Taiwan: CIA Factbook

A brief overview of Taiwan's entry in the CIA Factbook:

 Background:
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Population: 23,071,779 (July 2011)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.32 years 

     -male: 75.5 years

     -female: 81.36 years (2011 est.)

Religion: mixture of Buddhism and Taoism (93%), Christianity (4.5%), indigenous (2%)

Ethnic Groups: Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%

Literacy: 96.1%

Debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; advocates of eventual unification predicate their goal on the democratic transformation of the mainland.

No diplomatic representation to the US, though commercial and cultural relations are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts.

GDP (purchasing power parity): 823.6 bn USD

PPP: 35, 800 USD
Unemployment rate: 5.9%

Telephones
     -main lines: 14.596 million
     -mobile: 26.959 million

Broadcast media
     -5 free-to-air nationwide TV networks
     -roughly 75 TV stations
     -85% of households utilize cable
     -around 170 radio stations

Internet users: 16.147 million

 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation - 2 years; women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense is in the process of implementing a voluntary enlistment system over the period 2010-2015, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 4 months of military training.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tw.html