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Countries | TAIWAN

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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.

Major Tourist Cities/Areas Information:
  Hsinchu
  Hualien
  Kaohsiung
  Keelung
  Kenting
  Taichung
  Tainan
  Taipei
  Taoyuan

 

 

Major Tourist Cities/Areas Information
Visa Requirement
 
TAIWAN Map

Country Fact*:

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

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