History of Taiwan in Timeline

Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia situated between the East and South China Seas. It is located northwest of the Philippines, northeast of Japan, and southeast of mainland China. Its main island, also called Formosa, features mountainous terrain in the east and plains in the west where most of the urbanized population resides. The ROC controls a total of 168 islands. Taiwan's largest metropolitan area includes Taipei, New Taipei City, and Keelung. With a population of approximately 23.9 million, Taiwan is one of the world's most densely populated countries.

1902: End of bandit-rebel killings

Around 12,000 "bandit-rebels" were killed from 1898 to 1902.

1905: Tongmenghui and Chunghwa Minkuo

In 1905, the party manifesto of the Tongmenghui stated the goals of the Chinese revolution and Sun Yat-sen proposed the name Chunghwa Minkuo.

1907: Beipu uprising

In 1907, the Beipu uprising against Japanese rule occurred.

1911: Xinhai Revolution

The Xinhai Revolution occurred in 1911.

January 1912: Republic of China founded

On January 1, 1912, the Republic of China was founded on mainland China following the Xinhai Revolution of 1911.

1912: Republic of China founded

In 1912, the Republic of China overthrew the Qing Dynasty under the leadership of Sun Yat-sen.

1912: ROC establishment and name usage

Shortly after the ROC's establishment in January 1912, the government used the short form "China" to refer to itself.

1912: Start of Minguo Era

The year 1912 marks the start of the Minguo era system, used to denote the year, coinciding with the founding of the ROC.

1915: Tapani incident

In 1915, the Tapani incident occurred as a rebellion against Japanese rule.

1915: Warlordism period begins

In 1915, the warlordism period began.

1924: Establishment of the National Revolutionary Army

In 1924, Sun Yat-sen established the National Revolutionary Army in Guangdong to reunify China under the Kuomintang.

1927: Nanjing decade begins

In 1927, the Nanjing decade began.

1928: Diplomatic recognition of the Republic of China after the defeat of the Peiyang Government

In 1928, widespread diplomatic recognition of the Republic of China occurred after the Kuomintang (KMT) defeated the Peiyang Government.

1929: Standardization of Gregorian Calendar

Prior to standardization in 1929, the Chinese calendar was officially used.

1930: Musha Incident

In 1930, Japanese authorities engaged in bloody campaigns against the Indigenous people residing in mountainous regions, culminating in the Musha Incident.

1935: Japanese assimilation project

Around 1935, the Japanese began an island-wide assimilation project.

1937: Japanese invasion

In 1937, the Japanese invasion began.

1938: Japanese population in Taiwan

By 1938, 309,000 Japanese were residing in Taiwan.

1939: Taiwan as seventh-greatest sugar producer

By 1939, Taiwan was the seventh-greatest sugar producer in the world.

1940: Families required to adopt Japanese surnames

Starting from 1940, families were also required to adopt Japanese surnames.

1943: Only 2% of families adopt Japanese surnames

By 1943, only 2% of families had adopted Japanese surnames.

1943: Cairo Declaration specifies Formosa and the Pescadores be returned to ROC

During World War II, the 1943 Cairo Declaration specified that Formosa and the Pescadores be returned by Japan to the ROC.

October 1944: Formosa Air Battle

In October 1944, the Formosa Air Battle was fought between American carriers and Japanese forces in Taiwan.

October 1945: Japan surrendered Taiwan to the ROC

On 25 October 1945, Japan surrendered Taiwan to the ROC.

1945: Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation occurred during 1945–1949.

1945: Signing of the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance

In 1945, the ROC signed the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance.

1946: ROC recognized Mongolia as independent

In 1946, the ROC recognized Mongolia as an independent country after signing the 1945 Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance.

February 1947: February 28 incident

On 28 February 1947, the shooting of a civilian triggered island-wide unrest, which was suppressed with military force in what is now called the February 28 incident.

1947: ROC's territorial division as per 1947 constitution

According to the 1947 constitution, the territory of the ROC is based on its "existing national boundaries" and is divided into provinces, special municipalities, and the province-level Tibet Area.

