Taiwan is one of the most talked-about countries in the world today.
The long-running conflict with China has made the independence-loving country known worldwide.
Many of us may not know whether Taiwan is an independent country or a state of China?
In today's episode, we will try to learn more about Taiwan and its history.
Taiwan is officially the Republic of China.
It is a country in East Asia.
It sits at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean,
neighboring the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Japan to the northeast,
and the Philippines to the south.
Taiwan is now officially the Republic of China.
The island of Taiwan is located just west of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan.
The total area of this island is 36,193 square kilometers.
There are also steep mountains and tropical forests.
There are about 5 different ethnic groups living in this country with a population of
4 million.
Taiwan was once a Dutch colony.
However, the region was ruled by Chinese kings from 1683 to 1895.
The Japanese then occupied the island.
But after World War II, control of Taiwan was handed over to the Chinese government
led by Chiang Kai-shek.
At one time, China meant Taiwan.
Until 1971, the Taiwanese government represented China at the United Nations.
In 1971, the United Nations recognized Beijing's government as the real government of China,
and since then, tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated.
In 2004, Taiwan's new president, Chen Shui Bian, announced that Taiwan wanted to secede
from China and establish itself as a fully independent state.
The conflict between China and Taiwan has been stated on the world stage ever since.
The capital is Taipei, which, along with New Taipei City and Keelung, forms the largest
metropolitan area of Taiwan.
Other major cities include Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan, and Taoyuan.
With 23.45 million inhabitants, Taiwan is among the most densely populated countries
in the world.
Taiwan lies on the Tropic of Cancer, and its general climate is marine tropical.
The northern and central regions are subtropical, whereas the south is tropical and the mountainous
regions are temperate.
The average rainfall is 2,600 millimeters per year for the island proper.
The rainy season is concurrent with the onset of the summer East Asian Monsoon in May and
June.
The entire island experiences hot, humid weather from June through September.
Mandarin is the primary language used in business and education and is spoken by the vast majority
of the population.
Traditional Chinese is used as the writing system.
The Republic of China does not have any legally designated official language, but Mandarin
plays the role of the de facto official language.
The Constitution of the Republic of China protects people's freedom of religion and
the practices of belief.
Freedom of religion in Taiwan is strong and ranks high at 9.2 in 2018 according to the
world bank.
In 2005, the census reported that the five largest religions were: Buddhism, Taoism,
Yiguandao, Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism.
Taiwan is an island nation and is said to be the fourth largest island in the world.
There are several peaks above 3,500 meters, the highest of which is Yu-Shan, and its height
is 3,992 meters.
Kaohsiung is a massive port city in southern Taiwan.
It's home to many skyscrapers, such as the 248m-tall Tuntex Sky Tower, and is known for
its diversity of parks.
Its focal point is the Love River, with walking paths and cafes along its banks, and cruise
boats navigating its waters.
Shopping options range from high-end malls to the Liuhe and Ruifeng night markets.
Wulai is a mountainous district south of New Taipei City, in Taiwan.
It's known for its hot springs, including pools by the Nanshi River.
The Wulai Atayal Museum traces the history of the area's indigenous Atayal people.
A cable car runs up to Wulai Waterfall, which tumbles over a craggy rock face.
Sun Moon Lake is in the foothills of Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range.
It’s surrounded by forested peaks and has foot trails.
East of the lake, the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is a theme park with a section
devoted to re-created indigenous villages.
Displays here include centuries-old carved lintel pieces, handicrafts, and weapons.
The Sun Moon Lake Ropeway cable car offers views of the mountains and water.
Tainan, a city on Taiwan’s southwest coast, was the island’s capital from 1683–1887
under the Qing dynasty.
Today it’s known for its centuries-old fortresses and temples.
One of its most famous sites is Chihkan Tower, an 18th-century Chinese complex with gardens,
intricately carved towers, and a temple erected on the foundations of Fort Provintia, a Dutch
outpost dating to the mid-1600s.
In the end, we can say that Taiwan is an interesting country, despite the current conflict with
China.
Thousands of people from all over the world flock to this country every year to see its
beauty.