Taiwan (Republic of China)
 

25 Aug 1642 - 1 Feb 1662	1872 - 25 May 1895	25 May 1895 - 21 Oct 1895	2 Jun 1895 - 25 Oct 1945
Adopted 25 Oct 1945

Map of Taiwan Hear National Anthem "San Min Chu-i" (Three Principles of the People) Text of National Anthem Adopted 3 Jun 1937 Constitution (25 Dec 1947) Capital: Taipei¹ (Taihoku 1895-1945; Chengnei 1875-1885) Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (TWD) National Holiday: 10 Oct  (1911) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution) -------------------------------------- Local Holiday: 25 Oct (1945)  Taiwan Retrocession Day Population: 22,920,946 (2008) GDP: $738.8 billion (2008) Exports: $255 billion (2008) Imports: $236 billion (2008) Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous tribal peoples 2% (of which Ami 0.6%) (2003) Total Armed Forces: 290,000 (2006) Merchant marine: 102 ships (2008) Religions: Buddhist 23.8%, Taoist 19.7%, I-kuan Tao  (syncretistic religion) 3.7%, Christian 4.5% (of which Protestant 2.6%, Roman Catholic 1.3%), Muslim 0.6%, other  (mostly Chinese folk religionist or nonreligious) 47.7% (2002) International Organizations/Treaties: APEC, ADB, BCIE (nonregional), BTWC (de facto)², CAP (observer), EBRD (special observer), IADB (observer), ICC, IOC, ITUC, NPT (de facto)², NTBT (de facto)², OECD (observer), SICA (observer), UNPO, WTO Taiwan Index Chronology 1544                       The island is sighted and named Ilha Formosa                               (Beautiful Island) by the Portuguese. 26 Aug 1624                Tainan (southern Formosa) a Dutch colony                               named Tayowan.   7 May 1626                Chlung, Tanshui (San Salvador), and Ilan                              (northwestern coast of Taiwan) a Spanish colony                              named Isla Hermosa (subordinated the Philippines) 25 Aug 1642                Taiwan a Dutch colony, Spanish driven out.  1 Feb 1662                Independent kingdom loyal to deposed Ming Dynasty,                              island named Tungtu/Dongdu ('Eastern Capital'),                              kingdom called Kingdom of Tungning (sometimes                              called Kingdom of Zheng). 1664                       Renamed Tong-ning. 27 Sep 1683                Occupied by Chinese Empire. 27 May 1684                Annexed by Chinese Empire as part of Fujian                               province (named Taiwan). 26 May 1721 - 30 Jul 1721  Controlled by forces in rebellion against the                              Ch'ing (Qing) Empire. Dec 1786 - 10 Feb 1788     Controlled by forces in rebellion against the                              Ch'ing Empire.  1 Oct 1884 - Jul 1885     French occupation of Keelung (from 29 Mar 1885                               the Pescadores too). Dec 1885                   Taiwan a separate province.  8 May 1895                Treaty of Shimonoseki, handing Taiwan over to                               Japan, in force. 25 May 1895                Republic of Taiwan inaugurated, nien-hao (era                               name): Yung-ch'ing, in resistance to the                               hand-over.  2 Jun 1895                Hand over of Taiwan to Japan formally executed,                              while resistance continues, especially in                               Tainan city. 21 Oct 1895                Republic of Taiwan extinguished by Japan. 25 Oct 1945                Taiwan is returned to the Republic of China.  8 Dec 1949                Taiwan becomes the seat of the Republic of China                               (which controls only the island, the Pescadores,                              and Quemoy [Kinmen] and Matsu islands of Fujian                              province and Pratas islands of Guangdong prov.);                               gradually loses international recognition³ (for                              Republic of China before 1949, see under China). Apr 1950                   Taiwan withdraws from the Wanshan and Zhoushan                              Islands. 25 Feb 1955                Tawian withdraws from the Tachen Islands. 15 Nov 1971                Republic of China expelled from the United Nations                              and replaced by the People's Republic of China.  1 Jan 1979                U.S. ends formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Republic of China (since 1949) Formosa (1626-1642) Tayowan (1624-1662) Taiwan (1662-1949) Taiwan Province (since 1949) Taipei  city   Kaohsiung city

