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Taiwan (Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān), officially the Republic of China (Chinese: 中華民國), is a region in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (known in the past as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the region, and New Taipei, which surrounds Taipei is the largest city by population.

The earliest evidence of Taiwan being inhabited is from the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch as Dutch Formosa in 1624 and the Spanish as Spanish Formosa in 1626. The Spanish were expelled from the island in 1644 by the Dutch. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.

The Republic of China was established in mainland China in 1912 and governed varying amounts of the mainland until 1949. At the end of World War II, Japan surrendered Taiwan and associated islands to ROC forces. When Communist forces took control of mainland China and founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, the ROC government moved to Taiwan. The ROC government still officially claims to represent all of China, in a definition including Taiwan, but has not made retaking the mainland a political goal since 1992.

The Japanese colonial period in Taiwan refers to the period between 1895 and 1945 during which Taiwan was a Japanese colony. Due to differing perceptions of history, it may also be referred to by some as the period of "Japanese occupation". The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th Century. Japanese rule in Taiwan was markedly different from in Korea. As Taiwan was Japan's first overseas colony, Japanese intentions were to turn the island into a showpiece "model colony". As a result, much effort was made to improve the island's economy, industry, public works, and culture. The relative failures of the early years of post-World War II rule by the Kuomintang ("KMT") led to a certain degree of nostalgia amongst the older generation of Taiwanese who experienced both. This has affected, to some degree, issues such as national identity, ethnic identity, and the Taiwan independence movement. The comparative lack of anti-Japanese sentiment amongst Taiwanese society has also led to misunderstandings with overseas Chinese communities and mainland Chinese.

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Chen Cheng-po was a Taiwanese painter whose oil painting Street of Chiayi was the first painting of a Taiwanese artist displayed in the Empire Art Exhibition in Japan. Chen was captured and killed by the Kuomintang government as a result of the 228 Incident.

Illustration credit: Chen Cheng-po

• ... that the Democratic Progressive Party nominated Hsu Tain-tsair (pictured) as the party's candidate for the 2001 Tainan mayoral race instead of George Chang, then-incumbent mayor of Tainan?

• ... that the National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in Taiwan and was established during the Japanese rule era?

• ... that the Sakizaya people, a Taiwanese aboriginal tribe, has been recognized by the government of Taiwan since January 2007?

• ... that the Cheng Kung Senior High School, previously known as the Taihoku Prefecture Second Middle School, is renamed after Koxinga?

• ... that Tsungming Tu, founder of the Kaohsiung Medical College, was the first Taiwanese medical doctor?

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• February 6: Magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits southern Taiwan
• February 7: Taipei plane crash toll reaches 40
• September 23: Tropical storm Fung-wong makes landfall in Eastern China
• July 8: Panda cub born in Taiwan to gifted Chinese pandas
• January 23: Philippines seeks United Nations arbitration on South China Sea claims
• November 21: Philippines to host four-country meeting about South China Sea disputes
• September 1: China leads medal race after day two of competition at London Paralympics

Chang Hui-mei (Chinese: 張惠妹; pinyin: Zhāng Huìmèi; Wade–Giles: Chāng Huì-mèi; born August 9, 1972), also known as A-mei, is an aboriginal Taiwanese pop singer and is occasionally a songwriter. She was born in the rugged mountains of eastern Taiwan and is the third youngest of nine siblings. A-mei made her music debut in 1996, achieved instant mega commercial success. She has been constantly titled diva in the Mandarin pop music scene, as well as the "Pride of Taiwan" since then, capturing numerous music awards and becoming one of the biggest music sensations within the pop music pantheon of the Chinese-speaking world.

Clockwise from top-left: a map of Taiwan in 1896, Taiwan and Fujian, an old map of Tainan, and a map in 1901

Categories ▼ Taiwan ► Taiwan-related lists ► Taiwanese culture ► Economy of Taiwan ► Events in Taiwan ► Geography of Taiwan ► Health in Taiwan ► History of Taiwan ► Taiwanese people ► Religion in Taiwan ► Taiwanese society ► Sport in Taiwan ► Taipei ► Tourism in Taiwan ► Tourist attractions in Taiwan ► Transportation in Taiwan

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