Economy
GNP (2003): $296 billion.
Annual growth rate (2003): 3.2%.
Per capita GNP (2003): $13,318.
Unemployment (Sept. 2003) 5.05%..
Natural resources: Small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble and asbestos.
Agriculture (1.8% of GDP): Major products--pork, rice, fruit and vegetables, sugarcane, poultry, shrimp, eel.
Services: 67.7% of GDP Industry (30.5 % of GDP): Types--electronics and computer products, chemicals and petrochemicals, basic metals, machinery, textiles, transport equipment, plastics, machinery.
Trade (2002): Exports--$131 billion: electronics and computer products, textile products, basic metals, plastic and rubber products. Major markets--U.S. $29.8 billion, P.R.C. and Hong Kong $40.8 billion, Japan $12.0 billion. Imports--$113 billion: electronics and computer products, machinery and electrical products, chemicals, iron and steel, transport equipment, crude oil. Major suppliers--Japan $27.3 billion, U.S. $18.1 billion.

Economy of Taiwan
Through nearly five decades of hard work and sound economic management, Taiwan has transformed itself from an underdeveloped, agricultural island to an economic power that is a leading producer of high-technology goods. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of nearly $200 billion as of late 2003. Although Taiwan enjoyed sustained economic growth, full employment, and low inflation for many years, in 2001 the combination of the slowing global economy, weaknesses in parts of the financial sector, and sagging consumer and business confidence in the government's economic policymaking resulted in the first-ever economic recession. The economy began to recover in 2002 but was slowed briefly again by the outbreak of SARS in early 2003. Growth for 2003 is expected to reach 3.2%, and the outlook for 2004 is more positive, with growth predicted to reach 4.0%-5.0 %.

In the 1960s, foreign investment in Taiwan helped introduce modern, labor-intensive technology to the island, and Taiwan became a major exporter of labor-intensive products. In the 1980s, focus shifted toward increasingly sophisticated, capital-intensive and technology-intensive products for export and toward developing the service sector. At the same time, the appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar (NT$), rising labor costs, and increasing environmental consciousness in Taiwan caused many labor-intensive industries, such as shoe manufacturing, to move to the Chinese mainland and Southeast Asia. Taiwan has transformed itself from a recipient of U.S. aid in the 1950s and early 1960s to an aid donor and major foreign investor, especially in Asia.

Foreign Trade
Foreign trade has been the engine of Taiwan's rapid growth during the past 40 years. Taiwan's economy remains export-oriented, so it depends on an open world trade regime and remains vulnerable to downturns in the world economy. The total value of trade increased more than five-fold in the 1960s, nearly 10-fold in the 1970s, and doubled again in the 1980s. The 1990s saw a more modest, slightly less than two-fold, growth. Export composition changed from predominantly agricultural commodities to industrial goods (now 98%). The electronics sector is Taiwan's most important industrial export sector and is the largest recipient of U.S. investment. Taiwan became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a special customs territory in January 2002.

Taiwan is the world's largest supplier of computer monitors and is a leading PC manufacturer. Textile production, though of declining importance as Taiwan loses its competitive advantage in labor-intensive markets, is another major industrial export sector. Imports are dominated by raw materials and capital goods, which account for more than 90% of the total. Taiwan imports most of its energy needs. The United States is Taiwan's second largest trading partner, taking 20% of Taiwan's exports and supplying 16% of its imports. Taiwan is the United States' eighth-largest trading partner; Taiwan's two-way trade with the United States amounted to about $45 billion in 2002. Imports from the United States consist mostly of agricultural and industrial raw materials. Exports to the United States are mainly electronics and consumer goods. The United States, Hong Kong (including indirect trade with the P.R.C.), and Japan account for nearly 56% of Taiwan's exports, and the United States and Japan provide over 40% of Taiwan's imports. As Taiwan's per capita income level has risen, demand for imported, high-quality consumer goods has increased. Taiwan's 2002 trade surplus with the United States was $8.7 billion.

The lack of formal diplomatic relations with all but 27 of its trading partners appears not to have seriously hindered Taiwan's rapidly expanding commerce. Taiwan maintains trade offices in more than 60 countries with which it does not have official relations. Taiwan is a member of the Asian Development Bank, the WTO, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. These developments reflect Taiwan's economic importance and its desire to become further integrated into the global economy.

Agriculture
Although only about one-quarter of Taiwan's land area is arable, virtually all farmland is intensely cultivated, with some areas suitable for two and even three crops a year. However, increases in agricultural production have been much slower than industrial growth. Agriculture only comprises about 1.8% of Taiwan's GDP. Taiwan's main crops are rice, sugarcane, fruit, and vegetables. Although largely self-sufficient in rice production, Taiwan imports large amounts of wheat, mostly from the United States. Meat production and consumption are rising sharply, reflecting a rising standard of living. Agricultural exports include frozen fish, aquaculture and sea products, canned and frozen vegetables, and grain products. Imports of agriculture products are expected to increase due to the WTO accession, which is opening previously protected agricultural markets.

Economic Outlook
Taiwan now faces many of the same economic issues as other developed economies. With the prospect of continued relocation of labor-intensive industries to countries with cheaper work forces, Taiwan's future development will have to rely on further transformation to a high technology and service-oriented economy. In recent years, Taiwan has successfully diversified its trade markets, cutting its share of exports to the United States from 49% in 1984 to 20% in 2002. Taiwan's dependence on the U.S. market should continue to decrease as its exports to Southeast Asia and the P.R.C. grow and its efforts to develop European markets produce results. Taiwan's accession to the WTO and its desire to become an Asia-Pacific "regional operations center" are spurring further economic liberalization.
source: http://www.state.gov