Taiwan

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Facts & Figures

Map of Taiwan

President-elect: Tsai Ing-wen (2016)

Premier: Simon Chang (2016)
Land area: 12,456 sq mi (32,261 sq km); total area: 13,892 sq mi (35,980 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 23,359,928 (growth rate: 0.25%); birth rate: 8.55/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.49/1000; life expectancy: 79.84
Capital (2014 est.): Taipei, 6,950,646 (metro. area), 2,693,672 (city proper)
Other large cities: New Taipei, 3,913,595; Kaohsiung, 2,773,855; Taichung, 2,662,770; Tainan, 1,876,706; Hsinchu, 419,384
Monetary unit: New Taiwan dollar
More Facts & Figures

Index

1.

Taiwan Main Page

2.

Breaking from Mainland Influence

3.

New President Brings New Beginning

4.

Heightened Tensions

5.

Independence Rejected

6.

Political Leaders Stumble, Fall

7.

Taiwan and China Benefit from Trade Agreement

8.

Fallout over Closer Ties to China and Poor Economy

9.

Taiwan Elects First Female President

Geography
The Republic of China today consists of the island of Taiwan, an island 100 mi (161 km) off the Asian mainland in the Pacific; two off-shore islands, Kinmen
(Quemoy) and Matsu; and the nearby islets of the Pescadores chain. It is slightly larger than the combined areas of Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Government
Multiparty democracy.
History
Taiwan was inhabited by aborigines of Malayan descent when Chinese from the areas now designated as Fukien and Kwangtung began settling it in the 7th
century, becoming the majority. The Portuguese explored the area in 1590, naming it the Beautiful (Formosa). In 1624 the Dutch set up forts in the south, the

Spanish in the north. The Dutch forced out the Spanish in 1641 and controlled the island until 1661, when Chinese general Koxinga took it over and established an
independent kingdom. The Manchus seized the island in 1683 and held it until 1895, when it passed to Japan after the first Sino-Japanese War. Japan developed
and exploited Formosa. It was the target of heavy American bombing during World War II, and at the close of the war the island was restored to China.
After the defeat of its armies on the mainland, the Nationalist government of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan in Dec. 1949. Chiang dominated
the island, even though only 15% of the population consisted of the 1949 immigrants, the Kuomintang. He maintained a 600,000-man army in the hope of
eventually recovering the mainland. Beijing viewed the Taiwanese government with suspicion and anger, referring to Taiwan as a breakaway province of China.
The UN seat representing all of China was held by the Nationalists for over two decades before being lost in Oct. 1971, when the People's Republic of China was
admitted and Taiwan was forced to abdicate its seat to Beijing.

Facts and Statistics

Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Capital: Taipei
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Population: 22,858,872 (July 2007 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religions: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Government: multiparty democracy

Language in Taiwan
The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, but because many Taiwanese are of southern Fujianese descent, Min-nan (the
Southern Min dialect, or Holo) is also widely spoken. The smaller groups of Hakka people and aborigines have also preserved their
own languages. Many elderly people can also speak some Japanese, as they were subjected to Japanese education before Taiwan
was returned to Chinese rule in 1945 after the Japanese occupation which lasted for half a century. The most popular foreign
language in Taiwan is English, which is part of the regular school curriculum.
Taiwanese People, Society and Culture
The People
Taiwans population is mostly Han Chinese who were born on the mainland or have ancestors that were. They are divided into three
groups based on the dialect of Chinese they speak: Taiwanese, Hakka, and Mandarin. Taiwan also has a small population of
aborigines who comprise about 2 percent of the total population.
Most people in Taiwan have traditional values based on Confucian ethics; however, pressures from industrialization are now
challenging these values. Still, some traditional values remain strong, including piety toward parents, ancestor worship, a strong
emphasis on education and work, and the importance of "face." Since industrialization, women enjoy greater freedom and a higher
social status, individual creativity is regarded as equally important as social conformity and acquiring material goods and recognition
is increasingly important.
Some tensions exist between social groups. The majority of people in Taiwan came from or have ancestors who came from
mainland China before 1949. They are known as Taiwanese and enjoy the highest standard of living in Taiwan. Because of their
wealth and numbers, they also have the greatest influence on economic and political issues.
Mainlanders are people who arrived in Taiwan after mainland China fell to the Communists in 1949. Many Mainlanders work for the
government. Tensions between Taiwanese and Mainlanders have eased substantially. The aborigines, who live mainly in rural
villages, are the least privileged social group in Taiwan.

