Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 12%
other: 79%
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
natural hazards: occasional typhoons
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: more than 200 islands
People ———
Population: 6,305,413 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 609,493; female 593,687)
15-64 years: 70% (male 2,312,141; female 2,094,156)
65 years and over: 11% (male 307,186; female 388,750) (July 1996
est.)
Population growth rate: 1.77% (1996 est.)