1947: Reformation into the Republic of China Armed Forces

In 1947, the Constitution of the ROC reformed the National Revolutionary Army into the Republic of China Armed Forces.

1947: 1947 Constitution

In 1947, the ROC Constitution did not explicitly prescribe national boundaries, and included articles regarding representatives from former Qing dynasty territories including Tibet and Mongol banners.

1947: Constitution of the ROC founded

The government of the Republic of China was founded on the 1947 Constitution of the ROC.

May 1949: Martial law declared

In May 1949, martial law was declared on Taiwan.

December 1949: Nationalist government evacuated to Taiwan

On 7 December 1949, Chiang Kai-Shek evacuated his Nationalist government to Taiwan and made Taipei the temporary capital of the ROC.

1949: ROC retained control of Taiwan and Penghu

After losing control of mainland China in 1949, the ROC retained control of Taiwan and Penghu.

1949: Mission to "retake mainland China"

From 1949 to the 1970s, the primary mission of the Taiwanese military was to "retake mainland China" through Project National Glory.

1949: Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation occurred during 1945–1949.

1949: Retreat to Taiwan and reneging on Mongolia recognition

In 1949, after retreating to Taiwan, the ROC reneged on its recognition of Mongolia to preserve its claim over mainland China.

1949: PRC claim as successor state

In 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) claims that it became the successor state of the ROC, thence being the sole legal government of China.

1949: ROC government moved to Taiwan

In 1949, with the loss of mainland China to the Communists in the Chinese Civil War, the government of the Republic of China moved to Taiwan under the Kuomintang (KMT).

1950: Communists captured Hainan

In 1950, the Communists captured Hainan.

1950: UK recognized the PRC in 1950

In 1950, the United Kingdom recognized the People's Republic of China.

1951: Agriculture's GDP share

In 1951, agriculture constituted 32 percent of GDP in Taiwan.

1951: US Foreign Aid to KMT Regime

In 1951, the United States began granting substantial foreign aid to the KMT regime, lasting until 1965.

1952: US Foreign Aid Stabilizes Prices

By 1952, US foreign aid had stabilized prices in Taiwan. Agricultural production also increased at an average annual rate of 4 percent from 1952 to 1959 due to land reform and agricultural development programs.

1954: Mutual defense treaty with the US

From 1954, the United States had a mutual defense treaty with the ROC.

1954: Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty signed

In 1954, the ROC and the United States signed the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty and established the United States Taiwan Defense Command.

1955: Communists captured Dachen Islands and Yijiangshan Islands

In 1955, the Communists captured the Dachen Islands and Yijiangshan Islands during the First Taiwan Strait Crisis.

1955: Formosa Resolution of 1955

In 1955, the United States passed the Formosa Resolution, granting substantial foreign aid to the KMT regime.

1958: Second Taiwan Strait Crisis

During the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1958, Nike Hercules missiles were added to missile batteries throughout Taiwan.

1958: Defeat of ROC revolts in Northwest China

In 1958, ROC revolts in Northwest China were defeated.

1959: Agricultural Production Increase

From 1952 to 1959, agricultural production in Taiwan increased at an average annual rate of 4 percent due to land reform and agricultural development programs.

1961: Defeat of ROC forces in Burma and Thailand

In 1961, ROC forces entered Burma and Thailand in the 1950s and were defeated by Communists.

1962: Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards Founded

Taiwan has hosted the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards since 1962.

1965: End of US Foreign Aid to KMT Regime

In 1965, the United States' substantial foreign aid to the KMT regime came to an end; the aid program began in 1951.

October 1971: UN Resolution 2758

On 25 October 1971, UN Resolution 2758 was adopted, recognizing the PRC as China's sole representative in the United Nations.

1971: UN recognizes the PRC

In 1971, the ROC no longer represented China as a member of the United Nations after UN members voted to recognize the PRC instead.

1971: Expulsion from the United Nations

In 1971, the ROC was expelled from the United Nations by Resolution 2758 and replaced with the PRC.

1972: Chiang Ching-kuo as premier

In 1972, Chiang Ching-kuo became the premier of Taiwan.

