Taiwan

Taiwan, historically known as Formosa, is an island territory located in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the East China Sea and the South China Sea. It lies to the southeast of mainland China, northeast of the Philippines, and southwest of Japan. Dominated by rugged mountain ranges in the eastern two-thirds of its landmass and characterised by broad alluvial plains in the west, the island’s geography has shaped patterns of settlement, economic development, and cultural formation. With a population of around 23.9 million, Taiwan is among the most densely populated territories in the world, with its largest metropolitan region centred on Taipei, New Taipei City, and Keelung.
Taiwan is administered by the Republic of China (ROC), whose effective jurisdiction includes Taiwan Island, the Penghu archipelago, Kinmen, Matsu, and numerous smaller islands—168 in total. Several other islands, most notably the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu/Diaoyutai), are claimed by both the ROC and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) but administered by Japan. Over centuries, Taiwan has experienced indigenous settlement, European colonial contact, Han migration, Qing rule, Japanese colonial development, the arrival of the ROC government in 1949, and rapid modernisation, culminating in its emergence as a developed, industrialised democracy.

Geographic Setting

Taiwan lies astride key maritime routes in the western Pacific and has long held strategic and commercial importance. Its terrain is largely defined by the Central Mountain Range, with several peaks exceeding 3,000 metres. These mountains occupy most of the eastern part of the island, while fertile plains in the west accommodate the majority of the population and urban areas. The climate ranges from tropical in the south to subtropical in the north.
The island groupings under ROC administration include Taiwan Island itself, Penghu in the Taiwan Strait, and the outlying Kinmen and Matsu islands near the Fujian coast. These collectively form the “Taiwan Area” in ROC legal terminology.

Early Settlement and Precolonial History

Humans have inhabited Taiwan for at least 25,000 years. Palaeolithic remains dated between 20,000 and 30,000 years old indicate early settlement by populations related to Australo-Papuan peoples, akin to the Negrito groups of the Philippines. In later millennia, Neolithic migrants—ancestors of today’s indigenous Austronesian-speaking peoples—arrived around 6,000 years ago. These groups developed characteristic agricultural and maritime cultures and are widely regarded in linguistic research as crucial to the Austronesian dispersal across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
For much of premodern history, Taiwan was not politically integrated into mainland dynastic systems. Its indigenous societies were organised into diverse tribal groups, practising shifting agriculture, hunting, and coastal trade.

Colonial and Qing Periods

Sustained external contact began in the early seventeenth century. The Dutch East India Company established a trading post at Fort Zeelandia in 1624, on a sandbar called Tayouan, a term derived from a local indigenous ethnonym. The Dutch administration encouraged large-scale Han Chinese immigration from Fujian and Guangdong. This influx continued under the Kingdom of Tungning, founded in 1661 by Koxinga after expelling the Dutch, becoming the first predominantly Han Chinese polity in Taiwan.
Taiwan was incorporated into the Qing Empire in 1684 as Taiwan Prefecture and was later reorganised into a province in 1887. Over Qing rule, demographic and cultural transformation accelerated through migration, agricultural expansion, and the establishment of administrative institutions.

Japanese Rule and the ROC’s Arrival

Following the First Sino-Japanese War, the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) ceded Taiwan to Japan. Japanese colonial rule lasted until 1945, bringing large-scale infrastructure development, industrialisation, and modern government institutions. These policies significantly altered Taiwanese society and laid foundations for twentieth-century economic growth.
After Japan’s defeat in the Second World War, the Republic of China took control of Taiwan. The ROC, established in 1912 after the Xinhai Revolution, relocated its central government to Taipei in 1949 following its defeat in the Chinese Civil War and the proclamation of the PRC in Beijing. Since then, the ROC’s effective jurisdiction has been limited to Taiwan and its associated islands.

Economic Development and Democratisation

Taiwan underwent dramatic transformation from the 1960s onwards. Policies promoting export-led industrialisation led to rapid economic growth termed the Taiwan Miracle. The island became a major producer of steel, electronics, chemicals, and machinery, later advancing into high-tech industries, including semiconductors. Today, Taiwan ranks among the world’s largest economies by both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity.
Political liberalisation began in the late 1980s with the lifting of martial law, followed by the emergence of a multiparty political system. Direct presidential elections were introduced in 1996, marking Taiwan’s transition to full democracy. Taiwan consistently ranks highly in measures of civil liberties, human development, and healthcare. Its human development index, calculated using UNDP methodology, places it among the world’s most developed societies.

Political Status and International Relations

Taiwan’s political status remains one of the most complex and sensitive issues in international politics. Although the ROC was a founding member of the United Nations, it lost the China seat in 1971 when the UN General Assembly recognised the PRC as the sole representative government of China. Since then, the ROC has maintained diplomatic relations with a small number of UN member states and the Holy See. Most countries, however, engage with Taiwan through unofficial channels such as Taipei economic and cultural offices, which function as de facto embassies.
The PRC claims Taiwan as part of its territory and conditions diplomatic ties on adherence to the One-China policy. Consequently, Taiwan participates in many international organisations under the name Chinese Taipei, including the Olympic Games and APEC.
Domestically, politics is shaped by contrasting views on national identity and cross-strait relations. The Pan-Blue Coalition generally supports closer ties with mainland China and eventual unification under favourable conditions, while the Pan-Green Coalition tends to favour the consolidation of a distinct Taiwanese identity and eventual independence. In practice, both camps have moderated their stances in the twenty-first century to appeal to a broader electorate.

Etymology and Historical Names

Taiwan has been known by various names across history. Early Chinese sources such as the Book of Sui and Daoyi Zhilüe used “Liuqiu”, though the reference may have indicated different islands in East Asia. The Portuguese named the island Ilha Formosa (“beautiful island”) in 1542, a term widely adopted in European literature for centuries.
The modern name Taiwan was used in seventeenth-century records referring to local indigenous groups near present-day Tainan. It became the official designation during the Qing dynasty after Taiwan Prefecture was established. Following the ROC’s relocation to the island, the name “Taiwan” increasingly became synonymous with the state itself, though the official national title remains Republic of China. Since 2005, ROC government publications regularly incorporate both terms—for example, “Republic of China (Taiwan)”—to avoid ambiguity.
The ROC also differentiates between the Taiwan Area, meaning territories under its effective control, and the Mainland Area, referring to historical claims not under its governance.

Modern Society and Identity

Contemporary Taiwan is characterised by its dynamic economic structure, advanced public services, and vibrant cultural life. It maintains robust global supply chain links and has become central to high-technology industries, especially semiconductor fabrication. Taiwan’s healthcare system is internationally recognised for its accessibility and efficiency, and its democratic institutions are widely regarded as stable and transparent.
National identity remains multifaceted, reflecting historical layers of indigenous heritage, Han migration, colonial influence, and modern democratisation. Public opinion surveys suggest increasing identification with a distinct Taiwanese identity, though debates over national status continue to shape political discourse.