Taipei 101, Taipei

Presidential Office Building, Taipei

c
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall,Taipei

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei

National Palace Museum, Taipei

Guningtou War Museum, Kinmen County

August 23 Artillery Battle Museum,Kinmen County

Republic of China Armed Forces Museum, Taipei

Republic of China Air Force Command Headquarters New Building, Taipei

National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine, Taipei

Maokong, Taipei

Mount Ali, Chiayi County

Love River, Kaohsiung

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center, Kaohsiung

eShilin Night Markt, Taipei

Chingshui Cliff, Hualien County

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas,Kaohsiung

Taroko National Park

Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village,Nantou County

Grand Hotel, Taipei

Ximending, Taipei

Window on China Theme Park,Taoyuan City

Core Pacific City, Taipei

National Science Taiwan Education Center, Taipei

Jiufen, New Taipei

Zhongshan Hall, Taipei

Fulong Beach, New Taipei

Anping Fort, Tainan

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung

National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung County

Mashan Broadcasting and Observation Station, Kinmen County

Cingjing Farm, Nantou County

Mount Dabajian, Hsinchu County

Yehliu Geopark, New Taipei

Pratas Atoll National Park

Fengjia Night Market, Taichung

Lamay Island, Pingtung County

Taiwan Studio City, Tainan

Qing Dynasty Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall, Taipei

National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei

Taipei Fish Market, Taipei

Stone Umbrella, Taitung County

Hong Fa Temple, Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung Exhibition Center,Kaohsiung

Beihai Tunnel, Nangan Lienchiang County

Popular tourist attractions in Taiwan include the following:

Confucianism
The teachings of Confucius describe the position of the individual in society. Confucianism is a system of behaviours and ethics that
stress the obligations of people towards one another based upon their relationship. The basic tenets are based upon five different
relationships:


Ruler and subject

Husband and wife

Parents and children

Brothers and sisters

Friend and friend

Confucianism stresses duty, loyalty, honor, filial piety, respect for age and seniority, and sincerity.
Harmony / Group Relations
Due to the Confucian tenets Taiwanese culture is a collective one. There is a need to belong to a group larger than themselves, be it
their family, school, work group, or country. They treat people with respect and dignity regardless of their personal feelings. In order
to maintain a sense of harmony, they will act with decorum at all times and not do anything to cause someone else public
embarrassment. They are willing to subjugate their own feelings for the good of the group.
The Concept of Face / Mien-tzu
The concept of face is extremely important to the Taiwanese. Face is difficult to translate into words but essential reflects a person's
reputation, dignity, and prestige. Face can be lost, saved or given to another person. Companies, as well as individuals, have face
and this often provides the rationale behind business and personal interactions.
> Giving Face
Face can be given to people by complimenting them, showing them respect, or doing anything that increases their self-esteem.
Specific examples include:
- Complimenting individuals (be careful not to single out individuals when the work was a corporate effort)
- Praising group (company, school, family, country)

