Hey Youtube, Jim here! Welcome to Top 10 Archive! Despite what Instagram shows us, we know travel
can be a pain. Going through airport security, catching colds from other airplane passengers,
crying babies, that guy who loves kicking the seat in front of him. Seriously, why does he always sit
behind me? So today, instead of going through all of that, we’re going to take you straight to the
destination. No lines, no packing, just straight from your screen to Asia in under 60 seconds.
What’s on the map? The incredibly interesting country of Taiwan, of course!
But before we get started, why not become an archivist today by clicking that subscribe button
and notification bell so you don't miss out on any future uploads! If you end up enjoying this video,
let us know by giving it a thumbs up and in the comment section, tell us other amazing facts about
Taiwan and which country we should visit next! 10. Formosa
In the early 16th Century, the Portuguese named the island Ilha Formosa, which translates to
Beautiful Island. Of course, the name stuck pretty easily and became official until very recently!
After the Second World War, the island started officially being called Taiwan, but still holds
the name Formosa informally. Other names include the People’s Republic of China, which brings us
to one of the most interesting things about the nation. Within Taiwan, you’ll see a large
Taiwanese identity. In China, it’s just another, rather reluctant, part of their country. In fact,
countries that wish to have diplomatic and commercial relations with China have to formally
sever their ties with Taiwan. For this reason, Taiwan hasn’t been a part of the UN since 1971.
9. Taiwan fits in the United States 273 times The island is actually quite small,
though densely populated, and you could drive across it in just eight hours. It is so small,
you could actually fit the entire island inside the territory of the United States 273 times!
Imagine if all the famous, rich, successful people all lived in the next state over from you.
In Taiwan, they do. Going from Taipei to the beach is a super easy weekend trip away,
so if you’re feeling like you’re done with the big-city life, just grab a ride,
watch a movie or two, listen to a podcast, and you’ll be across the country before you know it.
8. Inventions Taiwan is no small dog
when it comes to the economy, inventions, and other first-world matters. Taiwan has actually
started trends that go all the way to your hometown in the middle of nowhere America.
For one, they opened the very first Cat Cafe in 1998. The cafe was called “Cat Flower Garden” and
became a huge tourist attraction. The concept was later further developed and popularized in Japan.
They also invented Bubble Tea, a flavored tea with tapioca balls, drank through thick straws.
Street food vendors in Taiwan invented it in the early ‘80s and now it’s popular all over Asia,
the U.S., and more countries every year. Finally, one that we have all grown close with at one time
or another, instant noodles! Invented in Taiwan by Go Pek-Hok, instant noodles were first sold to the
market in 1971 as Cup Noodles. 7. Literacy
Taiwan has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. In Taiwan, over 96% of all adults can
read. This means people in the most rural parts of Taiwan, people who have never left their city,
never traveled the eight hours across their country, can read. They’re not reading a,b,c’s
either. They’re reading Traditional Mandarin Chinese. That just makes any country with a
simple alphabet look bad, seriously. 6. Healthy is In
When was the last time you lived your life without fearing an expensive doctor’s visit?
An accident or injury in the United States can take a huge cut out of your paycheck.
Not in Taiwan. Since the mid-‘90s, Taiwan has been providing universal health care to all citizens.
This includes both Western-style medicine in hospitals as well as Chinese medicine.
Everyone in Taiwan has access to health and a doctor’s visit is both affordable and convenient.
5. They’re Superstitious In Taiwanese culture, superstition has a
great impact on daily life. For one, the number four sounds eerily like the Chinese word for
“death.” That’s like if “to meet up” was considered only for carnivores because it sounds
so much like the food. Many 4th floor apartments will have a discount and 4th floors on official
buildings will be “skipped” altogether! Just straight from the 3rd floor to the 5th. That’s
what I call denial. On the other hand, colors have different associations than in Western Culture.
White, for instance, is a symbol of death and often used for funerals, while red will
be used for weddings and new beginnings like the new year. Red is a common color for luck,
so red envelopes are filled with money for Chinese New Year and other occasions as gifts.
4. World Records When searching for world records not much came up,
but there are a couple of noteworthy ones. In 2019, 287 people broke the record for carving
287 sand sculptures of bottlenose dolphins at the Taiwanese northeastern beach town of Fulong.
In 2011 a record was set for the most people hula hooping simultaneously at a single venue,
with 2,496 people. And in 2017, Taiwan broke the Guinness World Record for the longest rainbow.
They beat the 1994 Yorkshire, England record of 6 hours with their own rainbow that lasted
a shocking 9-hours! Which they proved by sending in 10,000 images of proof that the rainbow didn’t
dissipate and re-form during the entire time. They had plenty to spare, as the rainbow happened
over the Chinese Culture University and students kept a keen eye on it during their entire day.
3. Taiwanese Cuisine One of Taiwan’s most well-known
dishes is Stinky Tofu. As the name says, the dish is really just fermented tofu. You can’t find it
on many menus in restaurants, but you’ll find it at most night market food stands. If you want
an easier cultural experience with Taiwanese food you can also try a host of other dishes,
including their famous beef noodle soup, pineapple cake, pearl milk tea, braised pork over rice,
dan bing, gua bao, and something that everyone can relate to, fried chicken.
2. Famous People Like every nation, the Taiwanese also
have their list of people who have made worldwide impact. Take for instance Kai-Fu Lee, a venture
capitalist, and artificial intelligence expert who developed the world's first speaker-independent,
continuous speech recognition system as his thesis for one of his classes at college. Then you have
Yuan T. Lee, a chemist who was the first Taiwanese Nobel Prize laureate, who won a Nobel Prize in
Chemistry in 1986 for "their contributions to the dynamics of chemical elementary processes". The
list goes on, but our time is short, but if you'd like to check out some famous Taiwanese YouTubers,
be sure to search for Joeman *, the group TGOP *, Wacky Boys *, and Masha And The Bear.
(*= 2 second pause in between) 1. Tourist Attractions
If you are a fan of city life, then Taipei 101 is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Taiwan.
Located in Taipei, the landmark was classified as the world’s tallest in 2004 until 2010
when it was defeated by none other than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It was finished in 2004 and
designed to withstand local common storms like typhoons as well as earthquakes. Don't forget
to ride the Miramar ferris wheel to get a dazzling unobstructed view of Taipei City, and stop off at
the Rainbow Village to see a colorful neighborhood in Taichung City. More of a nature lover? There
are too many places to name, but must-visit places include Taroko Gorge, Yushan National Park, Sun
Moon Lake, Penghu, the Yangmingshan geysers, and Kenting National Park, home to many waterfalls,
hiking trails, and uncharted forests. Thanks for watching! Wow! I think I’ll
pack my bags and go? Anyone want to go with me? Let us know what you’d like to do most in Taiwan
in the comments section. Be sure to subscribe, get personalized notifications by clicking the bell,
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