Imports - commodities: electronics, electric and machinery equipment
45%, minerals, precision instruments

Imports - partners: Japan 27%, US 18%, Europe 16%, South Korea 6%,
Malaysia 4% (1999)

Debt - external: $35 billion (September 1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 31.395 (yearend 1999),
32.216 (1998), 32.052 (1997), 27.5 (1996), 27.5 (1995)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31
December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

@Taiwan:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 12 million (October 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 10.2 million (October 1999)

Telephone system:
domestic: provides modern telecommunications service for every
business and private need; completely digitalized
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines,
Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and
Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios: 16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations: 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 8.8 million (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (1999)

@Taiwan:Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,481 km (519 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 2,481 km 1.067-m (1999)

Highways:
total: 34,901 km
paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines: petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao,
T'ai-chung

Merchant marine:
total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,944,166 GRT/7,710,891
DWT
ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 33, combination bulk 1, container 69,
petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999
est.)

Airports: 38 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)

@Taiwan:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal
Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined
Service Forces

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age

Mi