Formosa/Isla Hermosa

Governors
 7 May 1626 - 1629         Antonio Carreño de Valdés
1629 - 1632                Juan de Alcarazo
1632 - 1634                Bartolomé Díaz Barrera
1634 - 1635                Alonso García Romero
1635 - 1637                Francisco Hernández
1637 - 1639                Pedro Palomino
1639 - 1640                Cristóbal Márquez
1640 - 25 Aug 1642         Gonzalo Portillo

Tayowan

Governors (of the Dutch East India Co.)
25 Aug 1624 - Aug 1625     Maarten Sonck                     (b. c.1590 - d. 1625)
1625 - 1627                Gerard Frederikszoon de With 
1627 - 1629                Pieter Nuyts (Nuijts)             (b. 1598 - d. 1655)
1629 - 1636                Hans Putmans                      (d. 1656)  
1636 - 11 Mar 1640         Johan van der Burg                (d. 1640)
1640 - 1643                Paulus Traudenius                 (d. 1643)
1643 - 1644                Maximiliaan le Maire              (b. 1606 - d. 1654?)
1644 - 1646                François Caron                    (b. 1600 - d. 1673)
1646 - 1649                Pieter Anthoniszoon Overtwater    (b. c.1610 - d. 1682)
1649 - 24 May 1653         Nicolas Verburg  
24 May 1653 - 30 Jun 1656  Cornelis Caesar                   (b. c.1610 - d. 1657)
30 Jun 1656 -  1 Feb 1662  Frederik Coyett                   (b. 1620 - d. 1689)
1662                       Hermanus Klenck van Odessa
                             (did not take office)

