Taiwan

An island off the southeast coast of China, the seat of the Republic of China since 1949. Settled by the Chinese in the seventh century, it was explored by the Portuguese in 1590 and held by the Dutch in the mid-1600s before being seized by Qing dynasty Chinese in 1683. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 and regained by China after World War II (1945). Taiwan broke off from mainland China in 1949 when the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-Shek fled from Mao Zedong's forces and established their government on the island. Taipei is the capital and the largest city. Population: 22,900,000.