Taiwan (Republic of China)

Taiwan Republic of China
Status	Proto Independent State
Social and Moral Index	19th best
Capital	Taipei
Land Area
Location	Asia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population
GNI
ISO3166-1 Codes	TW, TWN, 1581
Internet Domain	.tw2
Currency	Dollar (TWD)3
Telephone	+8864

1. Overview
2. Taiwan National and Social Development
3. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
4. Taiwan's Responsibility Towards The Environment
5. Taiwan's Modernity and Learning
6. National Culture
7. Peace Versus Instability
8. Religion and Beliefs
9. Links

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1. Overview

#china #japan #taiwan

In all practical respects, Taiwan is an independent nation-state. But China claims that Taiwan is still part of China and has the aim of governing it again in the future.

“In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Beginning in the 1950s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₅

“With its all-round adventure landscape, heritage-rich capital, diverse folk traditions and feted night market scene, Taiwan offers a continent-sized travel list for one green island. Famed for centuries as Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Isle), in Taiwan you can criss-cross mountains on colonial-era hiking trails, cycle a lone highway with the blue Pacific on one side and green volcanic arcs on the other or climb to the summit of Yushan, Taiwan´s 3952m alpine roof.

To fuel all of this adventure, Taiwan offers the gamut of Chinese cuisines, as well as the best Japanese outside Tokyo, and a full-house of local specialities from Hakka stir-fries and Taipei beef noodles to aboriginal-style barbecued wild boar.

Taiwan will feed your soul, too: the island is heir to the entire Chinese tradition of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and that amorphous collection of deities and demons worshipped as folk faith. But over the centuries the people have blended their way to a unique and tolerant religious culture. In doing so, the Taiwanese have created Asia´s most vibrant democracy, and liberal society, with a raucous free press, gender equality and respect for human rights and increasingly animal rights as well.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₆

2. Taiwan National and Social Development

#human_development

Social & Moral Development Index7
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank7
1	Norway	28.6
2	Denmark	30.0
3	Sweden	30.7
	...
16	Japan	40.5
17	France	43.2
18	Luxembourg	43.3
19	Taiwan	44.5
20	Spain	44.7
21	S. Korea	46.9
22	Italy	47.4
23	Slovenia	47.6
	Asia Avg	87.7
	World Avg	86.8
q=195.

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #Taiwan #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)8
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank8
1	Sweden	9.0
2	Norway	14.5
3	Denmark	14.5
	...
16	Uruguay	26.5
17	UK	26.6
18	Spain	28.2
19	Taiwan	28.2
20	Slovenia	33.1
21	Costa Rica	36.5
	Asia Avg	99.9
	World Avg	87.9
q=199.

Taiwan performs very well in ensuring human rights and freedom compared to most other countries. Taiwan does the best for freethought₉. It does better than average when it comes to supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₁₀ (one of the lowest in Asia), supporting press freedom₁₁ (one of the lowest in Asia) and in LGBT equality₁₂. In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage₁₃.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Taiwan

4. Taiwan's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#climate_change #energy #food #meat #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2023)14
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank14
1	Japan	33.2
2	Philippines	45.0
3	Sri Lanka	49.0
	...
15	Malaysia	74.4
16	Yemen	76.7
17	Georgia	78.0
18=	Taiwan	78.7
19	Cyprus	79.3
20	Iran	82.6
21	Hong Kong	83.3
22	Vietnam	83.8
23	Mongolia	84.8
	Asia Avg	88.8
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)14
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank14
1	Japan	33.2
2	Philippines	45.0
3	Uruguay	48.0
	...
72=	Chile	78.6
72=	Iceland	78.6
74	Antigua & Barbuda	78.7
75=	Taiwan	78.7
76	Bulgaria	78.8
77	Cyprus	79.3
78	Chad	79.5
79	Albania	79.8
	World Avg	85.7
q=188.

Regarding its responsibility towards the environment, Taiwan is 74th in the world. This rank is derived from 3 data sets. Taiwan does better than average in its environmental performance₁₅ (amongst the highest in Asia). But that's it. Taiwan has problems. It does worse than average when it comes to its score on the Green Future Index₁₆ (still good for Asia). And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 for annual meat consumption per person₁₇ (amongst the highest in Asia).

Environmental Performance Higher is better15
Pos.		201815
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
20	Japan	74.7
21	Australia	74.1
22	Greece	73.6
23	Taiwan	72.8
24	Cyprus	72.6
25	Canada	72.2
26	Portugal	71.9
27	USA	71.2
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Meat Consumption Lower is better17
Pos.		2021 kg17
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
165	Belarus	88.9
166	Poland	89.3
167	St Lucia	89.6
168	Taiwan	89.8
169	Croatia	90.8
170	French Polynesia	92.5
171	Portugal	94.6
172	St Kitts & Nevis	96.6
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

In the 2010s, meat consumption per person in Taiwan was well above the global average (of 49kgs per year), putting unnecessary strain on water supplies and the environment.₁₇

