Interesting Facts About Taiwan

The island of Taiwan is both part of China and yet not. It is entirely occupied by the Republic of China (ROC), a partially recognized state that has existed for about a hundred years and does not recognize the authority of mainland China. This is an incredibly beautiful place, but nature here holds many dangers. Powerful earthquakes and typhoons make life on the island quite risky.

Facts About Taiwan:

1. There is no country officially called Taiwan; the partially recognized state located here is officially called the Republic of China (ROC). However, around the world, this country is commonly referred to by the same name as the island itself.
2. Taiwan has a significant vegetarian population. Approximately 14% of the population adheres to a vegetarian diet.
3. Locals refer to the “@” symbol not as “dog” (as in some languages), but as “little mouse.”
4. Taiwan claims the territory of the Tuva Republic, part of the Russian Federation. This is because, before 1912, Tuva was part of China and later came under the protection of the Russian Empire. After a period of independence, Tuva became part of the USSR. Interestingly, Taiwan claims not only Tuva but all of mainland China as well.
5. Taiwan is officially recognized by very few countries to avoid damaging relations with mainland China.
6. An asteroid, (2169) Taiwan, is named after the island.
7. In the 20th century, Taiwan had a rather unusual funeral custom—striptease performances. Initially, this tradition became popular among gangsters but soon spread to the general population. The government banned striptease at funerals in the 1980s, but the tradition still exists in rural areas.
8. Despite frequent earthquakes in Taiwan, Taipei, the largest city, has a skyscraper standing 509 meters tall. The risk of collapse during a hurricane or earthquake is reduced by a massive 660-ton tuned mass damper placed between the 87th and 91st floors.
9. In Portuguese, Taiwan’s name (Isla Formosa) means “beautiful island.”
10. Europeans first appeared in this region only in the 17th century.
11. About 90% of the local population lives in the western part of the island.
12. Taiwan ranks among the lowest in the world in terms of birth rate.
13. Due to the prolonged political conflict with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), there are no embassies from any country in Taiwan.
14. The highest point on the island is Mount Yushan, with a peak rising to 3,952 meters.
15. About 98% of the population here are ethnic Chinese.
16. The island has 150 permanent rivers.
17. At different times, the island was under the control of Spain, the Netherlands, and Japan.
18. In 2006, Taiwanese scientists bred green glowing pigs. They inserted a gene for green fluorescent protein from a jellyfish into the DNA chain of a pig embryo. The pigs’ skin, as well as all their internal organs, glow. The main goal of this experiment was to enable visual observation of tissue development during stem cell transplantation.
19. Taiwan ranks fifth in the world in terms of foreign exchange reserves.
20. The most popular sport here is baseball.
21. The island has more than 150 radio stations, both private and state-owned.
22. Taiwan is one of the most densely populated islands on Earth.
23. In 1988, Taiwan hosted the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Ironically, the local representative did not even make it to the semifinals.
24. In the ticket offices of the capital’s metro, maps are offered for free in fifteen languages, including Russian.
25. The indigenous population of the island refers to themselves as “Gaoshan.”
26. The total area of the island is comparable to that of Belgium.
27. Taipei 101, or the Taipei Financial Center, is considered the second tallest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
28. The first Taiwanese film was released in 1901. The film industry is still well-developed here.
29. In Taiwan, the number of registered SIM cards exceeds the number of residents.
30. Military service is mandatory for all citizens who have reached the age of 19. It lasts for two years, and both men and women are conscripted. However, women usually serve in educational and medical institutions rather than military units.