Taiwan
located in Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China
Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait,
north of the Philippines, off the south eastern coast
of China.
Taiwan
is a modern industrialized megalopolis clinging to the
fringes of an ancient culture; a string of teeming cities
at the feet of a glorious mountain range. It's traditional
noodles from a 7-Eleven, aboriginal tribes in mini-skirts
and a day of temple rituals followed by waterslide rides.
The human tide of Taipei will sweep you off your feet,
but if you step outside the city limits you'll discover
why Taiwan is known as Ilha Formosa, 'the beautiful island'.
Mountain peaks puncture a sea of clouds, slick black volcanic
rock wraps the coastlines and waterfalls shroud themselves
in mist: Taiwan is a computer-generated Chinese watercolour.
But
it is precisely Taiwan's history with China that has caused
the most friction and heartache for the Taiwanese. The
continuing tug-of-war between the People's Republic of
China on the mainland and the Democratic Progressive Party
on Taiwan is often prone to take on the pasty complexion
of a civil war albeit one that has not, as yet, developed
into an all-out brawl. Mainland China insists on the truth
of 'one China' while Taiwan has managed the impossible
tightrope act of agreeing, in principle, to one China
but acting, in practice, like an independent republic.
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Map |
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Country
Fact*: |
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Full
country name: Republic
of China
Area: 36,188 sq km (13,972 sq miles)
Population: 22.5 million
Capital city: Taipei (population 2.7
million)
People: Taiwanese (84%), Aboriginal
(2%), Chinese(14%)
Language: Taiwanese, Mandarin Chinese
Religion: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism
Government: Democratic Progressive
Party
Business Hours: Most Business hours
open weekdays at 8.30/9.00am-17.30pm and Goverment Offices
usually open weekdays 8.30am-17.30pm and weekend closed.
Department Strores open at almost daily at 11:00~21:30.
Shops open almost everyday except for the Chinese Lunar
New Year at 10:00/11:00 ~21:00/ 22:00.
Major
industries: Machinery, electrical equipment,
electronic/computer goods, textiles, clothing
Major trading partners: USA, Japan,
Hong Kong
Internet
domain : .tw
International dialling code: +886
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Calendar of Events*: |
January/February:
1st - New Year's Day
Chinese New Year
April:
3rd - Tomb-Sweeping Day and Death of President Chiang
Kai-shek
June:
25th - Dragon Boat Festival
September:
12th -Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
28th - Teacher's Day (Confucius Birthday)
October:
1st - Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
10th - National Day
25th- Retrocession Day
31st - President Chiang Kai-shek's Birthday
November:
12th - Dr Sun Yat-sen's Birthday
December:
25th - Christmas Day |
| *Information
is subject to change. For further update, please check
these websites : www.bbc.com,
www.earthcalendar.net |
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