Taiwan Facts Essays - Republic Of China, Republics, Taiwan

Taiwan Facts title = Taiwan Facts Taiwan, officially Republic of China, island (in 1994 est. population was 21,299,000), 13,885 sq mi, in the Pacific Ocean, separated from the mainland of S China by the 100-mi-wide (161-km) Taiwan Strait. The capital is TAIPEI. Other major cities include KAOHSIUNG, Tainan, Taichong, and Chilung. About one quarter of Taiwan's land area is cultivated; rice, wheat, sugarcane, and sweet potatoes are the most important crops. In the 1970s industry replaced agriculture as the major export earner. Light industry is the major manufacturing sector, with electronics far ahead. Other manufactures include electrical equipment, chemicals, motor vehicles, and machinery, and service industries are beginning to be more important. The main natural resources are woods and other forest products. Religions include Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Taiwan was first settled by the Chinese in the 7th century, the island was reached by the Portuguese in 1590. It was held by the Dutch in the 1640s, and by China's Ch'ing dynasty from 1683. Occupied by Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War , Taiwan remained in Japanese hands until 1945. When CHIANG KAI-SHEK and the Nationalists, or Kuomintang, were kicked from mainland CHINA by the Communists, they shifted the seat of their government to Taiwan. The U.S. long supported and aided the Nationalists, but in the 1970s Taiwan's international political position had eroded. In 1971 it lost China's seat in the UN to the People's Republic of China, and in 1979 the U.S. broke diplomatic relations with the Nationalists to establish relations with the People's Republic of China, although keeping good economic and cultural ties. Martial law, in effect since 1949, was lifted in 1987, and many jailed political dissidents were freed. Pres. Chiang Ching-kuo died in 1988 and was succeeded by LEE TENG -HUI, a Taiwan native. In 1991 Lee ended emergency rule, which had permitted the domination of the National Assembly by aging mainland delegates elected in 1947. In elections in 1992 the Kuomintang retained control of the assembly, but the major opposition party won a third of the seats.

Learn About the French Verb Faillir

Learn About the French Verb Faillir Faillir is a very interesting and useful French verb. It is irregular in conjugation and does not have an English equivalent; the simplest translation is to almost do something.​ Faillir is usually followed by an infinitive and can be translated by to almost do something, to all but do something, to very nearly do something, or to narrowly miss doing something. Faillir is most commonly used in the past: Jai failli tomber. - I almost fell.Nous avons failli rater le train. - We very nearly missed the train.Il a failli dire  « non  » avant dy rà ©flà ©chir.  - He almost said no before thinking about it. Faillir Faillir is followed by a noun and means to fail in/at or to fail to keep: Jai failli ma mission. - I failed in my mission.Il a failli sa parole. - He failed to keep his word. Expressions with Faillir faillir la tradition - to break with traditionne pas faillir sa parole - to keep / be true to ones wordne pas faillir sa rà ©putation - to live up to ones reputationrà ©sister jusquau bout sans faillir - to resist unflinchingly to the end Conjugations Though this verb has conjugations in all the tenses, faillir is used almost exclusively in the past (passà © composà ©, passà © simple, and plus-que-parfait), so the past participle failli is the most important form for you to know. To talk about nearly doing something in another tense, manquer de is preferable (though the meaning is subtly different). Note that il faut is the third person singular present tense of both faillir and the impersonal verb falloir.