> Losing Face

You can cause someone to loose face by causing someone embarrassment, and/or tarnishing their image and reputation. Examples
include:
- Direct or indirect criticism of an individual or group
- Giving someone a gift that is beneath their status
- Turning down an invitation or a gesture of friendship
- Not keeping your word
- Demonstrations of anger or excessive emotionalism
> Saving Face
In the event that you cause someone to lose face, or someone is embarrassed by circumstances that arise, the best recourse is to
appropriate blame for problems that arise. For example:
- Appropriating blame for problems that arise:
- "Perhaps I didnt explain myself clearly."
- "Oh that kind of thing happens in our country too."
- "I have done the same thing myself."
"Guanxi" Connections/Relationships
Most Taiwanese business is conducted among friends, friends of friends, and family. Such connections, or "guanxi" (pronounced
gwan-she) are developed with people at your own level or of a higher status in both business and social situations. "Guanxi" opens
doors, smoothes out problems, and leads to even more connections.
Read more about this here > Guanxi.
Culture, Customs and Etiquette in Taiwan
Meeting and Greeting

Greetings are formal and the oldest person in a group is always greeted first.
Handshakes are the most common form of greeting with foreigners.
Many Taiwanese look towards the ground as a sign of respect when greeting someone.
You need not follow their example as they understand that westerners tend to smile warmly when
introduced.
Most greetings include the rhetorical question, "Have you eaten?"
The Chinese traditionally have 3 names. The surname, or family name is first and is followed by one or
two personal names.
Chinese women do not change their names when they marry other Chinese, and the childrens last
name will generally follow that of the father.
Often their personal names have some poetic or otherwise significant meaning, so asking about the
meaning is a good way to break the ice.
When you are first meeting a person, address the person by their academic, professional, or honorific
title and their surname.
If those you are meeting want to move to a first name basis, they will advise you which name to use.
Some Chinese adopt more western names in business and may ask you to call them by that name.

Gift Giving Etiquette

Gifts are given at Chinese New Year, weddings, births and funerals.
The Taiwanese like food and a nice food basket or a bottle of good quality alcohol are gifts.
A gift may be refused the first time it is offered out of politeness. Attempt to offer the gift again;
however, never force the issue.
Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they traditionally indicate that you want to
sever the relationship.
Do not give clocks, handkerchiefs or straw sandals as they are associated with funerals and death.
Do not give white flowers or chrysanthemums as they signify death.
Do not wrap gifts in white, blue or black paper.
Red, pink and yellow are considered to be auspicious colours.
Elaborate gift wrapping is imperative.
Do not give an odd number of gifts, since odd numbers are considered unlucky.

Four is also an unlucky number. Do not give four of anything.

Eight is the luckiest number. Giving eight of something brings luck to the recipient.
Avoid giving anything made in Taiwan.
Present gifts using both hands.
Gifts are not opened when received.
Gifts are generally reciprocated. Do not give a lavish gift unless it is to reciprocate an expensive gift
that you have received.

Dining Etiquette
The Taiwanese prefer to entertain in public places rather than in their home, especially when entertaining foreigners. If you are
invited to a Taiwanese home, it will happen once you have developed a relationship and should be considered a great honour.
Read more about > Chinese Dining Etiquette

Business Etiquette in Taiwan

Meeting people

A handshake is the common greeting.

Handshakes are not as firm as in many other countries.
Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand.
Many Taiwanese lower their eyes during the greeting as a sign of respect.
Greet or introduce the most important person first.
If you are in a group, try to assemble in rank order, with the most senior person first.
People are usually addressed by their title and surname.
If the person does not have a corporate or government title, use the honorific Mister, Miss, or Madame
followed by the surname.
Wait until invited before using someone's first name.
Business cards are exchanged after the initial introductions.
Have one side of your business card translated into Chinese using the traditional script not the
simplified script as used in China.
Business cards are exchanged using both hands.
Present your card so the typeface faces the recipient.
Examine a business card carefully before putting it on the table next to you or in a business card case.
Treat business cards with respect. The way you handle someones card is indicative of the value you
place on the relationship.
Never write on someone's card in their presence.

