Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Taiwan instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 1.8 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Taiwan, that number is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 89.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Taiwan, however, that number is 1.5% as of 2012.

make 42.1% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $42,300 as of 2020, while in Taiwan, the GDP per capita is $24,502 as of 2018.

pay a 18.4% higher top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Taiwan, the top tax rate is 45.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 38.3% more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Taiwan, on the other hand, 4.0 children do as of 2022.

Geography

see 35.1% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Taiwan, that number is 1,566 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, National Tax Service, South Korea, Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C..

Taiwan: At a glance

Taiwan is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 32,260 sq km. In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Beginning in the 1950s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist (Kuomintang or KMT) to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.
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How big is Taiwan compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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