Economy - overview:
Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing
guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities.
In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and
industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the
primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is
substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest.
Agriculture contributes less than 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952.
Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia. China has
overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because
of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial
strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its
neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global
economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by
the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed
Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth
ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels. Output
recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global
slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans; and the
essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in 2003-04. Growing
economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor, e.g.,
exports to China of parts and equipment for the assembly of goods
for export to developed countries.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$576.2 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.7% industry: 30.9% services: 67.4% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
10.22 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
1% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)