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Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa, lies between the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. It has an area of 35,808 square kilometres (13,826 square miles), with mountain ranges dominating the eastern two-thirds and plains in the western third, where its highly urbanized population is concentrated. The combined territories under ROC control consist of 168 islands in total covering 36,193 square kilometres (13,974 square miles). The largest metropolitan area is formed by Taipei (the capital), New Taipei City, and Keelung. With around 23.9 million inhabitants, Taiwan is among the most densely populated countries.

Taiwan has been settled for at least 25,000 years. Ancestors of Taiwanese indigenous peoples settled the island around 6,000 years ago. In the 17th century, large-scale Han Chinese immigration began under a Dutch colony and continued under the Kingdom of Tungning, the first predominantly Han Chinese state in Taiwanese history. The island was annexed in 1683 by the Qing dynasty of China and ceded to the Empire of Japan in 1895. The Republic of China, which had overthrown the Qing in 1912 under the leadership of Sun Yat-sen, took control following the surrender of Japan in 1945. The immediate resumption of the Chinese Civil War resulted in the loss of the Chinese mainland to Communist forces, who established the People's Republic of China and the flight of the ROC central government to Taiwan in 1949. The effective jurisdiction of the ROC has since been limited to Taiwan, Penghu, and smaller islands.

The early 1960s saw rapid economic growth and industrialization called the "Taiwan Miracle". In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the ROC transitioned from a one-party state under martial law to a multi-party democracy, with democratically elected presidents beginning in 1996. Taiwan's export-oriented economy is the 21st-largest in the world by nominal GDP and the 20th-largest by PPP measures, with a focus on steel, machinery, electronics, and chemicals manufacturing. Taiwan is a developed country. It is ranked highly in terms of civil liberties, healthcare, and human development.

The political status of Taiwan is contentious. Despite being a founding member, the ROC no longer represents China as a member of the United Nations after UN members voted in 1971 to recognize the PRC instead. The ROC maintained its claim of being the sole legitimate representative of China and its territory until 1991, when it ceased to regard the Chinese Communist Party as a rebellious group and acknowledged its control over mainland China. Taiwan is claimed by the PRC, which refuses to establish diplomatic relations with countries that recognise the ROC. Taiwan maintains official diplomatic relations with 11 out of 193 UN member states and the Holy See. Many others maintain unofficial diplomatic ties through representative offices and institutions that function as de facto embassies and consulates. International organizations in which the PRC participates either refuse to grant membership to Taiwan or allow it to participate on a non-state basis. Domestically, the major political contention is between parties favoring eventual Chinese unification and promoting a pan-Chinese identity, contrasted with those aspiring to formal international recognition and promoting a Taiwanese identity; in the 21st century, both sides have moderated their positions to broaden their appeal. (Full article...)

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The New Taiwan dollar (code: TWD; symbol: NT$, also abbreviated as NT) is the official currency of the Republic of China. Usually, the $ sign precedes the amount, but NT$ is used to distinguish from other currencies named dollar. The New Taiwan dollar has been the currency of the island of Taiwan since 1949, when it replaced the old Taiwan dollar, at a rate of 40,000 old dollars per one new dollar. The base unit of the New Taiwan dollar is called a yuan (圓), subdivided into ten chiao (角) or 100 fen (分), although in practice neither chiao nor fen are used.

There are a variety of alternative names for the units in Taiwan. The unit of the dollar is typically informally written with the simpler equivalent character as 元, except when writing it for legal transactions such as at the bank, when it has to be written as the homophonous 圓. Colloquially, the currency unit is called both 元 (yuán, literally "circle") and 塊 (kuài, literally "piece") in Mandarin, 箍 (kho͘, literally "hoop") in Hokkien, and 銀 (ngiùn, literally "silver") in Hakka. (Full article...)