Taiwan

Kings
 1 Feb 1662 - 23 Jun 1662  Cheng Ch'eng-kung "Koxinga"       (b. 1624 - d. 1662)
                            (Zheng Chenggong)
                            (from Apr 1662, king) 
1662                       Cheng Shih-hsi (Zheng Shixi)
1662 - Feb 1681            Cheng Ching (Zheng Jing)          (b. 1642 - d. 1681)
1681                       Cheng K'o-tsang (acting)          (d. 1681)
                            (Zheng Kezang)
1681 - 22 Sep 1683         Cheng K'o-shuang (Zheng Keshuang) (b. 1669 - d. 1707)
1682 - 1683                Feng Hsi-fan -Regent
                            (Feng Xifan)
Emperor
26 May 1721 - 30 Jul 1721  Chu Yi-gwe
                            (in rebellion, rules almost exclusively on Taiwan)
                             nianhao 26 May 1721 - 30 Jul 1721: Yonghe
Provincial Censors and Administrators
1722                       Wudali
1722 - 1723                Huang Shujing
1723 - 1724                Shan Jibu                          (b. c.1677 - d. c.1753)
1724 - 1725                Jing Kaoxiang
1725                       Wang Jijing
1725 - 1726                Suolin
1726 - 1727                Yin Qin
1727                       Hesuse
1727 - 1729                Xia Zhifang
1729                       Xideshen
1729                       Li Yuanshi
1729 - 1731                Gao Shan
1731 - 1732                Jueluobiaiyou
1732 - 1733                Lin Tianmu
1733 - 1734                Durtai
1734 - 1735                Yan Ruihong
1735 - 1736                Bai Qitu
1736 - 1737                Shan Tepu
1737 - 1738                Romubu
1738 - 1739                Yang Erchou
1739 - 1740                Shuge
1740 - 1741                Zhang Mei
1741 - 1742                Shu Shan
1742 - 1743                Xiong Xuepeng
1743 - 1744                Liu Shiqi
1744 - 1745                Fan Xian
1745 - 1788                ....
Dec 1786 - 10 Feb 1788     Lin Tsuang-wen -Emperor
                            (in rebellion, rules almost exclusively on Taiwan)
                             nianhao Dec 1786 - 10 Feb 1788: Shuntian
1788 - 1885                Circuit administration
French Military Governor in Keelung
 1 Oct 1884 - Jun 1885     André-Amédée-Anatole-Prosper       (b. 1827 - d. 1885)
                             Courbet 
Governors
12 Oct 1885 -  4 Jun 1891  Liu Mingchuan                      (b. 1836 - d. 1896)
 4 Jun 1891 - 25 Nov 1891  Chen Yingkui (acting)
25 Nov 1891 - 13 Oct 1894  Shao Youlian                       (b. 1840 - d. 1901)
13 Oct 1894 - 25 May 1895  T'ang Ching-sung (acting)          (b. 1841 - d. 1903)
Presidents
25 May 1895 -  4 Jun 1895  T'ang Ching-sung                   (s.a.)
 5 Jun 1895 - 21 Oct 1895  Liu Yung-fu                        (b. 1837 - d. 1917)
Governors-general
29 May 1895 -  2 Jun 1896  Count Motonori Kabayama            (b. 1837 - d. 1922) 
                             (to 17 Jun 1895, military governor)
 2 Jun 1896 - 14 Oct 1896  Viscount Taro Katsura              (b. 1848 - d. 1913)
                             (from 1907, Count Taro Katsura)
14 Oct 1896 - 26 Feb 1898  Baron Maresuke Nogi                (b. 1849 - d. 1912)
26 Feb 1898 - 11 Apr 1906  Baron Gentaro Kodama               (b. 1852 - d. 1906)
11 Apr 1906 -  1 May 1915  Viscount Samata Sakuma             (b. 1844 - d. 1915)
                             (from 1907, Count Samata Sakuma)
 1 May 1915 -  6 Jun 1918  Baron Sadayoshi Ando               (b. 1853 - d. 1932)
 6 Jun 1918 - 24 Oct 1919  Motojiro Akashi                    (b. 1864 - d. 1919)
24 Oct 1919 - 29 Oct 1919  Hiroshi Shimomura (acting)         (b. 1875 - d. 1957)
29 Oct 1919 -  2 Sep 1923  Kenjiro Den                        (b. 1853 - d. 1930)
 2 Sep 1923 -  6 Sep 1923  Sagataro Kaku (acting)
 6 Sep 1923 -  1 Sep 1924  Kakichi Uchida                     (b. 1866 - d. 1933)
 1 Sep 1924 - 16 Jul 1926  Takio Izawa                        (b. 1869 - d. 1949)
16 Jul 1926 - 16 Jun 1928  Mitsunoshin Ueyama                 (b. 1870 - d. 1938)
16 Jun 1928 - 30 Jul 1929  Takeji Kawamura                    (b. 1871 - d. 1955)
30 Jul 1929 - 16 Jan 1931  Eizo Ishizuka                      (b. 1866 - d. 1942)
16 Jan 1931 -  2 Mar 1932  Masahiro Ota                       (b. 1870 - d. 1951)
 2 Mar 1932 - 26 May 1932  Hiroshi Minami                     (b. 1869 - d. 1946)
27 May 1932 -  2 Sep 1936  Kenzo Nakagawa                     (b. 1875 - d. 1944)
 2 Sep 1936 - 27 Nov 1940  Seizo Kobayashi                    (b. 1877 - d. 1962)
27 Nov 1940 - 30 Dec 1944  Kiyoshi Hasegawa                   (b. 1883 - d. 1970)
30 Dec 1944 - 25 Oct 1945  Rikichi Ando                       (b. 1884 - d. 1946)
Chairmen of the Province of Taiwan
25 Oct 1945 - 16 May 1947  Ch'en Yi (chief executive)         (b. 1883 - d. 1950)  KMT
16 May 1947 -  5 Jan 1949  Wei Tao-ming                       (b. 1901 - d. 1978)  KMT

