- Population:
- 23,572,052
- Official Language:
- Chinese Mandarin
- Languages:
- 35
- Primary Religion:
- Ethnic Religions
Languages:
Taiwan is a sovereign state in East Asia with a population of approximately 23.6 million people. Mandarin Chinese is the official language of the country and is spoken by the vast majority of the population. Other languages spoken in Taiwan include Hokkien, Hakka, and various indigenous languages. Religion:
Taiwan is a multicultural and multi religious society, with freedom of religion. Buddhism is the largest religion in Taiwan, with approximately 35% of the population identifying as Buddhist. Taoism is the second-largest religion in the country, with approximately 33% of the population identifying as Taoist. Christianity is the third-largest religion in Taiwan, with approximately 5% of the population belonging to various Christian denominations. Ethnic Groups:
Han Chinese (including Hoklo, who compose approximately 70% of Taiwans population, Hakka, and other groups originating in mainland China) more than 95%, indigenous Malayo-Polynesian peoples 2.3%
note 1: there are 16 officially recognized indigenous groups: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Hlaalua, Kanakaravu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami; Amis, Paiwan, and Atayal are the largest and account for roughly 70% of the indigenous population
note 2: although not definitive, the majority of current genetic, archeological, and linguistic data support the theory that Taiwan is the ultimate source for the spread of humans across the Pacific to Polynesia; the expansion (ca. 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1200) took place via the Philippines and eastern Indonesia and reached Fiji and Tonga by about 900 B.C.; from there voyagers spread across all of the rest of the Pacific islands over the next two millennia