Green Future Index Higher is better16
Pos.		2023 Score16
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
42=	Philippines	4.6
42=	Israel	4.6
42=	Australia	4.6
45	Taiwan	4.5
46=	Mexico	4.5
47	Ukraine	4.4
48	Argentina	4.3
49	Indonesia	4.3
	Asia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

The 2023 edition of the Green Futures Index lists Taiwan among five countries who are doing the best at recycling, alongside Germany, Iceland, Singapore and South Korea).₁₈

5. Taiwan's Modernity and Learning

#education #english #intelligence #it_security #maths #modernity #research #science #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Taiwan	10.0
2	Japan	21.9
3=	S. Korea	24.0
4	Singapore	27.9
5	Israel	32.2
6	Hong Kong	32.6
7	Russia	40.6
8	Turkey	50.1
9	Malaysia	50.2
10	Macau	50.8
11	Cyprus	54.0
12	UAE	56.0
13	Saudi Arabia	60.4
	Asia Avg	79.0
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2020)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
4	Estonia	15.8
5	Denmark	16.0
6	Belgium	16.1
7	Czechia	16.7
8	New Zealand	17.6
9	Sweden	18.6
10	Germany	18.6
11	Australia	19.2
12	Iceland	19.6
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2920
2	Israel	4.1120
3	Japan	3.5820
4	Finland	3.1720
5	Sweden	3.1620
6	Denmark	3.0520
7	Taiwan	3.0120
8	Austria	3.0021
9	Switzerland	2.9622
10	Germany	2.8420
11	USA	2.7423
12	Belgium	2.4620
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better24
Pos.		2015 Score24
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
4	Macau	1582
5	Estonia	1573
6=	Taiwan	1571
6=	Canada	1571
8	Finland	1568
9	S. Korea	1557
10	China	154325
11=	Ireland	1528
11=	Slovenia	1528
	Asia Avg	1398
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

IQ Higher is better26
Pos.		200626
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4=	Japan	105
4=	Taiwan	105
4=	China	105
7	Italy	102
8=	Iceland	101
8=	Switzerland	101
8=	Mongolia	101
11	Netherlands	100
12=	Norway	100
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

IT Security Lower is better27
Pos.		201327
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
14	Peru	0.30
15	Latvia	0.33
16	Pakistan	0.38
17	Taiwan	0.44
18	Sweden	0.44
19	Romania	0.52
20	Turkey	0.52
21	Poland	0.55
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

6. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

Taiwan has a good long-term record on keeping corruption low, and has spent the last ten years making things even better.

World Giving Index Higher is better28
Pos.		2022 %28
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
96=	Montenegro	34.0
96=	Kazakhstan	34.0
96=	Gabon	34.0
96=	Taiwan	34.0
100	Bangladesh	33.0
101=	Tanzania	33.0
102	Spain	32.0
103=	Benin	32.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125.

Corruption Higher is better29
Pos.		2022 Points29
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
22	Austria	71.0
23	Seychelles	70.0
24	USA	69.0
25=	Taiwan	68.0
25=	Bhutan	68.0
27	UAE	67.0
28=	Chile	67.0
29	Barbados	65.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness Higher is better30
Pos.		2018 Score30
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
	...
23	France	6.5
24	Mexico	6.5
25	Chile	6.5
26	Taiwan	6.4
27	Panama	6.4
28	Brazil	6.4
29	Argentina	6.4
30	Guatemala	6.4
	Asia Avg	5.29
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

7. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better31
Pos.		2023 Score31
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
30	Bulgaria	1.64
31=	Spain	1.65
31=	Romania	1.65
31=	Taiwan	1.65
34	Italy	1.66
35	Kuwait	1.67
36	Lithuania	1.67
37	UK	1.69
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better32
Pos.		2019 Score32
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
52	Honduras	0.99
53=	Vietnam	1.00
53=	Montenegro	1.00
55	Taiwan	1.01
56	Laos	1.03
57	Armenia	1.17
58	Senegal	1.19
59	Morocco	1.22
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #Taiwan

Disbelief In God (2007)33
Pos.		Higher is better %33
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
18	Finland	28
19	Russia	27
20	Australia	25
21	Taiwan	24
22=	New Zealand	22
22=	Canada	22
24	Latvia	20
25=	Ukraine	20
25=	Mongolia	20
27	Austria	18
28=	Slovakia	17
28=	Switzerland	17
28=	Belarus	17
31	Greece	16
32=	Iceland	16
33	Spain	15
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₃₄:

Christian	5.5%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	21.3%
Folk Religion	44.2%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	12.7%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%₃₅.

Freedom of Religion and Belief:

Taiwan has enjoyed an increase in religious liberty since 1989. In that year the Law on Civic Organizations "allowed all religions to exist and removed multiple prohibitions". At the start of this period, in 1990, there were 83 religious groups in Taiwan and this surged to 1062 in the year 2004 "and the total number of temples and churches more than doubled"₃₆.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?
• Human Rights and Freedom in Taiwan: 3.2. Freedom of Thought