,137,410/female 7,720,691)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 499,039/female 522,456) (2005 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 rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk, fish
Airports 46 (2004 est.) 40 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (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: 37


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)
total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 140,800 sq km


land: 136,800 sq km


water: 4,000 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 Arkansas slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003. In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime minister who formed a four-party coalition government, which the king subsequently tasked with paving the way for elections to be held in spring of 2005. Citing dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency, the king in February 2005 dissolved the government and assumed power. 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 31.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $665 million


expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $56.58 billion


expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2003 est.)
Capital Kathmandu Taipei
Climate varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 1,566.3 km
Constitution 9 November 1990 25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal


conventional short form: Nepal
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency - new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Death rate 9.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.7 billion (2001) $53.44 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY


embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [977] (1) 411179


FAX: [977] (1) 419963
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 Kedar Bhakta SHRESTHA


chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550


FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534


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 joint border commission continues to work on small disputed sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities 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 $424 million (FY00/01) -
Economy - overview Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with 40% of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. 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 2.005 billion kWh (2002) 140.5 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 142 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 237 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 2.054 billion kWh (2002) 151.1 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Environment - current issues deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions 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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: 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 Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census) Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002), 74.949 (2001), 71.094 (2000) 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 GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)


head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA; note - the Prime Minister resigned in Februrary 2005


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; note - the King dissolved the Cabinet in February 2005


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch


note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)


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


cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier


election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners India 47.4%, US 22.7%, Germany 8.4% (2004) China 25.3%, US 20.5%, Japan 9.2% (2002)
Fiscal year 16 July - 15 July 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)
Flag description red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP - purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 20%


services: 40% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 30.3%


services: 67.9% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2004 est.) 3.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 28 00 N, 84 00 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports - 3 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 13,223 km


paved: 4,073 km


unpaved: 9,150 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%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)
lowest 10%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners India 46.3%, China 10.8%, UAE 9.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004) Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)
Independence 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah) -
Industrial production growth rate 8.7% (FY99/00) 8.4% (2003)
Industries tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: 66.98 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 65.25 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 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) 2.9% (2002 est.) -0.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MICAH, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, WTO (observer) APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO
Irrigated land 11,350 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council) Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force 10 million


note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
10.08 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16% agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 21.68%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 77.68% (2001)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)


note: many in government and business also speak English
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA); note - Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 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: 59.8 years


male: 60.09 years


female: 59.5 years (2005 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: 45.2%


male: 62.7%


female: 27.6% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1% (2003)
Location Southern Asia, between China and India 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 Asia Southeast Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - 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 Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police 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 $99.2 million (2004) $7,611.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.5% (2004) 2.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 182,677 (2004 est.)
National holiday Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)


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


adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese
Natural hazards severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra BAHADUR, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA, president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president; Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA] 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 Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRAHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist, chief negotiator]; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups 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 27,676,547 (July 2005 est.) 22,749,838 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 42% (1995-96) 1% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.2% (2005 est.) 0.64% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Railways total: 59 km


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2004)
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 Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)


note: only official Hindu state in the world
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: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 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: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network


domestic: NA


international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian 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 371,800 (2003) 13.355 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 50,400 (2003) 25,089,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998) 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 4.19 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 47% (2001 est.) 5% (2003 est.)
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