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Compare Taiwan (2005) - Italy (2004)

Compare Taiwan (2005) z Italy (2004)

 Taiwan (2005)Italy (2004)
 TaiwanItaly
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
16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto
Age structure 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 2,349,077/female 2,156,755)


15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,205,933/female 7,980,056)


65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,107,708/female 1,094,855) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,181,946; female 3,935,565)


15-64 years: 66.9% (male 19,590,497; female 19,256,747)


65 years and over: 19.1% (male 4,608,479; female 6,484,243) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 40 (2004 est.) 134 (2003 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: 96


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 32


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 18 (2004 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: 301,230 sq km


land: 294,020 sq km


water: 7,210 sq km


note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined slightly larger than Arizona
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. Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
Birth rate 12.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $67.41 billion


expenditures: $76.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $668 billion


expenditures: $703.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Capital Taipei Rome
Climate tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Coastline 1,566.3 km 7,600 km
Constitution 25 December 1946; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000 passed 11 December 1947; effective 1 January 1948; amended many times
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: Italian Republic


conventional short form: Italy


local long form: Repubblica Italiana


local short form: Italia


former: Kingdom of Italy
Currency - euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $55.5 billion (2004 est.) $868.5 billion NA (2003)
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER


embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome


mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624


telephone: [39] (06) 46741


FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356


consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
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 Sergio VENTO


chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco


consulate(s): Detroit
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 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 none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)
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 less than 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia. China 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; and the essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in 2003-04. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor, e.g., exports to China of parts and equipment for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries. Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependent agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.
Electricity - consumption 147.4 billion kWh (2002) 289.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 556 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 48.93 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 158.5 billion kWh (2002) 258.8 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)
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 industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Exchange rates new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 33.422 (2004), 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000) euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
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) - WU Rong-i) (since 18 February 2005)


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%
chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10 June 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president


elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by Parliament


election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 70%


note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democrats and Democrats of the Center
Exports NA 456,600 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002) engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners China, including Hong Kong 37%, US 16%, Japan 7.7% (2004) Germany 13.8%, France 12.3%, US 8.5%, Spain 7%, UK 6.9% (2003)
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 three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green


note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.55 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.7%


industry: 30.9%


services: 67.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 2.2%


industry: 28.9%


services: 68.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $26,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6% (2004 est.) 0.4% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 23 30 N, 121 00 E 42 50 N, 12 50 E
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) 4 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 37,299 km


paved: 35,621 km (including 608 km of expressways)


unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)
total: 479,688 km


paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
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 important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling
Imports NA 2.158 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002) engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners Japan 26%, US 13%, China, including Hong Kong 11%, South Korea 6.9% (2004) Germany 17.9%, France 11.2%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 4.8%, UK 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, US 4% (2003)
Independence - 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Industrial production growth rate 12.2% (2004 est.) -0.5% (2003)
Industries electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Infant mortality rate total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.7% (2004 est.) 2.7% (2003 est.)
International organization participation APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land NA sq km 26,980 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)
Labor force 10.22 million (2004 est.) 24.15 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 8%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.) agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,932.2 km


border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Land use arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
arable land: 27.79%


permanent crops: 9.53%


other: 62.68% (2001)
Languages Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Legal system based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the National Assembly on 7 June 2005, the number of seats in the legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the election in 2007; the amendments also eliminate the National Assembly, thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature


elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007); National Assembly - last held 14 May 2005


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; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPP 42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others 6.6%; seats by party - DPP 127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others 17 (2005)
bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation; in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance 47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left 63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97, UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left 135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista 11, other 68
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.26 years


male: 74.49 years


female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)
total population: 79.54 years


male: 76.61 years


female: 82.66 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1% (2003)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99%


female: 98.3% (2003 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 Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 126 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, container 37, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)


registered in other countries: 432 (2005)
total: 475 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685 DWT


by type: bulk 39, cargo 40, chemical tanker 106, combination ore/oil 2, container 23, liquefied gas 43, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 62, short-sea/passenger 31, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 23


foreign-owned: Denmark 4, France 3, Greece 5, Japan 1, Isle of Man 1, Monaco 22, Netherlands 4, Panama 2, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 10, United Kingdom 5, United States 13


registered in other countries: 144 (2004 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command Army, Navy, Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri
Military expenditures - dollar figure $7.574 billion (2003) $28,182.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2004) 1.9% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 14,408,392 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 12,279,516 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 285,601 (2004 est.)
National holiday Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Nationality noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)


note: example: he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan


adjective: Taiwan
noun: Italian(s)


adjective: Italian
Natural hazards earthquakes and typhoons regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Natural resources small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004) gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou, 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 Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando COSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; merged with PPI and I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The Daisy Alliance); Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Lega Padana [Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; South Tyrol People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Union of Christian and Center Democrats or UDC [Marco FOLLINI]
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
Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)
Population 22,894,384 (July 2005 est.) 58,057,477 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 1% (2000 est.) NA
Population growth rate 0.63% (2005 est.) 0.09% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela (Sicily), Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo (Sicily), Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
Radio broadcast stations AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999) AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Railways total: 2,497 km


narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 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 (2004)
total: 19,507 km (11,651 km electrified)


standard gauge: 18,070 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,314 km 0.950-m gauge (188 km electrified) (2003)
Religions mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
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: 1.01 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 20 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
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: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services


domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks


international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Telephones - main lines in use 13.355 million (2003) 26.596 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 25,089,600 (2003) 55.918 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997) 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Total fertility rate 1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.5% (2004 est.) 8.6% (2003 est.)
Waterways - 2,400 km


note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail (2004)
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