A brief introduction of Taiwan (臺灣)

Experience Taiwan!

Background

Taiwan, also known as (Ilha) Formosa(from Portugese): meaning "beautiful (island)" is the largest island of the Republic of China(ROC) in East Asia. Taiwan was a Portuguese discovery and then a Dutch and Spanish colony. It was ruled by the Ming Dynasty and then the Qing Dynasty, who fought off French invaders. In 1895, Taiwan was handed over to Japan from the Qing dynasty/ Since the end of World War II in 1945, Japan agreed to give up sovereignty over Taiwan to the ROC. In 1849, the ROC lost the Chinese Civil War to the Coummiist Party of China and retreated to Taiwan. It then established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for China.Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local 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 Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

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

Area#

Total: 35,980 sq km

Country comparison to the world: 138

Land: 32,260 sq km

Water: 3,720 sq km

# includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands

Climate

Subtropical, with a rainy season in May and June

Population

23,024,956 (July 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 49

Religion

93% Buddhist and Taoist, 4.5% Christian, 2.5% others

Information Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tw.html

http://www.travelpod.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t59731.html