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Taiwan

Taiwan is in East Asia and is located just off the coast of mainland China. It has an area of 35,801 sq. km and includes several small outer islands. Mandarin is the officially language; English, Taiwanese and Hakka are also commonly spoken. Taiwan has a population of 23 million and enjoys a tropical climate with a rainy season from January to June; and hot, humid weather from June to September. Taiwanese people are very friendly and caring and Taiwan is a safe and pleasant country to live in. Influenced by Chinese, Japanese and European cultures over the years, Taiwanese are open minded and are very welcoming of different ideas and opinions. Taiwan was originally an agricultural country with farmers celebrating a range of religious and folk festivals. The island’s history and various cultures have also given rise to many unique celebrations and activities. The most important traditional festivals, in order of their lunar-calendar dates, are the Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Ghost Festival, and Mid- Autumn Moon Festival. In Taiwan, buying fresh food and daily necessities is easy. You can buy goods from supermarkets, and popular traditional markets. Taiwan also has many convenience stores, including 7-Eleven, Family Mart, Hi-Life and OK chains. Many of them are open 24/7, 365 days a year, and sell packaged food, drinks and daily necessities. Additionally, they collect various utility bills, accept packages from parcel service companies, provide ATM machines, handle pickups of goods bought online, sell postage stamps and event tickets, and collect taxes and fines. Traditional markets’ attractive prices and friendliness make them extremely popular. Traditional markets offer all kinds of fresh produce and local delicacies.

Transportation

Taiwan has such affordable and convenient public transport and taxi services that it is not necessary to own a car. Taxis Taxis are identifiable by their yellow colours as well as the “Taxi” light box on the top of the car. Taxis in major cities charge by the meter. For long-distance trips, you can agree on a fixed price. Metropolitan Rapid Transit Systems (MRT) Both Taipei and Kaohsiung have MRT systems that provide convenient and inexpensive access to important locations within the cities. Bus Service Transportation Every city and town has a bus network, providing convenient transportation. Signs at bus stops show the routes of the buses, so you can check the route before boarding. Several long-distance bus services are available for convenient travel between cities. Taiwan High Speed Rail Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) is a great choice for north-south travel along Taiwan’s west coast. It travels from Taipei (top of the island) to Kaohsiung (bottom of the island) in less than 2 hours. Domestic Flights Taiwan has a good domestic flight network with 17 airports serving Taiwan as well as the surrounding islands. Foreign passport holders need to present their passports at check-in and boarding.
Healthcare

Taiwan has a compulsory National Health Insurance (NHI) system giving access for a full range of outstanding health care services, including doctors, dentists and all private/public hospitals. Family members living in Taiwan with residency can also join the system. The cost is small and is deducted from your monthly salary by your employer. Most public hospitals and large medical centres in Taiwan provide Chinese and English healthcare services, and most of their websites, information desks, and signage are in both languages. Because this system provides access to excellent health care it is not necessary to have private health insurance in Taiwan.
Education

Taiwan has very good public schools taught mainly in Chinese and also international schools following a USA or European school curriculum and accreditation, with classes taught in English and some European languages.

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