Taiwan

C

Natural Resources

Taiwan’s most important natural resource is its land, one-quarter of which is suitable for cultivation. The Chungyang Range and the eastern coastal range contain deposits of gold and copper. Coal is mined in the north near the Tatu River. Petroleum and natural gas reserves are located in the northwest near the small city of Hsinchu and the town of Miaoli. The eastern side of the island has marble deposits near the town of Hualien. Taiwan’s many river beds provide sand, gravel, and rock for the construction industry.

D

Climate

Taiwan’s climate is described as tropical and subtropical, and rainfall is abundant. The average annual precipitation is about 4,000 mm (about 160 in). During winter, northern Taiwan experiences the northeast monsoon, which brings heavy rain from October to March. The north is somewhat less wet in summer, when southern Taiwan receives heavy precipitation from the southwest monsoon. Typhoons occur between June and October. Frost and snow appear only at high elevations in the Chungyang Range. Summers are hot and humid, with an average temperature of 28°C (82°F). Winter lasts from December until February and is mild, with an average January temperature of 18°C (64°F).

E

Environmental Issues

Air pollution is severe in Taiwan’s major cities due to manufacturing activities and vehicle emissions. Deforestation is a growing concern because mountain hillsides are being cleared for commercial crops. The hunting of wild animals for their organs, which are used to make traditional Chinese medicines, is threatening wildlife. The government has made efforts to curb Taiwan’s environmental problems by enforcing stricter wildlife and forest-resource protection laws. Of the total land area, 12 percent is protected.

III

The People of Taiwan

Taiwan’s estimated population in 2009 was 22,974,347, yielding an average population density of 712 persons per sq km (1,844 per sq mi). The population is unevenly distributed, however, as most people live on the plains and basins west of the Chungyang Range.

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Taipei, Kaohsiung, and T’aichung are the three largest cities. Metropolitan Taipei is the political, economic, cultural, and transportation center of Taiwan. Kaohsiung is the major industrial center in the south and Taiwan’s largest commercial port. T’aichung is the major industrial center of central Taiwan.

In 1952 Taiwan’s birth rate was 46.6 births per 1,000 people. By 2009 the birth rate had fallen to 9 per 1,000. Since the 1950s the level of education has risen in Taiwan; people are now more affluent and they tend to have fewer children.

A

Ethnic Groups and Languages

Most people in Taiwan are ethnic Han Chinese and were born on the mainland or have ancestors that were. They are divided into three groups based on their native Chinese dialect: Taiwanese (who speak Taiwanese, also called Min), Hakka (who speak Hakka, also called Kejia), and Mandarin. Min, Hakka, and Mandarin all belong to the Sino-Tibetan languages family. Taiwan also has a small population of aborigines who comprise about 2 percent of the total population. There are nine major aborigine tribes, each speaking a different form of Formosan, a member of the Austronesian languages family. Mandarin Chinese is Taiwan’s official language.

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