Communication Style
Taiwanese value a well crafted message. They appreciate sharing a deep and broad contextual understanding in order for the core
message to be delivered and understood. That context comes in the form of words, gestures and facial expressions. Brevity is not

particularly valued, especially if it sacrifices something in the delivery.

It is important for people from direct cultures (USA, Germany, Scandinavia, etc), where context is not as highly valued and brevity is
crucial, to realize that messages might be misconstrued as rude and the information provided might be inadequate because of its
lack of context. People from direct communications cultures should take care to patiently listen for the information needed.
Furthermore, a tendency to have few gestures may make it more difficult for the message to be understood so be prepared for
questions.
Business Meetings

Meeting schedules are not highly structured in Taiwan. There may be an agenda, but it serves as a guideline for the discussion and
may act as a springboard to other related business ideas. As relationships are valued, there may be some time in the meeting
devoted to non-business discussions. Time is not considered more important than completing a meeting satisfactorily, therefore
meetings will continue until the discussion is completed and may extend well past a scheduled end time.

China Geography Map

China Geography
Located in Southeast Asia along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, China is the world's third largest country, after Russia and
Canada. With an area of 9.6 million square kilometers and a coastline of 18,000 kilometers, its shape on the map is like a rooster. It
reaches Mohe in Heilongjiang Province as its northern end, Zengmu Ansha (or James Shoal) to the south, Pamirs to the west, and
expands to the eastern border at the conjunction of the Heilongjiang (Amur) River and the Wusuli (Ussuri) River, spanning about 50
degrees of latitude and 62 degrees of longitude. China is bordered by 14 countries -- Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, India, Bhutan,
Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan, Mongolia, and Russia. Marine-side neighbors include eight
countries
-North
Korea,
Korea,
Japan,
Philippines,
Brunei,
Indonesia,
Malaysia
and
Vietnam.

Japan Country Profile, Facts, News and Original Articles

The Roof of the World, though technically a multi-country wonder, with e.g. Mount Everest actually being inNepal, is included as
a Chinese wonder as no other country has such a great claim on it.)
Make your travel dreams come true with our Tibet tours.

Chinese The World's Most Complex and Largest Language

The Chinese language (Mandarin) has the most native users in the world today (1.3+ billion), and worldwide interest in learning it
is growing.
The Chinese written language, i.e. Chinese characters, is one of the oldest (about 4,000 years old), and the only
pictographic/ideographic language in modern use, with 100,000+ characters, but only 34,000 required for functional literacy.
Characters ( hanzi) convey meaning often through symbolic units, quite unlike phonetic written languages. Profound and
elegant, they lend themselves to beautiful calligraphy and poetic phrase and idiom.

The Unification of China "Qin-a" by Emperor Qin

Who could not be enchanted by First Emperor Qin's vision of "peace through unity of a nation", as portrayed in the film Hero. Qin's
vision paved the way for what is now the largest nation in the world.
First Emperor Qin's empire (221206 BC) was short-lived, but his accomplishments were great, and his impact long-lasting. Han,
longest ruling dynasty (206 BC 220 AD) and namesake of the Chinese (majority) people, Hanzu, and language, Hanyu,
i.e. Mandarin, wouldn't have ruled over a unified China if it weren't for Qin (pronounced "chin"), whose namesake is China, and
neither would subsequent dynasties and governments.
The Greek, Roman, Muslim, Mongol, and British Empires were all bigger than Qin's, but none of them now remain bigger than
China, now or then. The pyramids are bigger than Qin's tomb, and so is the Taj Mahal, but no mausoleum has anything as
remarkable in detail and meaning as the Terracotta Army, representing Qin's army, who conquered to unite.
See the Terracotta Warriors and Qin's legacy with our Xi'an Tours.

The Great Wall of China the Original Wonder Wall

Nothing remotely like the Great Wall of China exists. It is the greatest human construction project ever, in terms of man hours and
lives expended, and it is by far the world's longest wall.
The Qin-Han Great Wall (another part of Emperor Qin's vision) ran 5,000 km from North Korea almost to Xinjiang. The linking of the
walls of the Zhao, Yan, and Qin states resulted in a longer and more northerly Great Wall than the current Ming Wall.

