| Official Name: | Republic of China 中華民國 |
| Location: | Pacific Ocean, 300 km SE of China |
| Capital City: | Taipei City 台北市 |
| Most Populous City: | New Taipei City 新北市 |
| Population: | 23,340,136 (2013 estimate) |
| Territory Size: | 36,193 km2 (136th in the world) |
Connecting downtown Taipei City to the Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), the Airport MRT is the fastest way to reach the airport, with express service taking 35 minutes from Taipei Main Station to both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
What is the Taipei Bus?
Taiwan's public transit system is extremely well developed, especially in Taipei where it covers practically every possible destination with relatively few transfers. Along with the Taipei MRT, the bus system accepts the EasyCard and provides an excellent, convenient way to get around the city.
Located less than 10km away from the Chinese mainland, transiting through Kinmen Island is a more affordable option than flying. Known in Chinese as 小三通 (Three Links, as it was the first and primary connection between the PRC and ROC with regards to industry, commerce, and trade), the border area between Xiamen and Kinmen is bustling and now more busy than ever.
Living on Taiwan more than 8,000 years before the first arrival of the Han Chinese in the 17th century, the Taiwanese aborigines (原住民) are Austronesian people, with linguistic and genetic ties to the people of the Philippines and other Polynesian groups. They are estimated to constitute about 2% of the population of Taiwan. Visitors to Taiwan should experience aboriginal culture alongside Chinese culture to gain a more rounded insight into the culture and history of Taiwan.
In Taiwan, there are four primary commercial airports offering international flight service, along with several smaller airports offering domestic flight service. The large majority of visitors coming to Taiwan will arrive at and leave from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, located just outside of Taipei City.
The bus from Kaohsiung to Kenting runs from HSR Zuoying (Kaohsiung) Station straight to Kenting, with stops in Dapengwan Bay (大鵬灣) and Hengchun (恆春).
The public bus is operated by the PT Bus (屏東客運) company, and from Zuoying to Kenting takes approx. 120 minutes for a fare of NT$650.
A common question that visitors may ask when visiting Taiwan is "if Taiwan is Taiwan, and China is China, then why do license plates say 臺灣省"?
This question is actually very easy to answer!
The newest addition to Taipei City's efficient transportation system, the double decker 'Hop-On, Hop-Off' bus gives visitors a hassle-free way to tour the city by usage of a day pass for both the Red and Blue lines.
In 1927, government officials in China (then the Republic of China) began to faction due to disputes over the country's direction. The split occurred at an ideological level, primarily between nationalism from the Kuomintang party (KMT) and socialism from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).