1978: Chiang Ching-kuo becomes president

In 1978, Chiang Ching-kuo rose to the presidency of Taiwan.

1978: Overseas investments

In 1978, the combination of tax incentives and a cheap, well-trained labor force in Taiwan attracted investments of over $1.9 billion from overseas Chinese, the United States, and Japan.

1979: Kaohsiung Incident

In 1979, the Kaohsiung Incident occurred in Kaohsiung on Human Rights Day, uniting Taiwan's opposition.

1979: Nagoya Resolution

In 1979, the Nagoya Resolution approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provided a compromise for the ROC to use the name "Chinese Taipei" in international events.

1979: US establishes relations with PRC

In 1979, the United States established diplomatic relations with the PRC, leading to the withdrawal of approximately 30,000 US troops stationed in Taiwan.

1979: End of the mutual defense treaty with the US

In 1979, the mutual defense treaty between the United States and the ROC ended.

1980: Foreign trade reaches $39 billion

By 1980, foreign trade in Taiwan reached $39 billion per year and generated a surplus of $46.5 million.

1984: Lee Teng-hui selected as vice-president

In 1984, Chiang Ching-kuo selected Lee Teng-hui as his vice-president.

1986: Democratic Progressive Party founded

In 1986, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was founded as the first opposition party in Taiwan to counter the KMT.

1986: Participation in the Asian Development Bank

Since China's ascension in 1986, the ROC has participated in the Asian Development Bank under the name "Taipei, China".

February 1987: TSMC Founded

On February 21, 1987, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was founded, becoming a key player in Taiwan's semiconductor industry.

July 1987: Lifting of martial law

On 15 July 1987, Chiang Ching-kuo lifted martial law on the main island of Taiwan.

1987: Martial law lifted

Martial law, declared on Taiwan in May 1949, continued to be in effect until 1987.

1987: End of martial law

Political reforms beginning in the late 1970s resulted in the end of martial law in Taiwan in 1987.

1988: Lee Teng-hui becomes president

In 1988, after Chiang Ching-kuo's death, Lee Teng-hui became the first president of the ROC born in Taiwan.

1989: Chinese Professional Baseball League Founded

In 1989, professional baseball in Taiwan started with the founding of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).

April 1991: Repeal of the Temporary Provisions against the Communist Rebellion

On 30 April 1991, President Lee Teng-hui announced the repeal of the Temporary Provisions against the Communist Rebellion.

1991: Establishment of MAC, TAO, SEF, and ARATS

In 1991, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) of Taiwan and the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) of the PRC were established. Also in 1991, private organizations were created to facilitate exchanges: the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) of Taiwan and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) of the PRC.

1991: ROC acknowledges PRC control over mainland China

In 1991, the ROC ceased to regard the Chinese Communist Party as a rebellious group and acknowledged its control over mainland China.

1991: Cumulative investment in China begins

Since 1991, cumulative investment in China from Taiwan has been significant.

1991: Participation in APEC

Since 1991, the ROC participates in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) under the name "Chinese Taipei".

1991: Membership in UNPO

Since the foundation of the organization in 1991, the Republic of China has been a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) under the name "Taiwan".

November 1992: ARATS and SEF meeting

In November 1992, the ARATS and SEF held a meeting which would later become known as the 1992 Consensus.

1992: Taiwanese identification in 1992

In 1992, a survey indicated that 17.6 percent of respondents identified as Taiwanese, 25.5 percent as Chinese, and 46.4 percent as both.

1993: Constitutional Court declined to define national boundaries

In 1993, the Constitutional Court declined to define national boundaries, viewing the question as a political matter for the Executive and Legislative Yuans to resolve.

1993: ROC petitions the UN for entry

Since 1993, the ROC has petitioned the UN for entry, but its applications have not made it past committee stage.

1993: Constitutional Court established

The Constitutional Court in Taiwan was established in 1993 to resolve constitutional disputes, regulate the activities of political parties and accelerate the democratization process.

1994: Rise of pro-independence sentiment

Since 1994, pro-independence sentiment has steadily risen among the Taiwanese population.

1995: National Health Insurance Instituted

In 1995, Taiwan instituted the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, a single-payer compulsory social insurance plan designed to centralize healthcare funding and provide equal access to healthcare for all citizens.

1996: University acceptance rate

In 1996 the university acceptance rate has increased to 49 percent.

1996: Lee re-elected in first direct election

In 1996, Lee Teng-hui was re-elected in Taiwan's first direct presidential election.

1996: Democratically elected presidents begin

In 1996, Taiwan transitioned to a multi-party democracy with democratically elected presidents.

1996: Joint declaration on security between US and Japan signed

In 1996, the joint declaration on security between the US and Japan was signed, potentially involving Japan in the defense of Taiwan, though Japan has not confirmed this.

1997: Force reduction plans begin

In 1997, the ROC began a series of force reduction plans to scale down its military from 450,000.

1997: ROC government shifted focus to organizations affiliated with the UN

In 1997, the ROC government shifted its focus to organizations affiliated with the UN, as well as organizations outside the UN system.

September 1999: "921 earthquake"

On 21 September 1999, a 7.3 quake known as the "921 earthquake" killed more than 2,400 people.

1999: Defense spending falls below 3% of GDP

In 1999, Taiwan's defense spending as a percentage of its GDP fell below three percent and had been trending downwards over the first two decades of the twenty-first century.

2000: Chen Shui-bian elected president

In 2000, Chen Shui-bian of the DPP was elected as the first non-KMT president of Taiwan.

2001: Military scaled down

By 2001, ROC's force reduction plans scaled down its military to 380,000.

2001: Agriculture's GDP share

Since 2001, agriculture has constituted less than 2 percent of GDP in Taiwan.

February 2002: Acceptance of Mongolian passport

In February 2002, the ROC began to accept the Mongolian passport and removed clauses referring to Outer Mongolia from the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

2002: Chen's reference to "One Country on Each Side"

In 2002, Chen Shui-bian's reference to "One Country on Each Side" of the Taiwan Strait undercut cross-Strait relations.

2002: China becomes Taiwan's largest export market

In 2002, China surpassed the United States to become Taiwan's largest export market for the first time.

2002: NHI Payment System Changed to Global Budget

In 2002, the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan transitioned its payment system from a fee-for-service model to a global budget system to contain costs and address the issue of healthcare providers offering unnecessary services.

2002: Participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Since 2002, the ROC participates in the World Trade Organization (WTO) under the name "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu".

March 2003: SARS Outbreak

In March 2003, Taiwan experienced a SARS outbreak with 347 confirmed cases. The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local governments established monitoring stations in public areas.

July 2003: SARS Contained

In July 2003, Taiwan achieved full containment of SARS, and there have been no cases of SARS reported since then.

2003: De facto major non-NATO ally

Since at least 2003, the United States has de facto treated Taiwan as a major non-NATO ally.

2004: 99 Percent Population Coverage by National Health Insurance

By the end of 2004, the National Health Insurance (NHI) system had achieved 99 percent population coverage in Taiwan, promising equal healthcare access to all citizens.

2004: Taiwanese Olympians Win Gold Medals

In 2004, Taekwondo athletes Chen Shih-hsin and Chu Mu-yen became the first two Taiwanese Olympians to win gold medals at the Olympics.

2004: National Health Command Center Established

In 2004, following the SARS outbreak, Taiwan established the National Health Command Center, including the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), to improve epidemic response.

January 2005: Writing direction in official documents changed

On 1 January 2005, the Executive Yuan changed its long-standing convention on the direction of writing in official documents from vertical to horizontal.

2005: Carbon emissions baseline

Compared to 2005 levels, the goal of the Taiwanese government is to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent in 2030 and by 50 percent in 2050.

2005: Abolishment of National Assembly

In 2005, the National Assembly was abolished in Taiwan, with the power of constitutional amendments handed over to the Legislative Yuan.

2005: Largest religious groups reported

In 2005, the census reported that the five largest religious groups were Buddhism, Taoism, Yiguandao, Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism.

