As far as population density is concerned, Taiwan is second only to Bangladesh. The majority of Taiwanese live in crowded urban areas,...
One the surface, Taiwan's ethnic breakdown seems fairly straightforward an overwhelming majority of people are of Han Chinese stock, with a tiny minority being of aboriginal descent. But appearances are deceiving, for in recent years, as Taiwan has sought to create a national identity for itself distinct from that of mainland China (which is itself not nearly as culturally homogenous as many would believe), its people have tended to look for diversity in their own cultural backgrounds wherever these might be found. For example, it isn't unusual to chat to a shopkeeper or taxi driver in Taipei affecting a few items of aboriginal-style clothing, only to have them tell you about their having some blood lineage (however slight), to one of Taiwan's nine major aboriginal tribes.
The population of Taiwan's indigenous tribes is under half a million, though the numbers become blurry when intermarriage is taken into consideration. These groups live throughout Taiwan, though the majority are concentrated in the Hualien and Taitung counties, the Central Mountain Range and Nantou County. However, a fair number of Taiwanese people who wouldn't consider themselves as being aboriginal still have some aboriginal blood.
Then there are distinctions among the Han Chinese themselves. Some of the earliest Han Chinese immigrants were from China's Fujian province. They spoke the Hoklo dialect, which some now refer to as Taiwanese. These Fujian immigrants make up roughly 70% of Taiwan's current population. The Hakka people followed the Fujia people into Taiwan in the 17th century, settling themselves into the foothills of the Central Mountain Range. Nowadays, most Hakka live in the northwestern counties of Taoyuan, Miaoli and Hsinchu, and make bup between 10% and 15% of Taiwan's population. Some Hakka also live on the east coast.
But the main distinction - some even call it a divide - has to do with the remaining 12% to 15% of Taiwan's population, the descendent of those who came over from mainland China with the Koumintang (KTM) between 1945 and 1949; it was this group that by and large controlled the reigns of politics and business during the Chiang Kai-shek era. This situation only began to be reversed after the lifting of martial law, and though Taiwan can easily lay claim to being one of the most peaceful societies in Asia, old woulds and divides still linger under the surface.
Source: Lonely Planet Taiwan
Then there are distinctions among the Han Chinese themselves. Some of the earliest Han Chinese immigrants were from China's Fujian province. They spoke the Hoklo dialect, which some now refer to as Taiwanese. These Fujian immigrants make up roughly 70% of Taiwan's current population. The Hakka people followed the Fujia people into Taiwan in the 17th century, settling themselves into the foothills of the Central Mountain Range. Nowadays, most Hakka live in the northwestern counties of Taoyuan, Miaoli and Hsinchu, and make bup between 10% and 15% of Taiwan's population. Some Hakka also live on the east coast.
But the main distinction - some even call it a divide - has to do with the remaining 12% to 15% of Taiwan's population, the descendent of those who came over from mainland China with the Koumintang (KTM) between 1945 and 1949; it was this group that by and large controlled the reigns of politics and business during the Chiang Kai-shek era. This situation only began to be reversed after the lifting of martial law, and though Taiwan can easily lay claim to being one of the most peaceful societies in Asia, old woulds and divides still linger under the surface.
Source: Lonely Planet Taiwan
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