Taiwan (2002) | Cayman Islands (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 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); Taiwan is further subdivided into 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 |
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21% (male 2,464,290; female 2,268,627)
15-64 years: 70% (male 8,010,014; female 7,774,296) 65 years and over: 9% (male 1,053,975; female 976,807) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 21.6% (male 4,525; female 4,541)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,463; female 15,157) 65 years and over: 7.7% (male 1,515; female 1,733) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming |
Airports | 39 (2001) | 3 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 37
over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy |
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. This culminated in 2000, when Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become 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. | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. |
Birth rate | 14.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $36 billion
expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Taipei | George Town |
Climate | tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
Coastline | 1,566.3 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999 | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Currency | new Taiwan dollar (TWD) | Caymanian dollar (KYD) |
Death rate | 6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $40 billion (2000) | $70 million (1996) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 located at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; 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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | 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 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 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; 50,000 Taiwanese businesses are established in China. 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. The global economic downturn, however, combined with poor policy coordination by the new administration and increasing bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first whole year of negative growth since 1947. Unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis. | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. |
Electricity - consumption | 139.3 billion kWh (2000) | 355.2 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 149.78 billion kWh (2000) | 381.9 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 69%
hydro: 6% nuclear: 25% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status |
- |
Ethnic groups | Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
Exchange rates | new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.6 (2002), 34.49 (yearend 2001),, 33.08 (yearend 2000),, 31.4 (yearend 1999),, 32.22 (1998),, 32.05 (1997),, 27.5 (1996) | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Shui-bian CHEN (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette Hsiu-lien LU (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Shyi-kun YU (since 1 February 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) Hsin-yi LIN (since 1 February 2002) 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: Shui-bian CHEN elected president; percent of vote - Shui-bian CHEN (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (independent) 36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%, LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA December 2001) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the governor |
Exports | $122 billion f.o.b. (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment 55%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners | US 23.5%, Hong Kong 21.1%, Europe 16%, ASEAN 12.2%, Japan 11.2% (2000) | mostly US |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00) | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $386 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 32% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -2.2% (2001 est.) | 1.7% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 23 30 N, 121 00 E | 19 30 N, 80 30 W |
Geography - note | strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait | important location between Cuba and Central America |
Heliports | 3 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 34,901 km
paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.) |
total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe |
Imports | $109 billion f.o.b. (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment 50%, minerals, precision instruments | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | Japan 27.5%, US 17.9%, Europe 13.6%, South Korea 6.4% (2000) | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan |
Independence | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | -5% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Industries | electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Infant mortality rate | 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.5% (2001 est.) | 2.8% (2002) |
International organization participation | APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 8 (2000) | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 9.8 million (2001 est.) | 19,820 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 56%, industry 36%, agriculture 8% (2001 est.) | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1% other: 75% |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects | English |
Legal system | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | British common law and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of islandwide 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 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation within three months of a Legislative Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the president, or change national borders)
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a nonstanding body and is called into session election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%; seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and other parties 11 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.74 years
male: 73.99 years female: 79.71 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 79.67 years
male: 77.08 years female: 82.3 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86% (1980 est.) male: 93% (1980 est.) female: 79% (1980 est.) note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | 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 | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,262,451 GRT/6,596,950 DWT
ships by type: bulk 40, cargo 28, combination bulk 3, container 53, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,402,058 GRT/3,792,094 DWT
ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 5, chemical tanker 31, container 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 35, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3, Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United States 35 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $8,041.2 million (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.8% (FY01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 6,575,625 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 5,018,882 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 198,766 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) | Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
Nationality | noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese |
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
Natural hazards | earthquakes and typhoons | hurricanes (July to November) |
Natural resources | small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 19.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank Chang-ting HSIEH, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James Chu-yu SOONG, chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [Chu-wen HUANG, chairman]; other minor parties | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader NA]; United Democratic Party [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | 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 |
NA |
Population | 22,548,009 (July 2002 est.) | 41,934 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 1% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.78% (2002 est.) | 2.79% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung | Cayman Brac, George Town |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 16 million (1994) | - |
Railways | total: 1,108 km
narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) note: in addition to the above routes in common carrier service, there are several thousand kilometers of 1.067-m gauge routes that are dedicated to industrial use (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 12.49 million (September 2000) | 19,000 (1995) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 16 million (September 2000) | 2,534 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997) | 1 with cable system |
Terrain | eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
Total fertility rate | 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (2001 est.) | 4.1% (1997) |
Waterways | NA | none |