Taiwan: Flag and Facts
Taiwan's flag has a red field and a dark blue block in the top left corner, holding a white sun that has 12 triangular rays.
- Official name
- Republic of China (Taiwan)
- Capital
- Taipei
- Region
- Eastern Asia
- Population
- 24 million (2025)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Currency
- New Taiwan dollar
- Area
- 36,193 km² (13,974 sq mi)
- People
- Taiwanese
- Calling code
- +886
- Highest point
- Yu Shan 3,952 m
- National symbols
- white sun with 12 rays on a blue field
- Borders
- No land borders
- Status
- Territory (not a sovereign country)
About Taiwan
Austronesian peoples lived on the island first, and Han immigrants began arriving in the 17th century. After a military defeat in 1895, China's Qing Dynasty handed Taiwan to Japan, which governed it for 50 years. Chinese Nationalists took control after World War II, and in 1949 the Republic of China government moved there along with 2 million Nationalists.
Martial law lasted until 1987, and the first opposition party was founded the year before. Legislative elections in 1992 were the first in over 40 years, and the first direct presidential vote came in 1996. Rugged mountains cover the eastern two-thirds of the island, while the west has flatter plains. About 23.6 million people live there. New Taipei City is the biggest urban area, and Taipei is the capital.
Did you know?
- Yu Shan, the highest peak, reaches 3,952 meters.
- The blue and white part of the flag dates back to 1895.
- National Day falls on 10 October and is linked to 1911.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Taiwan
What do the 12 rays on Taiwan's flag mean?
Each ray matches one month, and they also mark the traditional Chinese hours, with each ray equal to two hours.
What currency does Taiwan use?
The New Taiwan dollar is the currency.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.