Taiwan

[tahy-wahn] /ˈtaɪˈwɑn/

noun, Wade-Giles, Pinyin.

a Chinese island separated from the SE coast of China by Taiwan Strait: a possession of Japan 1895–1945; restored to China 1945; seat of the Republic of China since 1949.

Capital: Taipei.

Also called Formosa.

British Dictionary definitions for Taiwan

Taiwan

/ˈtaɪˈwɑːn/

noun

an island in SE Asia between the East China Sea and the South China Sea, off the SE coast of the People's Republic of China: the principal territory of the Republic of China; claimed by the People's Republic of China since its political separation from mainland China in the late 1940s. Pop: 23 299 716 (2013 est) Former name Formosa

Word Origin and History for Taiwan

literally "terrace bay," from Chinese tai "terrace" + wan "bay."

Taiwan in Culture

Taiwan definition

Island nation in the Pacific Ocean near the mainland of southern China; seat of the Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Taipei.

Note: When the Chinese communists came to power on the mainland, the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek and some of his army took refuge on Taiwan.

Note: The United States long supported the Nationalists but broke relations in 1979 to establish relations with the People's Republic of China.

Note: With its first free elections in the 1990s, Taiwan has become a democracy. Its economy is among the strongest in the world.

Note: China refuses to accept Taiwan's independence as a nation, viewing it instead as merely a renegade province of China. This issue continues to complicate relations between the United States and China.