How Long is the Great Wall of China

Which Section of the Great Wall to Visit

Great Wall of China Facts

The Yangtze Dams a Massive Harnessing of Nature

The Yangtze Hydroelectric and Flood Control Project eclipses all comparable engineering feats. Once an annual cause of
flooding, destruction, and loss of life, the taming of the Yangtze has turned a dangerous river into a major transport artery,
electricity producer, and source of tourist revenue.
Envisioned by Sun Yat-sen in 1919, the Gezhou Dam wasn't completed until 1988, stabilizing the Yangtze for the construction of the
Three Gorges Dam upstream (virtually complete in 2012). The world's largest hydroelectric plant produces 10% of China's
electricity! The two dams allow massive cargo ships 2,400 km (1,500 miles) inland, all the way to Chongqing.
A relaxing Yangtze Cruise is the best way to see, and indeed travel up, this record-breaking colossus and see the beauty of
the Yangtze Gorges.

China's Last 35 Years of Development Simply Awesome

In 1978 Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms awoke the "Sleeping Giant", and China's phenomenal economic growth (sustained at
around 10% for 30 years) is only just seeing signs of slowing down.
During the last 35 years China's construction has increased to the point of using nearly half the world's steel and concrete
output; an unprecedented 350+ million people have become urbanized, and even more have been liberated from poverty. China's
development into the "factory of the world" has captured the largest slice of the global supply chain. See more on Developing
China.
Take a tour of Beijing and Shanghai to get an impression of China's modern marvels, and see how much this country has
changed in just a third of a century.

Chinese Culture Last, But by No Means Least

This final wonder is a broad category covering the huge cultural contribution China has brought to the world:Chinese tea, Chinese
food, architecture and landscaping, fengshui, Daoism, TCM, festivals and customs, kung fu, tai chi, Chinese opera, Chinese music,
China's culture is truly one of the world's most influential cultures and maybe the richest culture in the world.
Tailor-make a tour to discover any aspect of Chinese culture you are interested in. Just let us know what you want and we'll do
the rest.

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Japan is a fascinating country of economic and business prowess, rich culture, technical wizardry, spatial conundrums and contradictions. Japan held
onto the title of the worlds second largest economy for more than 40 years from 1968 to 2010. Tokyo, Japans capital city, is the worlds largest
metropolitan area, with a population of 32.5 million people. Despite having an area slightly bigger than Germany and smaller than California, Japan is
the worlds tenth largest country by population, with 127.3 million people.

Japan Map
(Click on the image below to view the full-size map in a separate browser tab or window.)

Japan Facts, Statistics and Information

Population: 127 million people (2010, 10th largest country in the world by population)
Total area: 145,920 sq. miles (377,930 sq. km, 61st largest country by total land area, one ahead of Germany (137,882 sq. miles) and slightly smaller
than California (163,696 sq. miles))
Capital city: Tokyo (population: 13 million (city), 32.5 million people (metro area); The Tokyo metropolitan area is roughly 50 percent larger than Seoul,
South Korea, the worlds second largest metropolitan area with a population of 20.5 million people.)
Largest Japanese cities (by population, from most to fewest people): Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Kawasaki,
Saitama, Hiroshima, Sendai, Kitakyushu, Chiba
Ethnic groups: Japanese (approx. 98.5% of population), Koreans (0.5%), Chinese (0.4%), Other (0.6%)
Language: Japanese (prominent dialects include Kansai, Osaka, Kyoto, Tohoku, other)
Climate and weather: Japans climate ranges from humid continental on the northern island of Hokkaido to humid subtropical on parts of Honshu
south to Okinawa Prefecture on the Ryukyu islands.
UNDP Human Development Index (HDI): 0.884 (2010, 11th in the world)
GDP per capita (International $, PPP): $32,554 (2009)
Life expectancy at birth: 83.2 years (worlds longest life expectancy)

Geography of Japan
Japan is an archipelago of some 6,852 islands located in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. A nearly continuous series of ocean trenches,
volcanic arcs and shifting tectonic plates, the Pacific Ring of Fire accounts for more than 75 percent of the worlds active volcanoes and 90 percent of
the worlds earthquakes.

