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Taiwan is the most underrated tourist destination in Asia. It's hard to understand why – it has some of the most captivating scenery anywhere on the planet, sensational cuisine and a fascinating cultural mix. In the 1990s Taiwan became the first true Chinese democracy, developing a sense of civil society bewildering to its giant neighbour across the Taiwan Strait. Since then popular culture has blossomed on the island, an eclectic mix of Chinese, Western, Japanese and indigenous influences.
But Taiwan is also an intensely traditional place, with Chinese and aboriginal festivals, performing arts and religious belief preserving a legacy that goes back millennia. Taiwan's hinterland offers more surprises: towering mountains, including Northeast Asia's tallest, six national parks, a selection of alluring offshore islands and, thanks to its volcanic past, numerous hot-spring resorts.
Taiwan's perception problem stems in part from its astonishing economic success. The Taiwan Miracle, the island's transformation into one of the world's richest countries in less than fifty years, created images of endless manufacturing plants, a pile of overcrowded cities and factories somewhere off China's southeast coast. The country's long struggle to establish a distinct political and cultural identity in the shadow of its big brother on the mainland hasn't helped – for years its rulers insisted that Taiwan was the "real China". Not any more: Taiwan has preserved much of the civilization and many of the traditions lost on the mainland, but while its political future remains uncertain, Taiwan is fast developing a dynamic culture all of its own.
One of the most endearing things about the island is the overwhelming friendliness of its people – Taiwan is one of the most welcoming countries in the world, and you are bound to encounter numerous acts of generosity or kindness throughout your travels, whether it's a taxi driver rounding down a fare, a stranger offering to buy a ticket or help with directions, or a family providing a lift or even a bed for the night. Eating in Taiwan comes a close second, a vast array of Chinese food and local delicacies on offer in every town and locale. Travelling around the island is relatively straightforward, though the lack of English can make things a challenge at times, particularly as most timetables tend to be displayed solely in Chinese. Taiwan is a relatively rich country compared to China or southeast Asia, but prices are generally lower than in most other developed nations, and the willingness of almost every one you meet to help means it's almost impossible to get stuck.
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• Lying just 130km off the southeast coast of China at its closest point, the island of Taiwan is slightly larger than Belgium, and bisected by the Tropic of Cancer.
• The population of 23 million is ethnically 98 percent Han Chinese, with the remaining two percent made up by the Austronesian indigenous population.
• Known as Formosa in the West until the 1950s, Taiwan's official name has been the Republic of China (ROC) since 1949.
• Almost half of Taiwan is covered by mountains, with 258 peaks over 3000m: the tallest is Yushan (3952m). The Jhuoshuei River is the island's longest (186km).
• Taiwan is a democracy with the president directly elected by universal suffrage every four years, and empowered to appoint the premier who assembles a cabinet comprising the heads of all ministries, known as the Executive Yuan. The Legislative Yuan acts as Taiwan's parliament, its members also elected every four years.
• Taiwan's main exports are electronics (including 75 percent of the world's laptop computers and 40 percent of its LCD screens), mechanical appliances and plastics. Taiwan's per-capita GDP is around US$25,000 (PPP basis).
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