Presidents
21 Jan 1949 -  1 Mar 1950  Li Tsung-jen (acting)              (b. 1890 - d. 1969)  KMT
 1 Mar 1950 -  5 Apr 1975  Chiang Kai-shek                    (b. 1887 - d. 1975)  Mil/KMT
 5 Apr 1975 - 20 May 1978  Yen Chia-kan                       (b. 1905 - d. 1993)  KMT
20 May 1978 - 13 Jan 1988  Chiang Ching-kuo                   (b. 1910 - d. 1988)  KMT
13 Jan 1988 - 20 May 2000  Lee Teng-hui                       (b. 1923)            KMT
20 May 2000 - 20 May 2008  Chen Shui-bian                     (b. 1950)            MCT
20 May 2008 -              Ma Ying-jeou                       (b. 1950)            KMT

Presidents of the Executive Yuan (premiers)
 3 Jun 1949 -  7 Mar 1950  Yen Hsi-shan                       (b. 1883 - d. 1960)  Mil/KMT
 7 Mar 1950 -  7 Jun 1954  Ch'en Ch'eng (1st time)            (b. 1898 - d. 1965)  Mil/KMT
 7 Jun 1954 - 30 Jun 1958  Yu Hung-chün                       (b. 1897 - d. 1960)  KMT
30 Jun 1958 - 15 Dec 1963  Ch'en Ch'eng (2nd time)            (s.a.)               Mil/KMT
15 Dec 1963 - 29 May 1972  Yen Chia-kan                       (s.a.)               KMT
29 May 1972 - 30 May 1978  Chiang Ching-kuo                   (s.a.)               KMT
30 May 1978 - 20 May 1984  Sun Yun-suan                       (b. 1913 - d. 2006)  KMT
20 May 1984 - 21 May 1989  Yu Kuo-hwa                         (b. 1914 - d. 2000)  KMT
21 May 1989 - 30 May 1990  Lee Huan                           (b. 1917)            KMT
30 May 1990 - 10 Feb 1993  Hau Pei-tsun                       (b. 1919)            KMT
10 Feb 1993 -  1 Sep 1997  Lien Chan                          (b. 1936)            KMT
 1 Sep 1997 - 20 May 2000  Vincent Siew                       (b. 1939)            KMT
20 May 2000 -  6 Oct 2000  Tang Fei                           (b. 1932)            KMT
 6 Oct 2000 -  1 Feb 2002  Chang Chun-hsiung (1st time)       (b. 1938)            MCT
 1 Feb 2002 -  1 Feb 2005  Yu Shyi-kun                        (b. 1948)            MCT
 1 Feb 2005 - 25 Jan 2006  Frank Hsieh                        (b. 1946)            MCT
25 Jan 2006 - 21 May 2007  Su Tseng-chang                     (b. 1947)            MCT
21 May 2007 - 20 May 2008  Chang Chun-hsiung (2nd time)       (s.a.)               MCT
20 May 2008 - 10 Sep 2009  Liu Chao-shiuan                    (b. 1943)            KMT
10 Sep 2009 -              Wu Den-yih                         (b. 1948)            KMT

 ¹Since 1949, Taipei has been the "provisional" capital of the Republic of China, formally Nanjing on the mainland remains the official capital. Taipei was also the capital of the province of Taiwan until 1 Jul 1957 when is was moved to Chunghsing (Jhongsing) Village.

 ² The Republic of China (ROC) signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968, and deposited the instrument of ratification on 27 Jan 1970 and was considered a member of the IAEA. After 25 Oct 1971 the ROC was expelled from the UN and the IAEA; The People's Republic of China acceded to the NPT on 9 Mar 1992. The ROC signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (NTBT) on 23 Aug 1963 and deposited the instrument of ratification on 18 May 1964. The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) was signed the ROC in 1972, before it entered into force, but it's signature on this treaty is not officially recognized because Taiwan has not been considered to be a sovereign state. For the same reason, the ROC was not allowed to sign the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that entered into force in 1997 and has not been permitted to join the Australia Group (AG), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) or other non-proliferation organizations. In spite of its non-state status, Taiwan's government has repeatedly stated that it will abide by the terms of the BTWC, CWC, NPT, NTBT, and MTCR. 

