Taiwan
First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. In the four years leading to the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government under the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. The Nationalist government established authoritarian rule under martial law in 1948. Beginning in the late 1970s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, with the founding of the first opposition party (the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP) in 1986 and the lifting of martial law in 1987. Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) to the DPP. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.
Area: total: 35,980 sq km - Population: 23,464,787 (July 2016 est.)
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Religions: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% - Source: www.cia.gov
First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. In the four years leading to the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government under the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. The Nationalist government established authoritarian rule under martial law in 1948. Beginning in the late 1970s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, with the founding of the first opposition party (the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP) in 1986 and the lifting of martial law in 1987. Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) to the DPP. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.
Area: total: 35,980 sq km - Population: 23,464,787 (July 2016 est.)
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Religions: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% - Source: www.cia.gov
Taiwan Cuisine
Taiwanese cooking is a branch of Chinese cuisine, so meals tend to be based around white rice, while pork is the most commonly eaten meat. Chicken is common; beef is enjoyed, except by the small portion of the population who for traditional (rather than religious) reasons never consume it. Noodles made from wheat or rice flour are also popular. Thin soups are served with almost every meal. Taiwanese food is seldom very spicy. As you’d expect on an island, Taiwanese people eat a lot of seafood, especially tilapia, mackerel, tuna, squid and shark. About a quarter of the fish eaten – milkfish and eels in particular – are farmed rather than caught from the sea. In many seafood restaurants, diners can choose what they want to eat from large tanks where live fish, lobsters and other sea creatures are kept. Ports are especially good places to enjoy Taiwan’s seafood, yet you needn’t go further than the nearest night market to savour an oyster omelette. These snack-sized delights are cooked on hot plates by adding leafy greens, starch and a sweet-and-sour sauce to eggs and oysters. During winter, Taiwanese people like to gather around hot pots. Somewhat like fondues, these contain hot broth in which you simmer slices of meat, vegetables, mushrooms, mussels, chunks of tofu and other delectables until they’re done just as you like them. Dozens of different hot pots are available, including super-spicy and vegetarian variants, milk-flavoured broths, and soups packed full of medicinal herbs. Source: http://lifeoftaiwan.com
Taiwanese cooking is a branch of Chinese cuisine, so meals tend to be based around white rice, while pork is the most commonly eaten meat. Chicken is common; beef is enjoyed, except by the small portion of the population who for traditional (rather than religious) reasons never consume it. Noodles made from wheat or rice flour are also popular. Thin soups are served with almost every meal. Taiwanese food is seldom very spicy. As you’d expect on an island, Taiwanese people eat a lot of seafood, especially tilapia, mackerel, tuna, squid and shark. About a quarter of the fish eaten – milkfish and eels in particular – are farmed rather than caught from the sea. In many seafood restaurants, diners can choose what they want to eat from large tanks where live fish, lobsters and other sea creatures are kept. Ports are especially good places to enjoy Taiwan’s seafood, yet you needn’t go further than the nearest night market to savour an oyster omelette. These snack-sized delights are cooked on hot plates by adding leafy greens, starch and a sweet-and-sour sauce to eggs and oysters. During winter, Taiwanese people like to gather around hot pots. Somewhat like fondues, these contain hot broth in which you simmer slices of meat, vegetables, mushrooms, mussels, chunks of tofu and other delectables until they’re done just as you like them. Dozens of different hot pots are available, including super-spicy and vegetarian variants, milk-flavoured broths, and soups packed full of medicinal herbs. Source: http://lifeoftaiwan.com