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5 Things You Might Not Know About Taiwan

Located in the Pacific Ocean right off of the coast of China is the country of Taiwan. Although Taiwan is a relatively small country--only marginally bigger than Belgium--it does have a rich history and many interesting facts to offer. The following lists five things you probably did not know about Taiwan but should:

Although baseball may be a slowly fading national sport in the United States, in Taiwan, baseball is their prime national sport. In fact, Taiwan won the Little League World Series in 1996, held in of all places, the United States. Like many other countries, talented Taiwanese baseball players often leave their home country to compete in more financially lucrative places like Japan, Canada, and the United States.

With such an international emphasis of spreading democracy throughout the world, Taiwan has proven to be a valuable ally. Specifically, Taiwan was the first country in Asia to create a democratic government. Also known as the Republic of China, Taiwan should not be confused with China, who is governed by the People's Republic. Interestingly, the People's Republic is explicit in not recognizing any country who in turn diplomatically recognizes Taiwan.

The United Nations currently has 192 members. However, Taiwan is not one of those members. Although the Taiwanese government would like to join the UN, political analysts believe this may never happen due in large part to China's permanent spot on the Security Council. The rift between China and Taiwan is undoubtedly a result of the Chinese Civil War.

Like China, Taiwan manufactures a lot of products used by US citizens everyday. Perhaps their most notable contribution is in the field of electronics. Companies like ASUS, ACER, and HTC are from Taiwan. These products are known for their cost efficiency, because they often provide quality electronics at a lower market price range.

As mentioned before, Taiwan can also be called the Republic of China, but this is not its only name. Taiwan has also been known by 'Ilha Formosa, which means 'beautiful island.' Taiwan was given this name in the sixteenth century by sailors from Portugal.