Japans four main islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, make up 97 percent of the countrys total land area. Honshu is home to Tokyo and
many of Japans other largest cities, including Yokahama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto, Kawasaki, Saitama, Hiroshima and Sendai.

Hokkaido, the second largest Japanese island and northernmost prefecture, accounts for nearly a quarter of Japans arable land. Hokkaido leads
Japans other 46 prefectures in the production of seafood and a host of agricultural products, including soybeans (the key ingredient for tofu and all
things miso), wheat, corn, beef and raw milk. Sapporo, Hokkaidos capital and largest city, hosts the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, which regularly
draws more than 2 million visitors to the spectacular exhibition of some 400 snow and ice sculptures.

Kyushu, the third largest and most southern of Japans four main islands, is the site of Japans most active volcano, Mt. Aso, and several cities with
important historical, political and commercial significance, including Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Fukuoka.

Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami

Few are likely to ever forget the shocking images of the massive wall of Pacific Ocean water that engulfed embankments and effortlessly swept away
everything in its path in Japans Tohoku region in March, 2011. The most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan, and the worlds fifth most powerful
quake in modern history, unleashed waves that reached heights up to 40.5 meters or 133 feet in the city of Miyako. The devastation wrought by
Japans Tohoku earthquake and tsunami accounted for 57 percent of total economic damages from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in
2011.

Japans Economy, Business and Development

Japan is the worlds third largest economy, having ceded the second spot to China in 2010. Since the collapse of the property bubble in 1989, Japan
has faced extended periods of economic stagnation, deflation and relatively high unemployment, at least compared to the nearly full employment
Japanese companies managed to sustain for much of the post-WWII era. Among other issues, Japans economic performance has been constrained
by weak domestic demand and a rigid labor market that has limited risk taking and entrepreneurial activity.

Despite Japans challenging domestic economic environment, many Japanese companies have continued to perform well on the world stage. As of
2011, Japan counted 68 companies in the Fortune/CNN Money Global 500 ranking of the worlds largest corporations. Japanese companies in the top
100 of the Fortune ranking include: Toyota Motor, Hitachi, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor, Panasonic, Sony and Toshiba. Japans corporate sector has
continued to push the technology envelope in fields such as robotics, medical devices, clean energy, satellite communications and spacecraft, water
processing and other high tech industries.

Toyota became the worlds largest car company in 2009, before losing a bit of ground to unprecedented product recalls. Nintendos innovative Wii
marked a virtual revolution in the large, global market for gaming and family entertainment products.

Japanese Society, Language and Culture

Japanese society is strikingly homogenous. Ethnic Japanese account for 98.5 percent of the countrys sizeable population. While different areas of
Japan, particularly the central Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, are known for having distinctive, colorful local dialects, the whole
country essentially speaks the same language.

Traditional Japanese society and culture stress the values of harmony, consensus decision-making and social conformity. The nail that sticks out gets
hammered down is a common Japanese saying and guideline of social behavior.

Japans Aging, Shrinking Population

Japans population has been aging and shrinking at an alarming rate due to the combination of a disproportionately large elderly population, one of the
lowest fertility rates of any developed, OECD country and minimal net immigration. Japans fertility rate of roughly 1.2 children born for every Japanese
woman is well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman that is needed to maintain the existing population level. By 2050, the population
of Japan has been forecasted to contract by more than 25 percent to about 95 million people.

