Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 84 male: 26.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.19 years country comparison to the world: 131 male: 69.8 years
female: 72.68 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.12 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Nationality:
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups:
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%,Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities inDamascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages:
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.6%
male: 86%
female: 73.6% (2004 census)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 109
Government ::Syria
Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Government type:
republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime
Capital:
name: Damascus
geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September
Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, AlLadhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a,Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq(Damascus), Tartus
Independence:
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution:
13 March 1973
Legal system:
based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees cultural policy
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held on 27 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2014); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers
election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 22-23 April 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPF 172, independents 78
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the president); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the president); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts - Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes); Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce)
Political parties and leaders:
legal parties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President Basharal-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance(Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Socialist UnionistDemocratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab SocialistUnion or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches)[Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian SocialNationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [FayezISMAIL])
opposition parties not legally recognized: Arab Democratic SocialistUnion Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM]; Arab Socialist Movement; DemocraticBa'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS]; National Democratic Front [Hasan AbdulAZIM, spokesman] (includes five parties - Arab Democratic SocialistUnion Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM], Arab Socialist Movement, DemocraticBa'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS], People's Democratic Party [Riad alTURK], Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul Hafeez al HAFEZ]);People's Democratic Party; Revolutionary Workers' Party [AbdulHafeez al HAFEZ]
Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Azadi Party [Kheirudin MURAD];Future Party [Masha'l TAMMO]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includesfour parties); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes three parties);Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH, Fu'ad ALEYKO]
other parties: Nahda Party [Abdul Aziz al MISLET]; Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Damascus Declaration National Council [Riyad SEIF, secretary general] (a broad alliance of opposition groups and individuals including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF]; Communist Action Party [Fateh JAMOUS]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; Liberal Nationalists' Movement; National Democratic Rally; and Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI] (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration, but is not an official member)
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MOUSTAPHA
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maura CONNELLY
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980
Economy ::Syria
Economy - overview:
The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.4% in real terms in 2008 led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export receipts. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline and cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which is set to begin operations in 2009. In October 2007, for example, Damascus raised the price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, then instituted a rationing system in 2008. In addition, President ASAD signed legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$99.06 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $94.26 billion (2007 est.)
$88.65 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$55.02 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 6.3% (2007 est.)
5.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $4,600 (2007 est.)
$4,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 18.5%
industry: 26.9%
services: 54.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
5.593 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19.2%
industry: 14.5%
services: 66.3% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
11.9% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Budget:
revenues: $11.23 billion
expenditures: $12.85 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
25.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 32% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 12.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$73.54 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $15.21 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$73.93 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 $12.29 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$84.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $15.19 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Industries:
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly
Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Electricity - production:
36.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Electricity - consumption:
27.35 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.4 billion kWh (2007)
Oil - production:
426,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Oil - consumption:
256,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Oil - exports:
155,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Oil - imports:
58,710 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - proved reserves:
2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Natural gas - production:
6.04 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Natural gas - consumption:
6.18 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m country comparison to the world: 109
Natural gas - imports:
140 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Natural gas - proved reserves:
240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Current account balance:
-$791 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $402 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$13.97 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $11.75 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Exports - partners:
Iraq 30.9%, Germany 9.8%, Lebanon 9.7%, Italy 6.4%, France 5.5%,Egypt 5.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$15.97 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $12.27 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 11.7%, China 8.7%, Russia 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, Egypt 5.8%,UAE 5.8%, Turkey 4.3%, Iran 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.765 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.167 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $6.633 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 46.5281 (2008 est.), 50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004)
note: data for 2004-06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002-03 are the parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut; the official rate for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during 2004-06,
Communications ::Syria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.633 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 42
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.056 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 71
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone subscribership reaching 40 per 100 persons in 2008;
international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
.sy
Internet hosts:
7,879 (2009) country comparison to the world: 125
Internet users:
3.565 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 54
Transportation ::Syria
Airports:
104 (2009) country comparison to the world: 58
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 59 (2009)
Heliports:
7 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2,900 km; oil 2,000 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,052 km country comparison to the world: 72 standard gauge: 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 97,401 km country comparison to the world: 43 paved: 19,490 km (includes 1,103 km of expressways)
unpaved: 77,911 km (2006)
Waterways:
900 km (not economically significant) (2008) country comparison to the world: 69
Merchant marine:
total: 77 country comparison to the world: 58 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 65, carrier 4, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 7 (Jordan 2, Lebanon 3, Romania 2)
registered in other countries: 196 (Barbados 1, Bolivia 2, Cambodia 48, Comoros 4, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Georgia 49, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Libya 2, Malta 6, Moldova 1, Panama 32, Saint Kitts and Nevis 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Sierra Leone 18, Slovakia 2, Togo 2, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Latakia, Tartus
Military ::Syria
Military branches:
Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian ArabAir and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense Command) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,251,875
females age 16-49: 4,966,367 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,360,934
females age 16-49: 4,344,895 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 213,513
female: 201,055 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Transnational Issues ::Syria
Disputes - international:
Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shabaa farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1-1.4 million (Iraq); 522,100 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967Arab-Israeli War) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Syria is a destination and transit country for women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant number of women and children in the large and expanding Iraqi refugee community in Syria are reportedly forced into commercial sexual exploitation by Iraqi gangs or, in some cases, their families; women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone are recruited for work in Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of involuntary servitude, including long hours, non-payment of wages, withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, threats, and physical or sexual abuse
tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria again failed to report any law enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenses in 2007; in addition, the government did not offer protection services to victims of trafficking and may have arrested, prosecuted, or deported some victims for prostitution or immigration violations; Syria has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Taiwan (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Taiwan
Background:
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of 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.
