Taiwan Travel Overview
Important facts
Capital: Taipei (See more on ITYPEMBA.COM)
Official language: Chinese
Currency: dollar
Continent: East Asia
Vacation in Taiwan
Discover this island in the China Sea. National parks and tall skyscrapers await you. Taiwain offers a lot of variety in a small space
Info about Taiwan
Taiwan is an island in the Pacific off mainland China. Separated by the Taiwan Strait, a strait. The Taiwan Strait separates the People’s Republic of China on the mainland from the Republic of China on the island of Taiwan. However, the legal status of Taiwan has not yet been clarified. Taiwan is located in the South China Sea, part of the Pacific, and therefore has no direct neighbors. The closest islands are Japan in the north and the Philippines in the south. With an area of 36,000 square kilometers, Taiwan is roughly the size of Switzerland.
City vacation
The capital of Taiwan is Taipei. it is also the largest city in Taiwan, making it the economic, political and cultural center of the country. Taipei is located in the north of the island, on the river delta of the Danshui, Xindian and Jilong rivers.
Taipei 101 – a skyscraper (until 2007 the world’s tallest skyscraper) and symbol of the city of
Longshan Temple – see the temple atmosphere like in a picture book
Landmarks
Foguangshan – largest and richest Buddhist monastery in the country, extensive parks, magnificent temple halls, multitude of gilded Buddha statues
Sanyi – Taiwan’s center of wood carving, museum for wood carving, motifs mainly of a religious kind, often also the pot
– bellied, laughing Milefo Sun-Moon-Lake – name, because its shape resembles the Chinese characters for the sun and moon; popular honeymoon destination
Taroko Gorge – hundreds of meters high rock walls made of pure marble in a gorge – walk through the gorge or a side valley. Surrounded by the Taroko National Park.
East Rift Valley – ideal conditions for activities such as cycling, paragliding or rafting.
Currency
Currency (sub-unit)
Dollars (100 cents)
ISO 4217 code
TWD / 901
Geography
Continent: Asia
Region: east
Geo coordinates: N 23 ° 41 ‘52.1 “E 120 ° 57’ 37.9”
Highest mountain: Yu Shan (3,997 m)
Total area: 35,980 km²
Mainland: 32,260 km²
Coastline: 1,566 km
Politics
Dependency: independent since foundation
Form of government: Presidential Republic
Economy
Export goods: Textiles, raw sugar, rice
BSP: $ 387,224,000,000
GDP: $ 397,284,000,000
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 656 billion
Economic growth: 4.1%
GDP share of agriculture: 1.7%
GDP share of industry: 26.8%
GDP share of services: 71.5%
Inflation rate: 2.8%
Unemployment: 3.8%
National debt: 35.4%
Export: $ 208 billion
Import: $ 198.6 billion
Foreign debt: $ 95.3 billion
Gold and currency reserves: $ 271 billion
Electricity consumption: 213,200 million KWh
Gas reserves: 76,460 million m³
Gas production: 1,210 million m³
Gas consumption: 8,900 million m³
Oil reserves: 3 million m³
Oil production: 9,200 million m³
Oil consumption: 931,000 million m³
Cultivation area: 25%
Pigs: 7,566,000 pieces
Fishing: 1,580,000 t
Demographic data
Residents: 23.036.100
Residents in cities: 16,821,900
Average age: 34.6 years
0-14 years: 19.4%
15-64 years: 70.8%
> 65 years: 9.8%
Population growth: 0.61%
Birth rate: 12.56 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 6.48 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 1.04
Fertility: 1.57 children / woman
Infant mortality: 6.29 ‰
Life expectancy men: 74.67 years
Life expectancy women: 80.47 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: TW
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: TWN
ISO 3166 numeric: 158
Top Level Domain: partly
IOC country code: TPE
UN / LOCODE: TW
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 13,962,000
Cell Phones: 25,790,000
Radios: 16,000,000
TV: 13,290,000
Computer: 12,590,000
Internet users: 14,580,000
Transportation
Railway lines: 2,497 km
Paved roads: 66,925 km
of which expressways: 1,914 km
Cars: 5,642,000
Merchant fleet (ships over 1,000 GRT): 112
Pipelines: 460
Health
Number of doctors: 32,050
Daily food intake: 3.120 kcal / resident
Education
Illiteracy: 4%
History
Foundation: 1911
Last sovereign since: 1911
Religion
Main religious group: Buddhists
Crime
Prison inmates: 57,600
Military
Armed forces (troop strength): 270,000
Main battle tank: 1,620
Battleships: 36
Submarines: 4
Warplanes: 700
Helicopter: 35
Defense Spending: $ 8,214,000,000
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The national airline is called China Airlines (CI) (Internet: www.china-airlines.de). China Airlines flies from Frankfurt via Taipei to Kaohsiung. China Airlines flies non-stop from Vienna to Taiwan. Otherwise connections via Amsterdam or London and Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.
