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Taiwan - PRACTICAL INFORMATION |
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Currency
The local currency is the Taiwan Dollar (TWD).
Business hours
Banks: from 9 AM to 3.30 PM Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 12 AM on Saturday.
Transportation
Road
It is not recommended to take the roads that go through the mountains, which were strongly damaged after the earthquake of September 21st 1999 and the numerous landslides that followed.
Air
The two main Taiwanese airlines, which ensure international flights, " China Airlines " and " Eva Airways ", are considered as sure, although the first one had three plane crashes over the last six years (Nagoya in 1994, Taipei in 1998, Hong-Kong in 1999). Concerning the domestic flights, it is not sure that maintenance procedures of planes are scrupulously respected by every single company, but very few accidents occured over the last years.
Internet
The Internet suffix is:
.tw
Basic conversation guide
Yes = S?
No = M ?s?
Thank you = To-si?
Hello = Peng-an
Goodbye = Peng-an
I do not understand = Go?thian-b?
How much does this cost ? = Che go?ch?chin?.
The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, although it is used as the mother tongue by only 20 % of the population. Indeed, the country has several linguistic groups. Among these groups, we should mention Minnan Chinese, also called Taiwanese, which is spoken by 66,7 % of the population, as well as Hakka Chinese (11 %). Moreover, we can also note that there are other native languages (about 2 %) as well as Japanese. Otherwise, most inhabitants are able to speak Mandarin and sometimes English. Finally, Mandarin remains the language used by the "continental" people living on the island and is the one most frequently used by administrative and military staff.
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Last modified in
January 2004
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