International Relations and Foreign Policy

Japan has deliberately elected to take a largely passive stance toward involvement in international conflicts and disputes for most of its post-WWII
history. Article 9 of The Constitution of Japan, adopted on November 3, 1946, renounces going to war or the use of force as a means of settling
international disputes. In lieu of a conventional military, Japan established the Japan Self-Defense Forces (also known as the SDF, JSDF or Jietai) as
an extension of the Japanese police force and a strictly defensive mechanism to provide for the countrys national security and assist with national
emergencies.

Japan first deployed the SDF abroad in 1991 when it dispatched minesweepers to the Persian Gulf after fighting ceased in the 1991 Gulf War. Since
Japan enacted the International Peace Cooperation Law in 1992, the Japanese government has deployed the SDF on certain overseas missions to
support the U.N.s international peacekeeping operations.

Japan largely relies on the U.S. for protection against external threats. Under the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and
the U.S., the U.S. has agreed to defend Japan if the country or any of its territories come under attack. Roughly 40,000 U.S. military personnel and

Pamir Plateau
civilians in defense roles are stationed or employed on U.S. military bases located across Japan.

The majority of U.S. military personnel in Japan are stationed on the main island of Okinawa Prefecture in Japans Ryukyu Islands, where U.S. military
bases occupy about 18 percent of the territory. Japan pays roughly $2 billion as annual host-nation support to cover the costs and defense services of
the U.S. military presence in Japan.

The vast land expanses of China include plateaus, plains, basins, foothills, and mountains. Defining rugged plateaus, foothills and
mountains as mountainous, they occupy nearly two-thirds of the land, higher in the West and lower in the East like a three-step
ladder.
The highest step of the typical 'ladder topography' is formed by the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at the average height of over 4,000
meters, with the Kunlunshan range, Qilianshan range and Hengduan mountain chain as the division between this step and the
second one. The highest peak in the world, Everest, at 8844.43 meters high is known as 'the Roof of the World'.
On the second step are large basins and plateaus, most of which are 1,000 - 2,000 meters high. The Daxing'an, Taihang, Wu and
Xuefeng Mountains divide this step and the next lower one. Plateaus including Inner Mongolian, Loess, Yungui Plateaus, and basins
such as Tarim, Junggar, and Sichuan Basins are situated here.
The third step, abundant in broad plains, is dotted with the foothills and lower mountains, with altitudes of over 500 meters. Here
are located famous plains: the Northeast, the North China, and the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plains, neighboring with each other from
north
to
south.
These
well-cultivated
and
fertile
lands
produce
abundant
crops.

Regional Divisions
Although the physical features are as described, people tend to divide China into four regions, that is, the North, South, Northwest
and the Qinghai-Tibetan areas. Because of geographical differences, residents of each region have distinctive life styles and
customs.

Fertile Plain

Picturesque Li River
The North and South regions are located in the Eastern monsoon area and are divided by the Qin Mountains-Huai River. Nearly 95
percent of the Chinese population lives here. The other two regions, the Northwest and Qinghai-Tibetan regions that occupy 55
percent
of
the
land,
have
fewer
people,
although
most
of
the
ethnic
groups
cluster
there.

Rivers and Lakes

China has numerous rivers and lakes. According to statistics, more than 50,000 rivers have drainage areas that exceed 100 square
kilometers; more than 1,500 exceed 1,000 square kilometers. These rivers can also be classified as exterior and interior rivers.
The Yangtze, the longest in China and even in Asia, is the third-longest in the world. The Yellow River, 'Mother River of the Chinese
People', is just behind the Yangtze, both flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The Yarlung Zangbo River belongs to the Indian Ocean water
system, and the Irtysh River to the Arctic Ocean. On the other side, the interior rivers drain less area than the exterior ones.

