Taiwan is an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean off the southeast coast of China.
The island of Taiwan has been inhabited for thousands of years. It was first discovered by Europeans in 1544 by the Portuguese. They called island Formosa meaning ?beautiful island?. In 1624 the Dutch made the island a colony and established settlements there. In 1683 the Chinese defeated the Dutch and eventually Taiwan would become a full province of the Chinese Empire.
After a war between China and Japan, Japan gained control of the island in 1895. Japan did a lot to help develop Taiwan's economy. However, Taiwan went back to Chinese rule after Japan was defeated in World War II. At the same time, a civil war was being fought between the communists, led by Mao Zedong, and the KMT government, let by Chiang Kai-shek. When the communists won, 2 million refuges fled mainland China to Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek established the Republic of China on the Island of Taiwan in 1949.
Taiwan leadership managed to transition the island's economy from agriculture to industry over the next several years. Taiwan has become a major international economy.
The Geography of Taiwan
Total Size: 35,980 square km
Size Comparison: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