Geography ::Taiwan
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
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 35,980 sq km country comparison to the world: 138 land: 32,260 sq km
water: 3,720 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,566.3 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain:
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Natural resources:
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 75% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
67 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes; typhoons
Environment - current issues:
air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Geography - note:
strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
People ::Taiwan
Population:
22,974,347 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 1,996,905/female 1,844,611)
15-64 years: 72.6% (male 8,416,300/female 8,267,675)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,183,382/female 1,265,474) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.5 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 37.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.227% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Birth rate:
8.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210
Death rate:
6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Net migration rate:
0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 185 male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.96 years country comparison to the world: 52 male: 75.12 years
female: 81.05 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan
adjective: Taiwan
Ethnic groups:
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religions:
mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages:
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1%
male: NA
female: NA (2003)
Education expenditures:
Government ::Taiwan
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
former: Formosa
Government type:
multiparty democracy
Capital:
name: Taipei
geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chih-hsia-shih, singular and plural)
note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei.
counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu [county], Hualien,Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu,Pingtung, Taichung [county], Tainan [county], Taipei [county],Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin
municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu [city], Keelung, Taichung [city], Tainan [city]
special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]
National holiday:
Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Constitution:
adopted on 25 December 1946; effective 25 December 1947; amended in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008); Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) WU Den-yih (since 10 September 2009); Vice Premier (Vice President of Executive Yuan) Eric Liluan CHU (since 10 September 2009)
cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier)
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier
election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president; percent of vote - MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in December 2011 or January 2012)
election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen]; Kuomintang orKMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung], MA Ying-jeou elected in July2009, takes office on 12 September 2009; Non-Partisan SolidarityUnion or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Organization for Taiwan Nation Building; World United Formosans forIndependence
other: environmental groups; independence movement; various business groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad public consensus has developed that the government enjoys popular sovereignty and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding unification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; advocates of eventual unification predicate their goal on the democratic transformation of the mainland
International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; commercial and cultural relations with the people in the United States are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts
representative: Jason C. YUAN
office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] 202 895-1800
Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta,Boston, Chicago, Guam, Houston, Honolulu, Kansas City, Los Angeles,Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts
director: William A. STANTON
office: #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan
telephone: [1] [886] (02) 2162-2000
other offices: Kaohsiung
Flag description:
red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Economy ::Taiwan
Economy - overview:
Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing government guidance of investment and foreign trade. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms have been privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Recently opened cross-strait travel, transportation, and tourism links are likely to increase Taiwan and China's economic interdependence. In 2008 China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports, after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Growth fell to 0.1% in 2008 because of the global slowdown.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$713.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $713 billion (2007 est.)
$674.5 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$391.4 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 5.7% (2007 est.)
4.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $31,200 (2007 est.)
$29,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 25.1%
services: 73.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
10.85 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 36.8%
services: 58% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 3.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
0.95% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 6.7%
highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Budget:
revenues: $73.02 billion
expenditures: $77.96 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
29.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 32.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 1.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.5% (January 2009)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
4.06% (2008 est.)
Stock of quasi money:
$618 billion (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$677.8 billion (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $NA (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $654 billion (28 December 2007)
$654 billion (28 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Industries:
electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Electricity - production:
225 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Electricity - consumption:
233 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
12,310 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Oil - consumption:
959,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Oil - exports:
303,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Oil - imports:
1.251 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Oil - proved reserves:
2.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Natural gas - production:
360 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - consumption:
12.44 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 99
Natural gas - imports:
12.08 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.229 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Current account balance:
$24.89 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $32.98 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$254.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $246.5 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronics, flat panels, machinery, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2008)
Exports - partners:
China 29.2%, US 12%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Japan 6.9%, Singapore 4.6% (2008 est.)
Imports:
$236.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $216.1 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2008)
Imports - partners:
Japan 19.3%, China 13%, US 10.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.3%, South Korea 5.5% (2008 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$296.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$93.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $97.85 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$102.3 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $52.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$107.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $96.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 31.53 (2008 est.), 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004)
Communications ::Taiwan
Telephones - main lines in use:
14.273 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 19
Telephones - mobile cellular:
25.412 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 33
Telephone system:
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 143, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
76 (5 television networks with 46 digital and 30 analog stations) (2007)
Internet country code:
.tw
Internet hosts:
5.704 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 15
Internet users:
15.143 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25
Transportation ::Taiwan
Airports:
42 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8