Taiwan's Population Distribution

As introduced by the Yearbook of the Republic of China:

Taiwan's total population was 22.61 million in December 2003. In December 2002, Taiwan's population density was 622 persons per square kilometer, making it the second highest in the world after Bangladesh. Kaohsiung City, which covers 154 sq. km, was Taiwan's most crowded urban area with 9,827 persons per square kilometer. Taipei City (272 sq. km) was next, with 9,720 persons per square kilometer; and Taichung City (163 sq. km), the third most populated area, had 6,099 persons per square kilometer.

Heavily populated urban areas have grown outside the official limits of major cities, forming large metropolitan areas, which are now home to 68.93 percent of Taiwan's total population. In recent years, however, the establishment of satellite towns and stronger basic infrastructure nationwide has slowed the population influx to urban areas. Among Taiwan's metropolitan areas, the Jhongli-Taoyuan Greater Metropolitan Area grew the fastest in 2002, with a population increase of 1.70 percent. The Taichung-Changhua Greater Metropolitan Area was second with a 1.02 percent growth rate. The metropolitan area with the highest population remained the Taipei-Keelung Greater Metropolitan Area, with 6.59 million residents and 42.42 percent of Taiwan's urban population. The Kaohsiung Greater Metropolitan Area was second with 2.75 million residents, and the Taichung-Changhua Greater Metropolitan Area was third, with 2.14 million people.

The earliest census taken in Taiwan recorded the population at 3.12 million in 1905. After 40 years, the figure nearly doubled to 6.02 million. In 1964, the government began encouraging family planning, easing the pressure on population growth. The natural population growth rate fell from 3.16 percent in 1961 to 0.68 percent in 1998. Although the figure rose to 0.81 percent in 2000, it declined to 0.53 percent in 2002 due to a decrease in the birth rate, which dropped from 1.38 percent to 1.02 percent during the same time period. Meanwhile, the death rate rose slightly from 0.568 percent in 2000 to 0.573 percent in 2002.

Clearly, Taiwan's population structure has undergone great changes over the last few decades. As those born during the baby boom have now grown up, the economically productive 15-64 age group had increased to 70.56 percent of the total population by 2002. Meanwhile, the proportion of dependents dropped from 64 percent in 1975 to 42 percent in 2002.

Longer education, later marriages, and comparatively fewer potential mothers between the ages of 20 and 34 have all reduced the birth rate. Since 1984, the population replacement rate has remained below 1 percent, dropping to 0.7 percent in 2002.

The following figure shows Taiwan's population distribution during the past 50 years: