About IWGIAIndigenous peoples in Taiwan
The officially recognized indigenous population of Taiwan numbers 484,174 people (2007), or 2.1% of the total population. Fourteen indigenous peoples are officially recognized. In addition, there are at least nine Ping Pu (“plains or lowland”) indigenous peoples who are denied official recognition.
Most of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples live in the hills and central mountains, on the east coast, and in the central and south regions.
The main challenges facing indigenous peoples in Taiwan continue to be rapidly disappearing cultures and languages, low social status and encroachment on their land.
Legislation Concerning Indigenous Peoples
A number of national laws protect their rights, including the Constitutional Amendments (2005) on indigenous representation in the Legislative Assembly, protection of language and culture, political participation, the Indigenous Peoples’ Basic Act (2005), the Education Act for Indigenous Peoples (2004), the Status Act for Indigenous Peoples (2001), the Regulations Regarding Recognition of Indigenous Peoples (2002) and the Name Act, which allows indigenous peoples to register their original names in Chinese characters and to annotate them in Romanized script (2003).
Unfortunately, serious discrepancies and overlapping in the legislation, coupled with only partial implementation of laws guaranteeing the rights of indigenous peoples, have stymied progress towards self-governance.
Download the 2010 yearbook article on indigenous peoples in Taiwan to read more about major developments and events during 2009
