Where to Go - Far East

Click on the links below to view information on a specific country.

Taiwan

Population: 22,191,087

Literacy rate: 94% (unconfirmed)

Life expectancy at birth: male – 73.62 yrs, female – 79.32 yrs

Infant mortality rate: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 0.81%

GDP growth rate: 5.5%

GDP per capita: £10,750

Unemployment: 2.9%

Inflation: 0.4%

TI index: 5.5

Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year.

Time: GMT + 8.

Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz.

Websites: Official Government Site http://www.taiwan.gov.tw/mp.asp?mp=999

The political regime, once firmly right-wing, has relaxed a little, but staying out of local politics is, as ever, a wise course of action – don’t make political jokes. Plaintive claims by previous governments as to possessions and territory (even the whole country) in the People’s Republic appear to have been abandoned; most Taiwanese are richer and better off than anyone in mainland China anyway. The cost of living is high.

Entry requirements

Citizens from some western European countries, Australasia and the USA can stay in Taiwan for 30 days without a visa

Vaccinations

Hepatitis A, Polio, Typhoid and Yellow Fever.

Tax and Insurance

Tax is 20% for the first 183 days and from 6 to 10% thereafter. A tax rebate is available for the first period after all the paperwork is sorted out.

Gap Year Programmes

Click here to find gap year programmes and placements in Taiwan