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Compare Taiwan (2002) - Finland (2001)

Compare Taiwan (2002) z Finland (2001)

 Taiwan (2002)Finland (2001)
 TaiwanFinland
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
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
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:
18% (male 474,967; female 456,584)

15-64 years:
66.97% (male 1,750,660; female 1,715,358)

65 years and over:
15.03% (male 300,569; female 477,645) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Airports 39 (2001) 159 (2000 est.)
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:
69

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
26

1,524 to 2,437 m:
10

914 to 1,523 m:
20

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total:
90

914 to 1,523 m:
6

under 914 m:
84 (2000 est.)
Area total: 35,980 sq km


land: 32,260 sq km


water: 3,720 sq km


note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
total:
337,030 sq km

land:
305,470 sq km

water:
31,560 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined slightly smaller than Montana
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. Ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and by Russia from 1809, Finland finally won its independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century, the Finns have made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Birth rate 14.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 10.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $36 billion


expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
revenues:
$36.1 billion

expenditures:
$31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Taipei Helsinki
Climate tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Coastline 1,566.3 km 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Constitution 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999 17 July 1919
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:
Republic of Finland

conventional short form:
Finland

local long form:
Suomen Tasavalta

local short form:
Suomi
Currency new Taiwan dollar (TWD) markka (FIM); euro (EUR)

note:
on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Finland at a fixed rate of 5.94573 markkaa per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002
Death rate 6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $40 billion (2000) $30 billion (December 1993)
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 chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carol VAN VOORST

embassy:
Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki

mailing address:
APO AE 09723

telephone:
[358] (9) 171931

FAX:
[358] (9) 174681
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 chief of mission:
Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA

chancery:
3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 298-5800

FAX:
[1] (202) 298-6030

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York
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 - donor - ODA, $379 million (1997)
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. Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling more than one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2001 will be bolstered by strong private consumption, yet may be 1 or 2 points lower than in 2000, largely because of a weakening in export demand.
Electricity - consumption 139.3 billion kWh (2000) 81.611 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 232 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 11.356 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 149.78 billion kWh (2000) 75.792 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 69%


hydro: 6%


nuclear: 25%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
41.88%

hydro:
16.77%

nuclear:
28.82%

other:
12.53% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point:
Haltiatunturi 1,328 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 air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
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
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%
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) euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997), 4.5936 (1996)
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:
President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)

head of government:
Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)

cabinet:
Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections

election results:
Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esco AHO (Kesk) 48.4%

note:
government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green Union
Exports $122 billion f.o.b. (2001) $44.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment 55%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
Exports - partners US 23.5%, Hong Kong 21.1%, Europe 16%, ASEAN 12.2%, Japan 11.2% (2000) EU 58% (Germany 13%, Sweden 10%, UK 9%, France 5%, Netherlands 4%), US 8%, Russia, Japan (1999)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00) calendar year
Flag description red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays white with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
GDP purchasing power parity - $386 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $118.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 32%


services: 66% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
3.5%

industry:
29%

services:
67.5% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $22,900 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -2.2% (2001 est.) 5.6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 23 30 N, 121 00 E 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Heliports 3 (2002) -
Highways total: 34,901 km


paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways)


unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.)
total:
77,796 km

paved:
49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways)

unpaved:
28,042 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
4.2%

highest 10%:
21.6% (1991)
Illicit drugs regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin -
Imports $109 billion f.o.b. (2001) $32.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment 50%, minerals, precision instruments foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains
Imports - partners Japan 27.5%, US 17.9%, Europe 13.6%, South Korea 6.4% (2000) EU 60% (Germany 15%, Sweden 11%, UK 7%), US 8%, Russia 7%, Japan 6% (1999)
Independence - 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Industrial production growth rate -5% (2001 est.) 7.5% (2000)
Industries electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Infant mortality rate 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.5% (2001 est.) 3.4% (2000 est.)
International organization participation APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 8 (2000) 23 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 640 sq km (1993 est.)
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) Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Labor force 9.8 million (2001 est.) 2.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 56%, industry 36%, agriculture 8% (2001 est.) public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%
Land boundaries 0 km total:
2,628 km

border countries:
Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Land use arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75%
arable land:
8%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
76%

other:
16% (1993 est.)
Languages Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
Legal system based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green Union 11, SKL 10, other 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.74 years


male: 73.99 years


female: 79.71 years (2002 est.)
total population:
77.58 years

male:
73.92 years

female:
81.36 years (2001 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 can read and write

total population:
100% (1980 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
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 Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 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:
98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,808 GRT/1,138,175 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 11 (2000 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (includes Sea Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $8,041.2 million (FY01) $1.8 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.8% (FY01) 2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 6,575,625 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,251,700 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 5,018,882 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,033,188 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2002 est.) 17 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 198,766 (2002 est.) males:
33,883 (2001 est.)
National holiday Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Nationality noun: Chinese (singular and plural)


adjective: Chinese
noun:
Finn(s)

adjective:
Finnish
Natural hazards earthquakes and typhoons NA
Natural resources small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Net migration rate -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999) natural gas 580 km
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 Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish Christian Union or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green Union [Satu HASSI]; Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Sauli NIINISTO]; Reform Group [Risto KUISMA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]
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
Communist Workers Party [Timo LAHDENMAKI]; Constitutional Rightist Party; Finnish Communist Party-Unity [Yrjo HAKANEN]; Finnish Pensioners Party
Population 22,548,009 (July 2002 est.) 5,175,783 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 1% (2000 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.78% (2002 est.) 0.16% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Radio broadcast stations AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999) AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 16 million (1994) 7.7 million (1997)
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)
total:
5,865 km

broad gauge:
5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,192 km electrified; 480 km double or multiple track) (1998)
Religions mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
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:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2001 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:
modern system with excellent service

domestic:
cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs

international:
1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Telephones - main lines in use 12.49 million (September 2000) 2.861 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 16 million (September 2000) 2,162,574 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997) 130 (plus 385 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Total fertility rate 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.5% (2001 est.) 9.8% (2000 est.)
Waterways NA 6,675 km

note:
includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships
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