About Taiwan

When visiting, or relocating to, a new country it is often useful to know some background information about your destination. Taiwan is a developed nation situated of the south-east coast of China, famous for its idyllic landscapes and high tech society.

Official Name: The Republic of China, however this only refers to the state that administers the area widely known as Taiwan, or Chinese Taipei. The Republic of China has limited international recognition.

Capital: The capital of Taiwan is Taipei, located at the northern end of the Island.

Location: Taiwan is located on the South-Eastern coast of the Peoples Republic of China. Taiwan is an island, with access to the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, East China Sea, Philippine Sea, and the Luzon Strait. At present there are a number of territorial disputes involving Taiwan and other Asian nations regarding islands of the coast of China.

Size: Taiwan has a total size of 35,980 square kilometers. This means that Taiwan is the 136 th largest country in the world. In comparative terms Taiwan is slightly smaller that the US states of Maryland and Delaware combined.

Climate: The climate in Taiwan is Tropical. There is a rainy monsoon season from June to August, while the rest of the year is characterized by hot, humid, and cloudy weather.

Population: With an estimated population of 22,858,872, Taiwan is the 47 th most populated country in the world, and the 14 th most densely populated.

Life expectancy at birth: There is an average life expectancy of 77.56 years at birth in Taiwan. Taiwan has the 51 st highest life expectancy in the world.

Major illnesses: There are a number of health threats in Taiwan. The main disease risks include Dengue fever, Malaria, H5N1 Bird Flu, and contaminated water sources.

Languages: The official Language of Taiwan is Mandarin (Putonghua). Taiwanese (min dialect) and Hakka are also spoken widely throughout the country.

Religion: About 93% of the Taiwanese population practices a mixture of Buddhism and Taoism. 4.5% are Christian, while the remaining 2.5% observe a mixture of faiths.

Government: Taiwan is a multiparty democracy. In the Taiwan political system elections are held, and with new reforms the political power of the country is starting to rest with the voting citizens. Due to the multiparty system, coalition governments are the norm, however inside these governments one party still tends to retain a large portion of the power over any others.

Head of State: President Ma Ying-Jeou.

Head of Government : Premier Wu Den-Yih.

Economy: Taiwan has an extremely dynamic and fast growing market economy. Moving away from reliance on foreign investment, and creating home made industry, means that Taiwan is one of the most powerful economic forces in Asia, and one of the four ‘Tiger' economies that give Asia such economic power. With a strong emphasis being placed on exporting goods made in Taiwan, the Taiwanese government has been able to create a large trade surplus, leading to high growth in the Taiwanese manufacturing sector. Despite the political tensions with China, the PRC is the number one destination for most Taiwanese investment.

GDP: With a purchasing power parity of US$690.1 billion and an actual GDP of US$375.6 billion, Taiwan has the 21 st highest GDP in the world.

For more information about Taiwan expat insurance, the international health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

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