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Taiwan
Relevant information about Taiwan.The island of Taiwan or Formosa has 36 000 km2, is located in front of the coast of Fujian Province of China, separated from it by the Taiwan Strait.
As the island is crossed along by the Tropic of Cancer, the tropical climate of Taiwan is tropical maritime in the coasts and subtropical in the mountain areas. Therefore, the extremely clean beaches are very enjoyable and hiking in the mountains could be a nice experience. This amazing landscape is combined with really developed cities, skyscrapers, art buildings and latest technologies can be found almost everywhere. There is also a high dose of an extremely different culture that is waiting to be widespread.
Originally populated by people of Malay-Polynesian origin, the island was first sighted in the sixteenth century by the Portuguese, who gave the name of Formosa. It was controlled by Netherlands in seventeen century and by Japanese since the first Chinese – Japanese war in 1895 until the end of World War II. When civil war came to China, Kuomintang supporters faced the Communist forces and lost, having to leave the country. Over 2 million Chinese sought for refuge in Taiwan and moved there the Republic of China (the continent declared itself Popular Republic of China). Since, both regimes live in conflict. The island population in over 23 million, grouped in a 36,000 km2 territory. This gives a population density of 662 habitants by square kilometer, turning Taiwan the third most densely populated country in Asia, after Hong Kong and Japan. Most of the inhabitants are descendants of immigrants from continental China, especially of the ones who arrived in 1949, when the civil war. Of the original inhabitants of the island (Malayo-Polynesian), only about 370,000, located in the mountainous areas of the island, still preserve the cultures and languages of their ancestors. The Chinese population, a clear majority, is divided in three different groups. One group is constituted by the arrivals to the island before 1949. They came, mostly, from Fujian (Chinese province) and speak Minayu (often call “Taiwan” on the island). They represent the 60% of the population. Another group is formed by Hakka speakers. The third group is the one of the immigrants since 1949, who speaks Mandarin. They are majority in Taipei. Taiwan has one of the most literate populations, with a 96.1%. Their educative system is highly influenced by the Japanese one, and Taiwanese students show one of the highest marks in international examinations. Buddhism is the main religion, followed by Christians and Hindus. Chinese Taipei is the official name which the Taiwanese teams use at international competitions. They have no many remarkable sports achievements.
The arrival of Chinese middle and upper class in 1949, traditionally engaged in trade, Japanese and United States investment (which, like South Korea to have a namesake communist country was interested in demonstrating the superiority of the Capitalism) have turned Taiwan into an industrialized country. It is very developed in high-tech industries and is one of the first makers of microprocessors in the world. Since 2002 is a member of the World Trade Organization. Its GDP is of US$ 346.400 million. They currency is the Taiwanese dollar, NTD. Services provide the 73$ of the GPD, manufactures 22% and agriculture and others sectors a 5%. Computers and electronics is the main industry, followed by mechanical and electrical equipment, textiles, plastics and other petrochemical products and iron and steel.
North Coasts, Guanyinshan National Scenic Area, Maolin National Area, Sun Moon Lake, Taipei 101, Baguashan, Shei-Pa National Park, Yushan National Park, Jade Mountain,
Medical industry in Taiwan is so developed that is sufficiently capable to attend not only domestic patients but also people coming from all over the world. The hepatic medicine in Taiwan is highly acclaimed worldwide. Taiwan was the first Asian country to perform liver transplant surgery successfully, and is one of the top five liver transplant centers in Asia. The survival rate is the highest in the world. Furthermore, Taiwan has one of the three largest bone marrow donor databases in Asia, and has several successful cases of international matching. Up till now, Taiwan has carried out more than ten thousand microscopic reconstructive surgeries. Moreover, Taiwan is the only Asian country to have received the “Plastic Surgery Innovation from American Society of Plastic Surgeons”, which shows that Taiwan has won a key position in the field of reconstructive and plastic surgery. Taiwan is up to international technology standards also in other medicals treatments such as cardio-vascular disorders, assisted reproduction and joint replacement, Taiwan is also up to international technology standards. Although Taiwan is equipped with world-class medical technologies and the medical charges are relatively low, especially if they are compared to other countries.
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