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Chou in July 2023

Jay Chou (traditional Chinese: 周杰倫; simplified Chinese: 周杰伦; pinyin: Zhōu Jiélún; born 18 January 1979) is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter, actor, director, and businessman.

In 2000, Chou released his debut studio album, Jay (2000), to runaway success, solidified by his second album, Fantasy (2001), which combined Western and East Asian music styles. He has since established himself as one of the most successful singers in the Chinese-speaking world, holding 15 Golden Melody Awards—the most by any singer—and earning the title King of Mandopop. In 2022, he became the first Mandopop artist to top IFPI’s Global Album Sales Chart, with his 15th studio album, Greatest Works of Art (2022), being the world’s best-selling record in 2022. (Full article...)

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Tsai Ing-wen Cheng Yen Chen Yi (Kuomintang) Teresa Teng Tsai Wan-lin Wang Jinping (scholar and activist) Ang Lee S.H.E Lee Teng-hui Justin Huang Chiau Wen-yan Kao Chin Su-mei Latisha Chan Wu Nien-jen Wu Zhaonan

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Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Credit: User:BoogieMan

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, shares the grounds of the National Theater and Concert Hall and is one the city's defining landmarks.

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Chai Trong-rong at 2008 CIPFG Global Human Rights Torch Relay in Taiwan

Chai Trong-rong (Chinese: 蔡同榮; pinyin: Cài Tóngróng; Wade–Giles: Ts‘ài⁴ T‘ung²-jung²; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chhòa Tông-êng; June 13, 1935 – January 11, 2014), sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, was a Taiwanese politician.

Born in Japanese-era Taiwan, Chai earned his master's and doctorate degrees in the United States. He was a pro-democracy advocate and founded the Association for a Plebiscite (Chinese: 公民投票促進會; pinyin: Gōngmín Tóupiaò Cùjìnhùi) and Formosa Television. (Full article...)

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Dutch pacification campaign on Formosa Chen Chi-mai EVA Air Taiwan High Speed Rail Pe̍h-ōe-jī Mei-Ann Chen Hsu Tain-tsair You Are the Apple of My Eye

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... that Shilin Night Market (pictured) is the largest and most well known night market in Taiwan having been established as a day market in 1909 and since expanded to encompass two district sections?

... that Taiwanese hot springs has been developed since 1893 and that undersea spas can only be found in Italy, Japan, and Taiwan?

... that Taihoku Imperial University was the first institution of higher education in Taiwan and was founded by the Empire of Japan in 1928?

