##ciekawa_strona##
Compare Switzerland (2002) - Taiwan (2008)
Compare Switzerland (2002) z Taiwan (2008)
| Switzerland (2002) | Taiwan (2008) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich | includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)
note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei. counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu, Hualien, Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei [county], Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu, Keelung, Taichung, Tainan special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city] |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.8% (male 629,513; female 597,472)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 2,512,273; female 2,433,396) 65 years and over: 15.5% (male 461,722; female 667,618) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,117,051/female 1,954,709)
15-64 years: 72% (male 8,306,351/female 8,141,268) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 1,150,001/female 1,189,492) (2007 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs | rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish |
| Airports | 66 (2001) | 41 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 41
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 25
under 914 m: 24 (2002) |
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
| Area | total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km |
total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey | slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined |
| Background | Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. | In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform. |
| Birth rate | 9.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $30 billion
expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $49 billion
expenditures: $5.19 billion (2007 est.) |
| Capital | Bern | name: Taipei
geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers | 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 | 29 May 1874 | 25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005
note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947 |
| Country name | conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian) |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa |
| Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) | - |
| Death rate | 8.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Debt - external | $NA | $85.8 billion (31 December 2007) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III
embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3001 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44 |
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston |
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities |
| Disputes - international | 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 became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) (1995) | - |
| Economy - overview | Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8% and to about 0% in 2002. | Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2007 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 5%, and unemployment is below 4%. |
| Electricity - consumption | 52.62 billion kWh (2000) | 221 billion kWh (2006) |
| Electricity - exports | 31.4 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 24.33 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2007) |
| Electricity - production | 64.182 billion kWh (2000) | 235 billion kWh (2006) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 4%
hydro: 57% nuclear: 37% other: 2% (2000) |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity | 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
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 | German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% | Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2% |
| Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997) | New Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - NA%; Ruth METZLER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000); Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun-hsiung (since 21 May 2007); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) CHIOU I-jen (since 21 May 2007) cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held 22 March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian 50.1%, LIEN Chan 49.9% |
| Exports | $100.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | 289,200 bbl/day (2006) |
| Exports - commodities | machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products | electronic and electrical products, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2002) |
| Exports - partners | EU 61% (Germany 22.2%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK 5.3%), US 10.6%, Japan 3.9% (2001) | China 24%, Hong Kong 15%, US 13.4%, Japan 6.7% (2007) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the 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 - $231 billion (2002 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 34% services: 64% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 26.8% services: 71.5% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $31,700 (2002 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2002 est.) | 5.5% (2007 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 8 00 E | 23 30 N, 121 00 E |
| Geography - note | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps | strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait |
| Heliports | 1 (2002) | 4 (2007) |
| Highways | total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways)
paved: 71,059 km unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
- |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1992) |
lowest 10%: 6.7%
highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.) |
| Illicit drugs | because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin | regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs |
| Imports | $94.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | 1.208 million bbl/day (2006) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles | electronic and electrical products, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2002) |
| Imports - partners | EU 79.9% (Germany 32.2%, France 11%, Italy 10.2%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 4.6%), US 5.1% (2001) | Japan 21%, China 12.7%, US 12.2%, South Korea 7.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2007) |
| Independence | 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.2% (2001) | 7.5% (2007 est.) |
| Industries | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments | electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals |
| Infant mortality rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.5% (2002 est.) | 1.8% (2007 est.) |
| International organization participation | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WTO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | 250 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
| Judicial branch | Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) | Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) |
| Labor force | 4 million (2001) | 10.78 million (2007 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | services 69%, industry 26%, agriculture 5% (1998) | agriculture: 5.3%
industry: 36.8% services: 57.9% (2007 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 10.57%
permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.82% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001) |
| Languages | German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9% | Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects |
| Legal system | civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Legislative branch | bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Green Party 9, other small parties 18 |
unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2012) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.86 years
male: 76.98 years female: 82.89 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 77.56 years
male: 74.65 years female: 80.74 years (2007 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1% male: NA% female: NA% (2003) |
| Location | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy | 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 | Europe | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 509,943 GRT/896,309 DWT
ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 4, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, United Kingdom 6, United States 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 102 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,537,256 GRT/4,203,423 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 20, chemical tanker 2, container 21, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Canada 3, France 1) registered in other countries: 489 (Bahamas 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 11, Liberia 82, Panama 306, Singapore 60, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2007) |
| Military branches | Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards | Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.548 billion (FY01) | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (FY01) | 2.2% (2006; to increase to 2.85% in 2007) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,841,867 (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,561,689 (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 42,597 (2002 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) | Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) |
| Nationality | noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss |
noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan |
| Natural hazards | avalanches, landslides, flash floods | earthquakes and typhoons |
| Natural resources | hydropower potential, timber, salt | small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos |
| Net migration rate | 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Pipelines | crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km | condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2007) |
| Political parties and leaders | Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Gerold BUEHRER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties | Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank HSIEH or HSIEH Chang-ting] (acting); Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [CHANG Po-ya]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG] |
| 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 the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building |
| Population | 7,301,994 (July 2002 est.) | 22,858,872 (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | 0.95% (2007 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.24% (2002 est.) | 0.304% (2007 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Basel | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 140, FM 229, shortwave 49 |
| Radios | 7.1 million (1997) | - |
| Railways | total: 4,406 km
standard gauge: 3,440 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 900 km 1.000-m gauge; 10 km 0.800-m gauge dual gauge: 56 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (3 rail system) note: Swiss railways are virtually all electrified (2001) |
total: 1,588 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge note: 150 km .762-m gauge (belonging primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities) (2007) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990) | mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.083 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.967 male(s)/female total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; 2 satellite earth stations |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 4.82 million (1998) | 14.497 million (2006) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 1.967 million (1999) | 23.249 million (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations | 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) | 76 (46 digital and 30 analog) |
| Terrain | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes | eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west |
| Total fertility rate | 1.47 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.12 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% (2002 est.) | 3.9% (2007) |
| Waterways | 65 km
note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes |
- |
Sitemap:
Compare countries listing (map site) |
Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.