n, DC;
there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural
Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people
on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and
Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA
22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385);
Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei,
Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2
Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886]
(7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade
Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade
Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone:
[886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Flag description:

red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy
Taiwan

Economy - overview:

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing
guidance of investment and foreign trade by the authorities. In
keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and
industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the
primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade
surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest.
Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the
US to become Taiwan's largest export market and its second-largest
source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one
destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance
in 2007 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 5%, and unemployment
is below 4%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$698.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$383.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 27.5%
services: 71.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

10.71 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5.3%
industry: 36.8%
services: 57.9% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

0.95% (2007 est.)

Household income