The Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as Taiwan, is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia.Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan (Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory,as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Its capital city is Taipei.

The Republic of China, established in mainland China in 1912, governed most of mainland China prior to outbreak of the civil war, then received Taiwan and associated islands from the Surrender of Japan at the end of World War II in late 1945. However, the ROC lost its mainland territory in the Chinese Civil War to Communist forces who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) on that territory in 1949, and the ROC relocated its government to the island of Taiwan, which composes most of its current territory. The ROC government officially claims to represent all of "China" (in a definition including Taiwan) via its constitution, but, in practice, has ceased to actively pursue this stance since 1992. However, the People's Republic of China (PRC), simply known as "China", also officially asserts to be the sole legal representation of China, and actively claims that both mainland China and Taiwan should be under its sovereignty, denying the status of the Republic of China as a sovereign state.

The Republic of China is a thriving multi-party democracy that has a presidential system and universal suffrage. It experienced rapid economic growth, industrialization, and democratization on Taiwan during the latter half of the twentieth century. Despite its controversial political status, the ROC is an industrialized advanced economy. It is one of the Four Asian Tigers and a member of the WTO and APEC. The 19th-largest economy in the world,its advanced technology industry plays a key role in the global economy. The ROC is ranked highly in terms of freedom of the press, health care,public education, economic freedom, and human development.