Taiwan, officially Republic of China, island (in 1994 est. population was 21,299,000), 13,885 sq mi, in the Pacific Ocean, separated from the mainland of S China by the 100-mi-wide (161-km) Taiwan Strait. The capital is TAIPEI. Other major cities include KAOHSIUNG, Tainan, Taichong, and Chilung. About one quarter of Taiwan's land area is cultivated; rice, wheat, sugarcane, and sweet potatoes are the most important crops. In the 1970s industry replaced agriculture as the major export earner. Light industry is the major manufacturing sector, with electronics far ahead. Other manufactures include electrical equipment, chemicals, motor vehicles, and machinery, and service industries are beginning to be more important. The main natural resources are woods and other forest products. Religions include Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity.
Taiwan was first settled by the Chinese in the 7th century, the island was reached by the Portuguese in 1590. It was held by the Dutch......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 339
Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |