Taiwan

Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa, lies between the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. It has an area of 35,808 square kilometres, with mountain ranges dominating the eastern two-thirds and plains in the western third, where its highly urbanized population is concentrated. The combined territories under ROC control consist of 168 islands in total covering 36,193 square kilometres. The largest metropolitan area is formed by Taipei, New Taipei City, and Keelung. With around 23.9 million inhabitants, Taiwan is among the most densely populated countries.

Some of the key events about Taiwan

1895
Taiwan was ceded to Japan by China following the First Sino-Japanese War
1945
Taiwan experienced severe economic disruption and hyperinflation after World War II
1947
The February 28 Incident resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and decades of martial law
1949
The Republic of China government relocated to Taiwan, establishing a new base for democratic governance
1949
The Chinese Civil War led to the retreat of the Kuomintang government to Taiwan
1958
The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis involved intense artillery bombardment of Kinmen islands
1965
Taiwan's first export processing zone was established in Kaohsiung, boosting economic development
1971
The world's tallest building at the time, Taipei 101, began construction, becoming a symbol of Taiwan's economic growth
1971
Taiwan lost its seat in the United Nations to the People's Republic of China
1979
The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China
1987
Martial law was lifted, marking a significant step towards democratization
1996
Taiwan held its first direct presidential election, solidifying its democratic system
1999
The 921 earthquake struck central Taiwan, causing over 2,400 deaths and widespread destruction
2000
The first peaceful transfer of power between political parties occurred in Taiwan's presidential election
2003
Taiwan successfully contained the SARS outbreak, demonstrating effective public health management
2003
Taiwan was severely affected by the SARS epidemic, resulting in 73 deaths
2009
Taiwan participated in the World Health Assembly as an observer for the first time since 1971
2016
Taiwan was excluded from the World Health Assembly for the first time since 2009
2019
Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage
2020
Taiwan's successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic gained international recognition

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