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Compare Taiwan (2004) - Western Sahara (2001)

Compare Taiwan (2004) z Western Sahara (2001)

 Taiwan (2004)Western Sahara (2001)
 TaiwanWestern Sahara
Administrative divisions 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
none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
Agriculture - products rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk, fish fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)
Airports 40 (2003 est.) 11 (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: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
8

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
3 (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:
266,000 sq km

land:
266,000 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined about the size of Colorado
Background 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. Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.
Birth rate 12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Budget revenues: $56.58 billion


expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2003 est.)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Taipei none
Climate tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline 1,566.3 km 1,110 km
Constitution 25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000 -
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:
Western Sahara

former:
Spanish Sahara
Currency new Taiwan dollar (TWD) Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Death rate 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Debt - external $53.44 billion (2003) $NA
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 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 none
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
Disputes - international 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 claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991
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. 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. Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Electricity - consumption 140.5 billion kWh (2001) 83.7 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 151.1 billion kWh (2001) 90 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

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


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
lowest point:
Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point:
unnamed location 463 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 sparse water and lack of arable land
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:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% Arab, Berber
Exchange rates new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999) Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996)
Executive branch 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%
none
Exports NA (2001) $NA
Exports - commodities computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002) phosphates 62%
Exports - partners China 25.3%, US 20.5%, Japan 9.2% (2002) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
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 -
GDP purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 30.3%


services: 67.9% (2003)
agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
40%-45% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate 3.2% (2003 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 23 30 N, 121 00 E 24 30 N, 13 00 W
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait -
Heliports 3 (2003 est.) 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 35,931 km


paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways)


unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)
total:
6,200 km

paved:
1,350 km

unpaved:
4,850 km (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem -
Imports NA (2001) $NA
Imports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002) fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Industrial production growth rate 8.4% (2003) NA%
Industries electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing phosphate mining, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate 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) -0.3% (2003 est.) NA%
International organization participation APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) -
Labor force 10.08 million (2003) 12,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.) animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Land boundaries 0 km total:
2,046 km

border countries:
Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
19%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
81%
Languages Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Legal system based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations -
Legislative branch 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: 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: 96.1% (2003)
definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

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 Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references Southeast Asia Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
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 Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure $7,611.7 million (2003) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.7% (2003) NA%
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 Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) -
Nationality noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese
noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective:
Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Natural hazards earthquakes and typhoons hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Natural resources small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos phosphates, iron ore
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Pipelines condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders 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 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
none
Population 22,749,838 (July 2004 est.) 250,559 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 1% (2000 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.64% (2004 est.) -
Ports and harbors Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Radio broadcast stations AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999) AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 56,000 (1997)
Railways 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)
0 km
Religions mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% Muslim
Sex ratio 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 20 years of age; universal none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
Telephone system 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)
general assessment:
sparse and limited system

domestic:
NA

international:
tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use 13.355 million (2003) about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular 25,089,600 (2003) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997) NA
Terrain eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Total fertility rate 1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.) -
Unemployment rate 5% (2003 est.) NA%
Waterways - none
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