Fast Facts about Taiwan:

Taiwan is an island off the eastern coast of China between Japan and the Philippines. The island was given the name "Formosa" (meaning "beautiful") by the Portuguese in the 16th century when they first laid eyes on it. Because of its important location, Formosa was considered an international prize during the 17th to 19th centuries. The Dutch, Spanish, Manchu, and Japanese all took turns reigning over it during different periods. Even Great Britain and France sent their warships to attack Keelung on separate occasions, but both eventually failed. This explains why there are so many castles, forts and other historical sites on this island.

Jade Mountain (Yushan) , at nearly 13,000 feet, is the highest mountain in all of north Asia. This mountain and many others are covered with fauna and flora that range from alpine to sub-tropical. So if you know Taiwan only by its prosperous industry and its international trade, you should really take some time to explore other aspects of Taiwan. From the best Chinese Art Museum in the world to our famous marble gorges, you are in for lots of surprises! Above all, Taiwan's friendly people will make your stay very pleasant.
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National Day: 10th October　
Language: Mandarin Chinese 　　Capital: Taipei
GNP per person (in U.S. Dollars): $14,188 (2000) 　　Population: 23 million
Land Area:13,900 sq. miles (36,191 sq. kilometers)
Religion: Buddhism, Taoism, Christian, others
People: 84% of the people are Taiwanese, with only 14% being mainland Chinese. Most of the people of Taiwan can trace their ancestry to China. Starting from the 15th century, Chinese people from the Fujian and Guangdon provinces migrated to Taiwan. (In fact the Fujian dialect is almost identical to modern-day Taiwanese.) Those Chinese who immigrated to Taiwan arrived after WWII are called "mainlanders". Only about 1.8% of the population are native Taiwanese. There are 14 recognized tribes (the Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Tao, Thao, Tsou, Truku, Sakizaya and Seediq). Each tribe has its own language. Their language and physical features suggest that they are related to the people of nearby Philippines.
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President: Ma Ying-jeou
President Ma Ying-jeou distinguishes himself by the decent way he treats other people. This contributed to his large victory in the presidential election. As his opponents point out, President Ma Ying-jeou has had some problems in the past. When he was mayor of Taipei, some of his main projects failed from a lack of organization and technical planning. Although he has his critics, Ma Ying-jeou seems to be trying to include everybody. He seems to realize that his responsibility is to the Nation and not just to his party. Vive la Republic of China!
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Economics: From its humble beginnings manufacturing Christmas Tree lights 30 years ago, Taiwan has become the fourth largest producer of Information Technology (IT) products and manufactures over 60% of the world's notebook computers. Facing the recent world-wide recession and stiff competition from countries that have lower labor costs, the leaders of Taiwan have begun to encourage activity in the biological sciences and other areas.
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More information please check: www. traveltaiwan.com