Air 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 - 21 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women
are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,766,853
females age 16-49: 5,540,828 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,948,802
females age 16-49: 4,786,596 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 253,578
female: 241,777 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
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 Shab'a
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 1967
Arab-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 2 Watch List - 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 January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@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 1947
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:
23 30 N, 121 00 E
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:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
67 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes; typhoons
volcanism: Kueishantao Island (elev. 401 m, 1,316 ft), east of
Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not
erupted in centuries
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:
23,024,956 (July 2010 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) (2010
est.)
Median age:
total: 37 years
male: 36.4 years
female: 37.7 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.213% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Birth rate:
8.97 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Death rate:
6.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Net migration rate:
0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.086 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 184
male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.15 years
country comparison to the world: 50
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.2 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.15 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
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:
NA
Government ::Taiwan
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: Taiwan
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; promulgated on 1 January 1947;
effective 25 December 1947; amended numerous times
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) Sean CHEN (since 17 May 2010)
cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on
recommendation of premier)
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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 on 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; members to
serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify
for at-large seats
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held on 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; note
- following the 2008 elections, several rounds of byelections were
held to fill seats vacated as a result of corruption changes; seats
by party as of December 2010 - KMT 74, DPP 33, NPSU 3, independent
2, vacant 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 or
KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou]; Non-Partisan Solidarity
Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
environmental groups; independence movement; various business groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; 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; advocates of eventual
unification predicate their goal on the democratic transformation of
the mainland
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WTO
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
FAX: [1] [886] (07) 238-7744
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; the blue and white
design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to
1895; it was later adopted as the flag of the Kuomintang Party; blue
signifies liberty, justice, and democracy; red stands for
fraternity, sacrifice, and nationaliam, white represents equality,
frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays of the sun are
those of the months and the twelve traditional Chinese hours (each
ray equals two hours)
note: somewhat resembles the flag of Burma
National anthem:
name: "Zhonghua Minguo guoge" (National Anthem of the Republic of
China)
lyrics/music: HU Han-min, TAI Chi-t'ao, and LIAO Chung-k'ai/CHENG
Mao-Yun
note: adopted 1930; the anthem is also the song of the Kuomintang
Party; it is informally known as "San Min Cau I" (Three Principles
of the People); because of political pressure from China, "Guo qi
ee" (National Banner Song) is used at international events rather
than the official anthem of Taiwan; the "National Banner Song" has
gained popularity in Taiwan and is commonly used during flag raisings
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, led by electronics and machinery, generate
about 70% of Taiwan's GDP growth, and have provided the primary
impetus for economic development. This heavy dependence on exports
makes the economy vulnerable to downturns in world demand. In 2009,
Taiwan's GDP fell by 1.9%, due primarily to a 20% year-on-year
decline in exports. GDP grew more than 8% in 2010, as exports
returned to the level of previous years. Taiwan's diplomatic
isolation, low birth rate, and rapidly aging population are major
long-term challenges. Free trade agreements have proliferated in
East Asia over the past several years, but so far Taiwan has been
excluded from this greater economic integration, largely for reasons
of diplomacy. Taiwan's birth rate of only 1.2 child per woman is
among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor
shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues.
Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over
65 accounting for 10.8% of the island's total population as of the
end of 2009. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign
reserves are the world's fourth largest, behind China, Japan, and
Russia. Since President MA Ying-jeou took office in May 2008,
cross-Strait economic ties have increased significantly. Since 2005
China has overtaken 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. Taipei has focused much
of its economic recovery effort on improving cross-Strait economic
integration. Three financial memorandums of understanding, covering
banking, securities, and insurance, took effect in mid-January 2010,
opening the island to greater investments from the Mainland's
financial firms and institutional investors, and providing new
opportunities for Taiwan financial firms to operate in China. Taiwan
and the mainland in June 2010 signed the landmark Economic
Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), an agreement similar to a
free-trade agreement deal that will increase cross-Strait economic
ties by lowering tariffs on a number of goods. Taiwan's goverment
has said that the ECFA will serve as a stepping stone toward trade
pacts with other regional partners and announced the beginning of
negotiations on such an agreement with Singapore in August.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$807.2 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$745.4 billion (2009 est.)
$759.8 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$427 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
-1.9% (2009 est.)
0.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$35,100 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
$32,400 (2009 est.)
$33,100 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 31.1%
services: 67.5% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
11.03 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 36.8%
services: 58% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
5.9% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
1.08% (2008 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: 41.1% (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Public debt:
31.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
33% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
3.5% (2008)
Central bank discount rate:
1.25% (February 2009)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
2.56% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 153
4.06% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$331.7 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 14
$317.9 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$952.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$891.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$661.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
$630.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$657.3 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 20
$354.7 billion (31 December 2008)
$654 billion (28 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Industries:
electronics, communications and information technology products,
petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel,
machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products,
pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
16% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
Electricity - production:
238.3 billion kWh (2008)
country comparison to the world: 18
Electricity - consumption:
229.8 billion kWh (2008)
country comparison to the world: 15
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
276,800 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Oil - consumption:
910,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Oil - exports:
359,800 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Oil - imports:
931,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Oil - proved reserves:
2.8 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Natural gas - production:
360 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - consumption:
12.44 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
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 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Current account balance:
$39 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
$42.92 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$277.6 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$203.4 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronics, flat panels, machinery; metals; textiles, plastics,
chemicals; optical, photographic, measuring, and medical instruments
Exports - partners:
China 26.6%, Hong Kong 14.4%, US 11.6%, Japan 7.2%, Singapore 4.2%
(2009)
Imports:
$250.2 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
$172.8 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, crude petroleum, precision instruments,
organic chemicals, metals
Imports - partners:
Japan 20.7%, China 14%, US 10.3%, South Korea 6%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%
(2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$382.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
$353 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$91.41 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
$75.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$65.38 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
$107.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$122.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
$145.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 31.864 (2010), 33.061
(2009), 31.53 (2008), 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006)
Communications ::Taiwan
Telephones - main lines in use:
14.596 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 19
Telephones - mobile cellular:
26.959 million (2009)
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; roughly 15 submarine fiber cables
cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East,
Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2
Broadcast media:
5 free-to-air nationwide television networks operating roughly 75 TV
stations; about 85% of households utilize multi-channel cable TV;
national and regional radio networks with about 170 radio stations
broadcasting (2008)
Internet country code:
.tw
Internet hosts:
6.336 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 15
Internet users:
16.147 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 24
Transportation ::Taiwan
Airports:
41 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 104
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 4 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Heliports:
4 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 405 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 1,582 km
country comparison to the world: 81
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge