Taiwan

GDP
19
th
in the world in terms of purchasing power parity
18
th
in the world in terms of gross domestic product
40% of Taiwans GDP was based on agriculture after WW2 but now only 3%
Unemployment level dropped and economy fell 8.36% after downturn in 2009 (GFC)
$5.6 billion stimulus package put in to pull Taiwan out of recession, average salary had risen while
unemployment dropped significantly
Quality of Life
Taiwan 25
th
on HDI ladder (0.890 value)
Life expectancy: males 76, woman 82 (39
th
highest, life expectancy from birth)
Literacy rate: 99.6% for males, 96.8% for females, total: 98.2%
Unemployment
4.18% of the labor force, now down to 4.12%
Due to GFC, Taiwan unemployment rate fallen to a 2year low of 4.73% and continue to a 40 month low
of 4.18% by the end of 2011
Gini index(lower to 0, the more equal), Taiwan has 30.42%, same as Australia (30.5) and Canada (32.1)
Taiwans monthly wage rising.
Environmental Sustainability
Green house gas emissions rose from 130,000 kilotons of CO2 in 1990 to 265,000 of CO2 in 2008 (106%
increase)
Temperature rise in Taiwan as high as 1.43 degrees in the last century, over twice the global average,
about 0.6 degrees.
Climate change: a rise in the sea level, shortage of water resources, effects on primary industries, public
health and ecosystems. Frequency of natural disaster also increase
Gov. wants to reducing Taiwan's greenhouse gas emissions by 50% of greenhouse gas levels in the year
2000 by the year 2050.
Health care etc.
Health expenditures cost 5.8% of Taiwan's gross domestic product, 65% of this is from public funds.
Law only requires students to have 9 years of schooling, 95% of students progress to high school, trade
school or college. Engineering account for 30% of the countrys students, 16% of Taiwans central
budget dedicated to education in 2001.
Social welfare: 22.6% of the governments budget in 2013, the largest share of expenses, and
expenditures expected to rose 3.6 billion dollars next year.