2005: ROC government adds "Taiwan" to its official name

In 2005, to avoid confusion, the ROC government in Taiwan began to put "Taiwan" next to its official name.

September 2007: DPP resolution asserting separate identity from China

In September 2007, the ruling DPP approved a resolution asserting separate identity from China and called for the enactment of a new constitution for a "normal country" while also calling for general use of "Taiwan" as the country's name.

2008: Referendums on joining the UN

In 2008, referendums in Taiwan asked whether Taiwan should join the UN, alienating moderate constituents and creating tension with the mainland and disagreements with the United States.

2008: Ma Ying-jeou wins presidential election

In 2008, the KMT's nominee Ma Ying-jeou won the presidential election in Taiwan on a platform of increased economic growth and better ties with the PRC.

2008: University acceptance rate

Since 2008, the university acceptance rate has increased to over 95 percent.

July 2009: Survey by Global Views Survey Research Center

In July 2009, a survey by Global Views Survey Research Center found that 82.8 percent of respondents considered the ROC and the PRC two separate countries, but 80.2 percent believed they were members of the Chinese.

2009: Participation in the World Health Organization (WHO)

In 2009, Taiwan participated in the World Health Organization (WHO) as an observer under the name "Chinese Taipei" after reaching an agreement with Beijing.

2009: World Games Hosted in Kaohsiung

Taiwan hosted the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung.

2011: Yani Tseng Ranked Number 1 in Women's World Golf Rankings

From 2011 to 2013, Yani Tseng was ranked number 1 in the Women's World Golf Rankings for 109 consecutive weeks.

2012: Clarification on Outer Mongolia's status

In 2012, the Mainland Affairs Council issued a statement clarifying that Outer Mongolia was not part of the ROC's national territory in 1947.

2013: Yani Tseng Ranked Number 1 in Women's World Golf Rankings

From 2011 to 2013, Yani Tseng was ranked number 1 in the Women's World Golf Rankings for 109 consecutive weeks.

2014: Taiwanese Night Markets Ranked Best in the World

In 2014, The Guardian called Taiwanese night markets the "best street food markets in the world".

2014: Sunflower Student Movement

In 2014, university students occupied the Legislative Yuan and prevented the ratification of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement in what became known as the Sunflower Student Movement.

2015: PISA scores

In 2015, Taiwanese students achieved one of the world's best results in mathematics, science and literacy, as tested by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

2015: Made in China 2025 was announced

Since Made in China 2025 was announced in 2015, aggressive campaigns to recruit Taiwanese chip industry talent to support its mandates.

2016: Carbon emissions increase

Between 2005 and 2016, carbon emissions in Taiwan increased by 0.92 percent.

2016: Tsai administration's New Southbound Policy

Since 2016, under the Tsai administration's New Southbound Policy, Taiwan has pursued closer economic relations with South and Southeast Asian countries.

2016: DPP victories in elections

The Sunflower Student Movement is viewed to have contributed to the DPP's victories in the 2016 presidential and legislative elections.

May 2017: Constitutional Court rules on same-sex marriage

On May 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled that then-current marriage laws had been violating the Constitution by denying same-sex couples the right to marry, mandating legislative amendments within two years.

2017: Exclusion from the WHO

In 2017, Taiwan again came to be excluded from the WHO even in an observer capacity.

2017: Abolishment of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission

In 2017, the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission in the Executive Yuan was abolished.

2017: Summer Universiade Hosted in Taipei

Taiwan hosted the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei.

2018: Hong Kong Residents Moving to Taiwan

In 2018, Taiwan had 4,000 Hong Kong immigrants.

2018: Referendum shows opposition to same-sex marriage

In 2018, a referendum indicated voter opposition to same-sex marriage and support for removing content about homosexuality from primary school textbooks.

2018: Referendum on Taiwan's athletes competing under "Taiwan"

In 2018, a referendum question asking if Taiwan's athletes should compete under "Taiwan" in the 2020 Summer Olympics did not pass, possibly due to concerns about potential repercussions from China.

