Source
Central bank

Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

International Reserves

N/A

Gross Domestic Product - GDP

USD 589.4 billion (2018, estimate)

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Intl$ 1,251.5 billion (2018, estimate)

Real GDP growth
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
6.5% 0.7% -1.6% 10.6% 3.8% 2.1% 2.2%
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018*    
4% 0.8% 1.5% 3.1% 2.6%    

*Estimate

GDP per capita - current prices

USD 24,971.4 (2018, estimate)

GDP per capita - PPP

Intl$ 53,023.1 (2018, estimate)

GDP (PPP) - share of world total
1980 1990 2000 2010 2019*
0.52% 0.79% 0.97% 0.98% 0.92%

*Estimate

 
 
Source
GDP - composition by sector
  • agriculture: 1.8% 
  • industry: 36% 
  • services: 62.1%

(2017 estimate)

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP)

3.3% (2017)

 

Inflation
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
-0.6% 1% 1.1% 1.5% 0.8%

*Estimate

Unemployment rate
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
3.8% 3.9% 3.8% 3.7% 3.8%

*Estimate

Household saving rates

N/A

 

Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
36.6% 36.2% 35.5% 35.1% 33.6%

*Estimate

Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
-1.8% -2.2% -2% -1.9% -1.3%

*Estimate   

Government bond ratings

Standard & Poor's: AA-

Moody'S: Aa3

Standard & Poor's / Moody's 

Market value of publicly traded shares
2016 2017 2018
N/A N/A N/A
Largest companies

Hon Hai Precision, Taiwan Semiconductor, Cathay Financial, Fubon Financial, CTBC Financial, Formosa Petrochemical, Formosa Chemicals, Nan Ya Plastics, Formosa Plastics, China Steel, Chunghwa Telecom, Mega Financial Holding, ASE Technology Holding, Hua Nan Financial, LARGAN Precision, Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank, Compal Electronics, Chang Hwa Bank, Taishin Financial Holdings, Wistron, Far Eastern New Century, Mercuries & Associates, Taiwan Business Bank, WPG Holdings, SinoPac Financial, Inventec, President Chain Store, Nanya Technology, Yageo Corporation, AU Optronics, Innolux, Synnex Technology Intl, Catcher Technology, Asustek Computer, Taiwan Cement, Quanta Computer, Uni-President, Shin Kong Financial, MediaTek, First Financial Holding, E.Sun Financial, Taiwan Cooperative Financial, China Development Financial, Pegatron, Yuanta Financial Holding, Delta Electronics, China Life Insurance (Taiwan)

 
 
Source
Current account balance

USD 72.0 billion (2018 estimate)

Current account balance by percentage of GDP

12.2 % (2018 estimate)

Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)

N/A

Shares in world total merchandising export

N/1.72% (2018)

Shares in world total commercial services export

0.87% (2018)

Total exports

USD 403.7 billion (2018 estimate)

Export commodities

Semiconductors, petrochemicals, automobile/auto parts, ships, wireless communication equipment, flat display displays, steel, electronics, plastics, computers

Total imports

USD 342.3 billion (2018 estimate)

 
 
Source
Import commodities

Oil/petroleum, semiconductors, natural gas, coal, steel, computers, wireless communication equipment, automobiles, fine chemicals, textiles

Exports - major partners

N/A

Imports - major partners

N/A

FDI inflows
2016 2017 2018
USD 9,261 million USD 3,291 million USD 6,998 million
FDI outflows
2016 2017 2018
USD 17,946 million USD 11,552 million USD 18,024 million
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
2015 2016 2017 2018
USD 4,407 million USD 5,494 million USD 101 million USD 203 million
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014

N/A

(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )

Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015

N/A

(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )

Best countries for doing business

Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.

Overall ranking: 1

5 out of 190 countries

Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 21 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 6 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 9 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 20 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 104 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 21 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 39 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 61 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 11 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 23 out of 190 countries

Global competitiveness ranking

12 out of 141 countries(2019)

Index of Economic Freedom

Ranking: 10 / Score: 77.3 (Mostly free)

(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)

 
 
Source
Time zone

UTC+8

Total area

35,980 sq km

Capital

Taipei

Currency

New Taiwan dollars (TWD)

Government type

Semi-presidential republic

Languages

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min Nan), Hakka dialects, approximately 16 indigenous languages

Religions

Buddhist 35.3%, Taoist 33.2%, Christian 3.9%, folk (includes Confucian) approximately 10%, none or unspecified 18.2% (2005 est.)

Total population
1990 2000 2010 2015 2020*
20.40 million 22.28 million 23.16 million 23.49 million 23.62 million

*Estimate

 
 
Source
Urban population as % of total population
1960 1980 2000 2018
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Population median age

41.3 years 

Population growth rate

0.15% (2018 estimate)

Life expectancy

80.4 years (2018 estimate)

Literacy

Total population: 98.5% 
Male: 99.7% 
Female: 97.3%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2014 est.)

% of population living on less than $3.10 a day

N/A

Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)

N/A

Freedom House rating

Free
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)

Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population

Fixed: 55.5%

Mobile: 123.7%

(2018)

(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)

Internet users as % of total population

92.78 % (2017)

Mercer Cost of living index

Taipei: 35th (2019)

CO2 emissions

N/A

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