Taiwan

By Brooke, Alex, Tim, Logan, and Dani

Geography• Area: 36,189 sq. km.

(13,973 sq. mi.).• Cities (2007): Capital--

Taipei (pop. 2.6 million). Other cities--(Kaohsiung 1.5 million), Taichung (1.06 million).

• Terrain: Two thirds of the island is largely mountainous with 100 peaks over 3,000 meters (9,843 ft.).

• Climate: Maritime subtropical.

People

• Population: 23 million.• Annual growth rate: 0.36%• Languages: Mandarin Chinese

(official), english, Taiwanese, Hakka

• Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance (2006)--99.0%. Literacy (2006)--97.5%.

• Health: – Infant mortality rate: 0.46%.– Life expectancy: 77.46 yrs; male

74.57 yrs.; female 80.81 yrs.• Work force (2007): 10.7 million.

Economy• Gross Domestic Product: $383 billion• Real annual growth rate: 4.6 (5.7%)• Unemployment Rate: 3.9%• Natural resources: coal, natural gas, limestone, marble,

and asbestos• Agriculture: pork, rice, fruit and vegetables, sugarcane,

poultry, shrimp, eel• Industry: electronics and flat panel products, chemicals

and petrochemicals, basic metals, machinery, textiles, transport equipment, plastics, machinery.

• Trade: Exports--$247 billion: electronics, optical and precision instruments, information and communications products, textile products, basic metals, plastic and rubber products.

• Major markets--U.S. $32 billion, P.R.C. and Hong Kong $100 billion, Japan $16 billion. Imports--$219 billion: electronics, optical and precision instruments, information and communications products, machinery and electrical products, chemicals, basic metals, transport equipment, crude oil

• Major suppliers--Japan $46 billion, P.R.C. $30 billion, U.S. $27 billion.

ReligionBuddhism• Buddhism is the main religion in Taiwan. • About 4.9 million people practice the religion. • Buddhism was brought to Taiwan in the 16th century by

India.• The most popular type of Buddhism practiced in Taiwan

today is Mahayana.• While practicing the religion, people chant mantras and

sutras, and practice meditationTaoism• Taoism is the second largest religion in Taiwan, slightly

behind Buddhism. • About 4.5 million people in taiwan practice this religion.• The religion started when a man named lao tzu

preached his ideas of fulfillment and divinity. other religions in taiwan:

Catholicism, Protestantism, Hsuan-Yuan Chiao, Islam, Li-ism, Tenrikyo, baha’I, Tienti Teachings, Tien Te chiao, I-kuan tao, and mahikarikyo