Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
Digraph: TW
Type: multiparty democratic regime; opposition political parties legalized in March, 1989
Capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: some of the ruling party in Taipei claim to be the government of all China; in keeping with that claim, the central administrative divisions include 2 provinces (sheng, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural) - Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu), Kao-hsiung*, T'ai-pei*, and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the
Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, presently undergoing
revision
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President LI Teng-hui (since 13 January 1988); Vice
President LI Yuan-zu (since 20 May 1990)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIEN
Chan (since 23 February 1993); Vice Premier (Vice President of the
Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February 1993); presidential
election last held 21 March 1990 (next election will probably be a
direct popular election and will be held NA March 1996); results -
President LI Teng-hui was reelected by the National Assembly; vice
presidential election last held 21 March 1990; results - LI Yuan-zu
was elected by the National Assembly
cabinet: Executive Yuan; appointed by the president