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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 Despite being a founding member, the ROC no longer represents China as a member of the United Nations after UN members voted in 1971 to recognize the PRC instead.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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Japanese operations in Taiwan, 1895

The Japanese invasion of Taiwan, also known as Yiwei War in Chinese (Japanese: 台湾平定, Chinese: 乙未戰爭; May–October 1895), was a conflict between the Empire of Japan and the armed forces of the short-lived Republic of Formosa following the Qing dynasty's cession of Taiwan to Japan in April 1895 at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese sought to take control of their new possession, while the Republican forces fought to resist Japanese occupation. The Japanese landed near Keelung on the northern coast of Taiwan on 29 May 1895, and in a five-month campaign swept southwards to Tainan. Although their advance was slowed by guerrilla activity, the Japanese defeated the Formosan forces (a mixture of regular Chinese units and local Hakka militias) whenever they attempted to make a stand. The Japanese victory at Baguashan on 27 August, the largest battle ever fought on Taiwanese soil, doomed the Formosan resistance to an early defeat. The fall of Tainan on 21 October ended organised resistance to Japanese occupation, and inaugurated five decades of Japanese rule in Taiwan. (Full article...)

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Wu Nien-jen (Chinese: 吳念真; pinyin: Wú Niànzhēn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Liām-chin; born Chinese: 吳文欽; pinyin: Wú Wēnqīn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Bûn-khim; 5 August 1952) is a Taiwanese screenwriter, director, and writer. He is one of the most prolific and highly regarded scriptwriters in Taiwan and a leading member of the New Taiwanese Cinema, although he has also acted in a number of films. He starred in Edward Yang's 2000 film Yi Yi. Wu is a well-known supporter of the Democratic Progressive Party and has filmed commercials for the party. (Full article...)

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

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The Taiwan Confucian Temple in Tainan, Taiwan, is the oldest Confucian temple in Taiwan.

Photo credit: User:Rintojiang

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Hsu Tain-tsair (Chinese: 許添財; pinyin: Xǔ Tiāncái; Wade–Giles: Hsǔ Tiēn-tsái; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Khó͘ Thiam-châi; born 23 January 1953) is a Taiwanese politician who served as the mayor of Tainan City from 2001 to 2010. Born in Tainan County (now part of Tainan City), Hsu got his PhD candidacy in economics in the United States, where he started participating in the independence movement of Taiwan. He was placed on the blacklist of Kuomintang and was not allowed to return to Taiwan until 1990.

When Hsu returned to Taiwan, he joined the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Having been elected legislator three times, Hsu is considered a privy councilor to the DPP in the field of economics. He was nominated to run for the mayor of Tainan and was elected in 2001. During his terms as mayor, Hsu worked on public projects and encouraged tourism. For example, a police unit was established to facilitate tourists in 2007, and he also improved the environment of the city. (Full article...)

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

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Did you know - show different entries

... that the Sakizaya people, a Taiwanese aboriginal tribe, has been recognized by the government of Taiwan since January 2007?

... that the Cheng Kung Senior High School, previously known as the Taihoku Prefecture Second Middle School, is renamed after Koxinga?

... that Tsungming Tu, founder of the Kaohsiung Medical College, was the first Taiwanese medical doctor?

More did you know...

General images

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

Image 1Section of Kangxi period painting of Taiwan, 1684–1722 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 2Depiction of a Chinese man, woman, and soldier, by Georg Franz Müller (1646–1723) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 3Chinese depiction of Chikan (Fort Provintia), 1752 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 4Map showing the Revolt of the Three Feudatories (1673–1681) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 5Pearl milk tea (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 6Apo 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 7Statue of Chen Di in Lianjiang County (from History of Taiwan)
Image 8Departure of a Ryukyuan ship bearing tribute to Beijing, 1831 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 9Taiwan in the 17th century, showing Dutch (magenta) and Spanish (green) possessions, and the Kingdom of Middag (orange) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 10Two 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 11Mid-17th century portrait of Koxinga (Guoxingye or "Kok seng ia" in southern Fujianese), "Lord of the Imperial Surname" (from History of Taiwan)
Image 12The Capture of Lin Shuangwen (from History of Taiwan)
Image 13Bunun dancer in traditional aboriginal dress (1989) (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 14Kagi Shrine, one of many Shinto shrines built in Taiwan. (from History of Taiwan)
Image 15Takasago Volunteers in October 1944 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 16The Qing Empire in 1820, with provinces in yellow, military governorates and protectorates in light yellow, tributary states in orange. (from History of Taiwan)
Image 17Woodcut of the mass killings which took place during the February 28 Incident (from History of Taiwan)
Image 18The Imperial Guard Defeats the Enemy in Hard Fighting at Keelung on the Island of Taiwan, 1895 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 19Map of Asia showing the "Chinese Empire" (1892) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 20Administrative units of Taiwan under the Qing dynasty in 1685 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 211901 map with red line marking approximate boundary separating territory under actual Japanese administration from "Savage District" (from History of Taiwan)
Image 22The original flag of the Taiwanese People's Party, 2 January 1929 – 6 October 1929 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 23Depiction of Qing ships crossing the ocean to suppress the Lin Shuangwen rebellion, 1787–1788 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 24Portrait of Zheng Jing (1642–1681), possibly 17th c. (from History of Taiwan)
Image 25Administrative units of Taiwan under the Qing dynasty by 1894 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 26Evacuation of Keelung by the French forces, image created 1887 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 27Entrance hall of a K-TV in Taipei (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 28Sky Lantern festival in Pingxi, Taiwan (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 29Conquest of Douliumen (Zhuluo) (from History of Taiwan)
Image 30Original geographic distributions of Taiwanese aboriginal peoples (from History of Taiwan)
Image 31Territory controlled by Koxinga, founder of the Kingdom of Tungning (from History of Taiwan)
Image 32Japanese painting of the expedition forces attacking the Mudan tribe, 1874 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 33Severed heads of Seediq rebels (from History of Taiwan)
Image 34Yin and Yang symbol of Taoism (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 35Map of Taiwan with the western coast pointed downwards, c. 1640 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 36Shi Lang (1621–1696) in an 18th-century painting (from History of Taiwan)
Image 37Population density map of Taiwan in 2019 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 38Administrative units of Taiwan under the Qing dynasty in 1734 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 39Section of a painting depicting daily life of the Taokas people, 1684–1722 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 40Siege of Fort Zeelandia (from History of Taiwan)
Image 41Bird's eye view of Fort Zeelandia in Dutch Formosa in the 17th-century (from History of Taiwan)
Image 42The Dharmachakra represents the Noble Eightfold Path. (from Culture of Taiwan)
Image 43Generalissimo 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 44Photo from Savages of Formosa, a 1926 government report on tribal life in Taiwan (from History of Taiwan)
Image 45A map of the Empire of Japan including Taiwan ("barbarian land" in red) in 1895 (from History of Taiwan)
Image 46Zheng Keshuang (from History of Taiwan)
Image 47Taichung Middle School in 1919 (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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