Yangtze River

Qinghai Lake

Lakes are also important. The areas with the most lakes are the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Many lakes
in the northwest are salty. Qinghai Lake, a beautiful natural salt-water lake, is the largest. In southeast China, most lakes are fresh
water. Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake , and Taihu Lake are all fresh water lakes.

These provide China with precious resources such as aquatic products, petroleum, natural gas, mines and renewable resources
including
tide
power.

Mountainous

Topography

China has large areas of mountainous land, about two-thirds of the country. The ranges mainly run from east to west and from
northeast to southwest. Among these mountains, some reach to the sky, and others are lower with charming scenery. Out of the
mountains throughout the world at the altitude of over 7,000 meters, over 50 stand in China. To the east in China, lower mountains
like Mt. Taishan, Mt. Huashan, and Mt. Emeishan, also display their unique beauty.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Yellow Mountain

In addition, they hide rich treasures including botanic, zoologic, and mineral resources.

13 Things You Might Not

Know About Japan
Published by Peter Van BurenMay 11, 2015 12:02 pm

1. Japan is likely the most homogeneous nation on earth. Close to 99% of the people are ethnically
Japanese, almost all of the remainder are Koreans born in Japan. Nearly 100% of the people speak
Japanese, with a 99% plus literacy rate. Everyone in the country has access to Japans pseudogovernmental TV and radio stations, known as NHK. Absent some private schools, every school in
Japan teaches the same centralized curriculum.
2. One reason Japan is so crowded is that 70% of the nation is mountain. Most people are crammed
into limited coastal plains, mostly along the Pacific Coast. Overall, only about 11% of the land is flat
enough to build or grow food on. The stretch running miles and miles from Yokohama, through
Kawasaki, and past Tokyo, is essentially fully occupied, and was dubbed the worlds first mega-city.

Image Source: Big Think

3. Kyoto, Japans cultural capital and the only major city not destroyed by American bombs during
World War II, has so many temples and shrines that if visited one a day, it would take you over four
years to see them all (assuming no weekends off!)

4. Japan has too many elderly people and not enough children. The average age of Japans population
is close to the retirement age, and many drug stores now sell as many adult diapersas child diapers.
Today, Japan has over 50k people 100 years or older; when the government started counting in 1963
when there were just 153 people over 100.

Image Source: The Economist

5. Japan even has more pets than children. Fewer women these days are interested in raising a family,
as most are forced to quit their jobs when pregnant. Also, apartments are small and day care in short
supply. Single mothers are shunned, and many Japanese women are reluctant to be pinned down in the
traditional marriages that still predominate in Japan.

Article Continues Below

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6. Many young Japanese women are obsessed with their weight, leading to Japan having the worlds
highest rate of anorexia. Some dont want to get pregnant, because of the weight gain.

7. Some of the most popular manga among Japanese women are those featuring Shojo boys and
Shonen girls, characters of ambiguous gender and sexuality. Often the boys are drawn to look so
feminine that it is unclear what gender is kissing what other gender. Women say they find this
depiction less threatening, and softer.

8. Japan is manga crazy. Some commentators estimate the Japanese use more paper for comicsthan
for toilet paper.

9. In part by forbidding almost all forms of firearm ownership, Japan has about only two gun-related
homicides a year. Sadly, Japan is the only country in the world that has had atomic weapons used
against it.

10. Most Japanese schools dont have janitors. Students are required to clean their schools, including
scrubbing the floors and toilets. The practice is thought to make students more responsible and
humble.

11. The Japanese love fresh fish, and exotic tuna ranks high on anyones list. In fact, the worlds most
expensive single fish, a four hundred pound blue fin tuna, was sold in Japan for $1.8 million.

12. There are vending machines in Japan that sell beer and whiskey in addition to the usual soft drinks.
In fact, Japan has more vending machines for its size than any other country on earth, currently
about 5.52 million machines nationwide. And someone apparently counts them all.

13. The number 13 is not an unlikely number in Japan. The number 4, which when pronounced sounds
like the word for death, is considered unlucky.