 ³ The People's Republic of China replaced Taiwan in the UN on 15 Nov 1971; the U.S. switched recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic on 1 Jan 1979. Currently, Taiwan has diplomatic relations with 23 countries: Belize (1989), Burkina Faso (1994), Dominican Republic (1957), El Salvador (1961), The Gambia (1968-1974, 1995), Guatemala (1960), Haiti (1956), Honduras (1965), Kiribati (2003), Marshall Islands (1998), Nauru (1980-2002, 2005), Nicaragua (1962-1985, 1990), Palau (1999), Panama (1954), Paraguay (1957), Saint Kitts and Nevis (1983), Saint Lucia (1984-1997, 2007), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1981), São Tomé and Príncipe (1997), Solomon Islands (1983), Swaziland (1968), Tuvalu (1979), Vatican City (1942);
--- recent former diplomatic recognitions: Bahamas (1989-1997), Central African Republic (1968-1976, 1991-1998), Chad (1962-72, 1997-2006), Costa Rica (1959-2007), Dominica (1983-2004), Grenada (1989-2005), Guinea-Bissau (1990-1998), Lesotho (1966-1983, 1990-1994), Liberia (1957-1977, 1989-2003), Macedonia (1999-2001), Malawi (1966-2008), Niger (1963-1974, 1992-1996), Saudi Arabia (1946-1990), Senegal (1969-1972, 1996-2005), South Africa (1976-1997), South Korea (1949-1992), Tonga (1972-1998), Uruguay (1966-1988) and Vanuatu (2004).

Territorial Disputes: Taiwan is claimed by People's Republic of China; involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting; Pratas Islands (Dong Sha/Dongsha Qundao) are claimed by the People's Republic of China; the ROC claimed jurisdiction over Mongolia, but under Soviet pressure the ROC recognized Mongolian independence in 1947, however, in 1953 the ROC repudiated this recognition and reasserted its to claim jurisdiction over Mongolia. In 2002 Taiwan announced that it would now require Mongolian citizens to produce passports, in effect recognizing them as foreigners. 

Party abbreviations: KMT = Kuomintang (Nationalist Party, pan-Chinese); MCT = Minchu Chinputang (Democratic Progressive Party, liberal, Taiwanese nationalist); Mil = Military

Taipei 

 1 Jul 1967                Taipei special municipality split from Taiwan province. 

Mayors
 2 Jun 1964 - 10 Jun 1972  Henry Y.S. Kao                     (b. 1912)            KMT
10 Jun 1972 - 11 Jun 1976  Chang Feng-shu                                          KMT
11 Jun 1976 -  9 Jun 1978  Lin Yang-kang                      (b. 1927)            KMT 
 9 Jun 1978 -  4 Dec 1981  Lee Teng-hui                       (b. 1923)            KMT
 4 Dec 1981 - 19 Apr 1982  Shao En-hsin                                            KMT
19 Apr 1982 - 30 May 1985  Yang Chin-tsung                                         KMT
30 May 1985 - 25 Jul 1988  Hsu Shui-teh                                            KMT
25 Jul 1988 -  2 Jun 1990  Wu Poh-hsiung                      (b. 1939)            KMT 
 2 Jun 1990 - 25 Dec 1994  Huang Ta-chou                      (b. 1936)            KMT
25 Dec 1994 - 25 Dec 1998  Chen Shui-bian                     (b. 1950)            MCT
25 Dec 1998 - 25 Dec 2006  Ma Ying-jeou                       (b. 1950)            KMT
25 Dec 2006 -              Hau Lung-pin                       (b. 1952)            KMT

Kaohsiung 

 1 Jul 1979                Kaohsiung special municipality split from Taiwan province.