TAIWAN STRAIT

also called Formosa Strait, Chinese (Wade-Giles) T'ai-wan Hai-hsia, or (Pinyin) Taiwan Haixia, arm of the Pacific Ocean, 100 miles (160 km) wide at its narrowest point, lying between the coast of China's Fukien province and the island of Taiwan (Formosa). The strait extends from southwest to northeast between the South and East China seas. It reaches a depth of about 230 feet (70 m) and contains the Pescadores Islands (which are controlled by the government of Taiwan). The chief ports are Amoy in mainland China and Kao-hsiung on Taiwan. The area lies in a typhoon zone. The strait was named Formosa (Beautiful) by Portuguese navigators in the late 16th century; although it is still known in the West by its European name, the Chinese and now most Westerners use the name Taiwan Strait. The economy During the 20th century Taiwan's economy has been transformed from agricultural to industrial, and the island's postwar economic development has been one of the most spectacular of any developing country. In constant prices, gross national product increased more than 10 times between the mid-1950s and mid-1980s. The major reason was vigorous export promotion in an expanding global economy. Per capita product and personal income quintupled, while a relatively equal distribution of income became more equitable. The major reasons were the initially broad distribution of ownership of land and capital and the high returns to labour, first in agriculture and later in the export industries. The obligation to increase and repay family resources has motivated the individual Chinese and has produced much of the rapid growth of Taiwan's economy. This growth has proceeded in three phases. The first (c. 190555) was the modernization of agriculture and the development of other primary or extractive industries. The second (c. 193585) was the development of modern secondary manufacturing industries. The third (since 1965) began the modernization of service industries. Resources Although more than 50 kinds of minerals have been found in Taiwan, total mineral resources are modest. In the north, copper, gold, iron, sulfur, and pyrite exist in only token amounts. In the east, limestone, marble, and dolomite are abundant, although their exploitation contributes little to the economy. Coal reserves are rapidly becoming exhausted. Petroleum and natural gas exist in small quantities on shore, but the continental shelf may contain extensive reserves, particularly of natural gas. Forests are most abundant in the high mountains, but their inaccessability makes exploitation uneconomical. The land Relief Taiwan is part of the great island system rimming the western Pacific Ocean. The island is formed by a great fault block trending north-northeast to south-southwest and tilted toward the west. The more gently rising western face of the block borders the shallow Taiwan Strait, under which the continental shelf connects the island to the Chinese mainland. The terraced tablelands and alluvial plains along the western face of the block provide the principal areas of dense population and the major cities. The steeply sloping eastern face of the block marks the edge of the continental shelf and the beginning of the Pacific Ocean. Aside from one major rift valley, the east coast provides little room for human settlement. The coastline on the west is simple and straight, bordered with low sand dunes and lagoons. Deepwater ports are situated at Chi-lung (Keelung), at the northern tip of the island, and at Kao-hsiung, on the southwestern coast. The crest of the Chung-yang Shan-mo (Central Range) lies east of and parallels the island's axis. Scores of peaks rise to about 10,000 feet, the highest being Y Shan (13,113 feet [3,997 metres]) in the south central part of the island. Around the mountainous area are numerous independent hills, with an average height of 5,000 feet. Drainage and soils The rivers, nearly all of which rise in the Chung-yang Shan-mo, are short and subject to extreme seasonal variations in flow. Lacking steady currents, most rivers are unreliable for irrigation or hydroelectric power generation. Late-summer typhoons, however, bring torrential rains that are liable to cause floods, especially in the plains, necessitating an extensive system of dikes. The principal rivers are the Tan-shui Ho in the northwest, the Cho-shui Hsi, in the west, and the Kao-p'ing Hsi in the south. Alluvial soil on the plains and in the valleys covers about one-fourth of the island and is its chief resource. The upland soils, subject to drastic erosion, are leached, acid, and infertile. The people Ethnolinguistic groups The original inhabitants of Taiwan were Malayo-Polynesian aborigines, who are now organized into quite diverse ethnolinguistic groups. The largest of these groups are the Ami, Atayal, and Paiwan. Chinese immigrants largely displaced or assimilated the plains aborigines and carried on a protracted conflict with the mountain aborigines, who were subdued only by the Japanese. The aborigines, nearly all of whom now live in the foothills and highlands, constitute about 2 percent of the population. Although several aboriginal dialects and many tribal customs have been retained, the aborigines have increasingly become assimilated, linguistically and culturally, into modern Taiwanese society. The great majority of the populationthose now called Taiwaneseare descendants of the original immigrants from the Chinese provinces of Fukien and Kwangtung. The Hokkien from southern Fukien constitute the largest of the immigrant groups; their dialect of Chinese is often called the Taiwanese dialect. The Hakka, originally from northern Kwangtung, also have a distinct dialect. The most recent addition to Taiwan's population are the predominantly Mandarin-speaking Nationalist adherents, who came to Taiwan from all parts of China in the late 1940s. These mainlanders still compose about 15 percent of the population. Because of their prominence in the Nationalist government, Mandarin has become the principal language of Taiwan. Religions Numerous religions have been introduced into Taiwan from many parts of the world. The Chinese brought their religions, principally Buddhism and Taoism. In 1622 the Dutch introduced Protestant Christianity; two years later the Spanish brought Roman Catholicism to the island. In addition, Confucianism has immensely influenced the Chinese people of Taiwan in ethics, morality, and academic thinking. Religion, however, is not a divisive factor on Taiwan. The Chinese tend to be eclectic about religion, many practicing a little of several kinds. The principal religions in Taiwan, in addition to the forms of worship of the aborigines, are Taoism and Buddhism. Christians constitute a small but significant percentage of the population; about three-fifths are Protestant and the rest Roman Catholic. There are also a large number of Muslims, most of whom live in the larger cities.