2018: Michelin Guide Reviews Restaurants in Taiwan

In 2018, the Michelin Guide began reviewing restaurants in Taiwan.

2018: Freedom of Thought Report ranking

Taiwan earned a joint #1 ranking in the 2018 Freedom of Thought Report due to its lack of state-sanctioned discrimination and generally high regard for freedom of religion or belief.

March 2019: Scooter registrations in Taiwan

In March 2019, 13.86 million scooters were registered in Taiwan, twice the number of cars.

May 2019: Taiwan legalizes same-sex marriage

On May 2019, Taiwan's parliament approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, making it the first country in Asia to do so, despite earlier referendum results.

2019: Religious buildings

As of 2019, there were 15,175 religious buildings in Taiwan, approximately one place of worship per 1,572 residents.

2019: Hong Kong Residents Moving to Taiwan

From 2019 to 2022, 36,789 Hong Kong residents moved to Taiwan.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score

In 2019, Taiwan had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.38/10, ranking it 76th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Infant Mortality Rate

In 2019, Taiwan's infant mortality rate was 4.2 deaths per 1,000 live births.

2019: DPP rejection of the 1992 Consensus

Since early 2019, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan has rejected the 1992 Consensus.

2019: Examination Yuan downsized

The Examination Yuan in Taiwan was downsized in 2019, and there have been calls for its abolition.

2020: Literacy rate

As of 2020, the literacy rate in Taiwan was 99.03 percent.

2020: Life Expectancy at Birth

In 2020, life expectancy at birth in Taiwan was 77.5 years for males and 83.9 years for females.

2020: Mention of 2020 Summer Olympics

The 2018 referendum was in regards to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

June 2021: Taiwanese identification in June 2021

In June 2021, a survey showed that 63.3 percent of respondents identified as Taiwanese, 2.6 percent as Chinese, and 31.4 percent as both.

June 2021: Public opinion on the status quo

In June 2021, an annual poll indicated that most people preferred maintaining the status quo, with varying degrees of support for postponing a decision, maintaining the status quo indefinitely, or moving towards independence or unification.

December 2021: TSMC's market capitalization

As of December 2021, TSMC's market capitalization equated to roughly 90% of Taiwan's GDP.

2021: Armed forces strength capped at 215,000

As of 2021, the total strength of the ROC Armed Forces is capped at 215,000 with 90 percent manning ratio for volunteer military.

2021: Port of Kaohsiung cargo volume

In 2021, the Port of Kaohsiung handled the largest volume of cargo in Taiwan, with about 440 million shipping tonnes, which accounted for 58.6% of Taiwan's total throughput.

October 2022: ROC recognized Mongolia as independent

In October 2022, the ROC recognized Mongolia as independent and began excluding it from its official maps.

2022: Military reservists numbered

As of 2022, the military's reservists is around 2.5 million including first-wave reservists numbered at 300,000.

2022: Cumulative investment in China

From 1991 to 2022 exceeded US$200 billion.

2022: Democracy Index Ranking and Hong Kong Residents Moving to Taiwan

In 2022, Taiwan was ranked as having the second-highest democracy score in Asia and Australasia by the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index. Also, from 2019 to 2022, 36,789 Hong Kong residents moved to Taiwan.

2022: Men's Baseball Team Wins Medals Across All Levels

In 2022, Taiwan's men's baseball team won medals across all levels of baseball, including the U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23, and Baseball5 competitions.

2023: Religious composition of Taiwan

According to Pew Research, the religious composition of Taiwan in 2023 was 28 percent Buddhist, 24% Taoist, 7% Christian, 5% combination of religions, 4% local/indigenous, 27% no religion, and 4% others.

January 2024: William Lai Ching-te wins presidential elections

In January 2024, William Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party won Taiwan's presidential elections.

2024: Year 113 Minguo

2024 is year 113 Minguo (民國113年).

2024: Defense spending proposal

In 2024, Taiwan proposed 2.45 percent of projected GDP in defense spending for the following year.

December 2025: Population estimates

The figures below are the December 2025 estimates for the ten most populous administrative divisions; a different ranking exists when considering the total metropolitan area populations.