Ua United Airlines (UA), Eva Air (BR), Qantas (QF), Singapore Airlines (SQ) and Thai Airways (TG) also fly to Taipei.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Taipei: 12 hours 50 minutes (non-stop); Vienna – Taipei: 16 hours (including a stopover in Bangkok); Zurich – Taipei: 16 hours (including stopovers).
Departure fee
No.
Arrival by ship
Passenger connections between Keelung and Kaohsiung (Taiwan) and Okinawa (Japan).
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
At present, nine domestic airlines operate several times a day between the major Taiwanese cities as well as to the Green Island, the Orchid Island and the Penghu Archipelago. There are direct flights between Beijing, China and Taipei.
Ua Mandarin Airlines (AE), Transasia Airways (GE) and Uni Air (B7) fly from the domestic airport Sung Shan to all major cities. Since the lifting of the travel ban, China Airlines (CI) has again offered direct flights from the mainland cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Canton, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing to Taipei (Taiwan). Air China (CA)flight from Tianjin, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing to Taipei. Details of bus connections to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (formerly Chiang Kai-Shek).
On the way by car / bus
The road network connects all major cities. An expressway connects Taipei with Kaohsiung. Some main roads are also signposted in English.
Bus: Regional and long-distance buses / express buses connect Taipei with all major cities and most major attractions.
Taxis are plentiful, all metered and relatively inexpensive. Between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. there is a 20% surcharge on the fare. The destination must be written in Chinese for the driver because most taxi drivers do not speak English. The ride in a radio taxi and the use of the trunk for luggage are extra.
Rental carare available in the larger cities. A credit card or a larger deposit is required to rent a car. You can also rent a car with a chauffeur. International hotels usually arrange a rental car with a driver for their guests on request. Due to the constant shortage of parking spaces, many foreign visitors choose a motorcycle or scooter, which are infinitely more convenient to park. Documents: National or international driver’s license. Officially, a German driver’s license is valid for up to 80 days in Taiwan. However, a certified translation of the driver’s license is recommended.
Traveling in the city
Downtown Taipei is divided into four squares – North, South, East and West. The name of each major street indicates which of these squares you are currently in (for example Minsheng East Road). Several private bus companies operate the extensive local transport network in Taipei. Taipei now has six underground lines of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system (Internet: http://english.trtc.com.tw) and the route network is continuously being expanded. Free route maps can be ordered by email: [email protected].
On the go by train
Broad Taiwan Railway Administration (website: www.railway.gov.tw) operate on the entire island between all major cities.
The main tourist
routes are Taipei – Taichung – Chiayi -Tainan – Kaohsiung,
Taipei – Taichung – Sun Moon Lake, Chiayi-Alishan (dramatic mountain panorama) and
Taipei – New Hualian – Taitung (scenic coastal route).
Air-conditioned trains run from Taipei to Kaohsiung every hour. In addition, a high-speed train (Internet: www5.thsrc.com.tw/en/) connects Taipei with the southern port city of Kaohsiung in just 90 minutes. On the way he stops at nine stations.
Some trains have dining and sleeping cars. Children under 3 years travel free, children from 3 to 13 years pay half. In addition to the main train station, train tickets are also available in many larger hotels in Taipei. The seat reservation is included in the fare. More information about trains is available on Tel: (02) 23 71 35 58.
On the way by ship
Passenger ship connections exist between all ports. More information from the port authorities on site.