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General images

The following are images from various Taiwan-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Japanese painting of the expedition forces attacking the Mudan tribe, 1874 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 2Bird's eye view of Fort Zeelandia in Dutch Formosa in the 17th-century (from History of Taiwan)
Image 3Mid-17th century portrait of Koxinga (Guoxingye or "Kok seng ia" in southern Fujianese), "Lord of the Imperial Surname" (from History of Taiwan)
Image 4Severed heads of Seediq rebels (from History of Taiwan)
Image 5The Capture of Lin Shuangwen (from History of Taiwan)
Image 6Administrative units of Taiwan under the Qing dynasty in 1685 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 7Entrance hall of a K-TV in Taipei (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 8The original flag of the Taiwanese People's Party, 2 January 1929 – 6 October 1929 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 9Two 7-Eleven stores opposite each other on a crossroad. Taiwan has the highest density of 7-Eleven stores per person in the world (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 10Original geographic distributions of Taiwanese aboriginal peoples (from History of Taiwan)
Image 11Statue of Chen Di in Lianjiang County (from History of Taiwan)
Image 12Yin and Yang symbol of Taoism (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 13Administrative units of Taiwan under the Qing dynasty in 1734 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 14Pearl milk tea (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 15Chinese depiction of Chikan (Fort Provintia), 1752 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 16A map of the Empire of Japan including Taiwan ("barbarian land" in red) in 1895 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 17The Imperial Guard Defeats the Enemy in Hard Fighting at Keelung on the Island of Taiwan, 1895 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 18Taichung Middle School in 1919 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 19Map showing the Revolt of the Three Feudatories (1673–1681) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 20Administrative units of Taiwan under the Qing dynasty by 1894 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 21Zheng Keshuang (from History of Taiwan)
Image 22Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the Cairo Conference in Cairo, 25 November 1943. (from History of Taiwan)
Image 23Bunun dancer in traditional aboriginal dress (1989) (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 24Depiction of a Chinese man, woman, and soldier, by Georg Franz Müller (1646–1723) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 25Portrait of Zheng Jing (1642–1681), possibly 17th c. (from History of Taiwan)
Image 26Apo Hsu and the NTNU Symphony Orchestra on stage in the National Concert Hall in Taipei and Play Saint-Saens's Organ Symphony No. 3 (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 27Map of Taiwan with the western coast pointed downwards, c. 1640 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 28The Dharmachakra represents the Noble Eightfold Path. (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 29Photo from Savages of Formosa, a 1926 government report on tribal life in Taiwan (from History of Taiwan)
Image 30The Qing Empire in 1820, with provinces in yellow, military governorates and protectorates in light yellow, tributary states in orange. (from History of Taiwan)
Image 31Departure of a Ryukyuan ship bearing tribute to Beijing, 1831 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 32Section of a painting depicting daily life of the Taokas people, 1684–1722 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 33Depiction of Qing ships crossing the ocean to suppress the Lin Shuangwen rebellion, 1787–1788 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 34Territory controlled by Koxinga, founder of the Kingdom of Tungning (from History of Taiwan)
Image 35Shi Lang (1621–1696) in an 18th-century painting (from History of Taiwan)
Image 36Takasago Volunteers in October 1944 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 37Evacuation of Keelung by the French forces, image created 1887 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 38Conquest of Douliumen (Zhuluo) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 39Siege of Fort Zeelandia (from History of Taiwan)
Image 40Section of Kangxi period painting of Taiwan, 1684–1722 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 41Taiwan in the 17th century, showing Dutch (magenta) and Spanish (green) possessions, and the Kingdom of Middag (orange) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 42Map of Asia showing the "Chinese Empire" (1892) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 43Sky Lantern festival in Pingxi, Taiwan (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 441901 map with red line marking approximate boundary separating territory under actual Japanese administration from "Savage District" (from History of Taiwan)
Image 45Population density map of Taiwan in 2019 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 46Woodcut of the mass killings which took place during the February 28 Incident (from History of Taiwan)
Image 47Kagi Shrine, one of many Shinto shrines built in Taiwan. (from History of Taiwan)

On this day...

More November anniversaries

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In the news

16 November 2024 – APEC Peru 2024: At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping for their final meeting before Biden leaves office on January 20th. During the meeting, Biden and Xi talk about topics like cyber crime, trade, Taiwan, and Russia. Xi also said that his team will work with the incoming Trump administration. (Reuters)
17 October 2024 – South Africa–Taiwan relations: The Government of South Africa orders Taiwan to relocate its representative office from the South African capital of Pretoria, allegedly due to pressure from China. (Focus Taiwan)

Topics

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Administrative divisions

The Republic of China government governs 22 administrative divisions
The administrative divisions presently consist of 13 counties, 6 special municipalities and three cities.


Chiayi City	Chiayi County	Changhua County	Hsinchu City	Hsinchu County

Hualian County	Kaohsiung City	Keelung City	Kinmen Country	Lienchang County

Miaoli County	Nantou County	New Taipei City	Penghu County	Pingtung County

Taichung City	Tainan City	Taipei City	Taitung County	Taoyuan City

Yilan County	Yunlin County

Related portals

East Asia

Southeast Asia

Portals listed here are related to Taiwan by way of history, Asian region, diplomatic relations with ROC, and significant diaspora of overseas Taiwanese

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