Strictly speaking, Taiwan is the name of the island, and not the country. However, the whole world has long been accustomed to calling this partially recognized state that way, despite the fact that the country is called the Republic of China. This is an important industrial center, but the tourist can find something to see here. There are few beautiful antiquities here, but the island itself is very interesting, especially for those who prefer not to go on excursions, but personally explore the situation on the ground and dive into local life.
For the first time Europeans in these parts appeared in the 17th century. On the flat western coast of the island, there are about 90% of the population of all of Taiwan. On the island grows more than 3 thousand species of plants, of which more than one and a half thousand are not found anywhere else in the world. There are many rivers on the island – more than 150. In the last century, striptease was an integral part of the funeral ceremony in Taiwan. In local villages, this tradition is still alive. Only about 2% of the island’s population are descendants of its indigenous inhabitants. The rest are ethnic Chinese. The Republic of China, that is, Taiwan, regards the entire mainland China as its own country. The PRC, in turn, regards Taiwan as its own province. In such a state of suspense, these political games have been staying for a very long time.
Find someone who speaks English is not easy, so independent tourists should start learning the basics of Chinese in advance. There are no embassies of other states in Taiwan. The reason is simple – a protracted political conflict with China. The tallest structure in Taiwan is the 509-meter tower in Taipei. It was built in compliance with all the seismic features of this region prone to earthquakes.
In terms of fertility, Taiwan is one of the last places in the world. This island is one of the most densely populated places on the planet. More than half of Taiwan is covered with forests and shrubs. There are quite high mountains. So, the top of Yushan reaches a height of 3,952 meters. A quarter of the island is actively used as agricultural land.
The indigenous locals are called “gaoshan”. Local writing is different from that in mainland China. In Taiwan, traditional Chinese characters are still used, in China itself almost never used. Among all countries of the world, Taiwan ranks fifth in terms of gold and foreign exchange reserves. More than one and a half hundred radio stations broadcast on the island. Military service in Taiwan is mandatory, and both men and women serve for two years. Men – in the army, and women – in the alternative civil service.
