proper noun

• An island country off the southeastern coast of China; population 23,400,000 (estimated 2015); official language, Mandarin Chinese; capital, Taipei.

  Official name China, Republic of

  Former name Formosa

  In 1949, toward the end of the war with the communist regime of mainland China, Chiang Kai-shek withdrew here with 500,000 nationalist Kuomintang troops. Taiwan became the headquarters of the Kuomintang, which held power continuously until defeated in presidential elections in 2000. Since the 1950s Taiwan has undergone steady economic growth, especially in its export industries