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History of Taiwan
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Taiwan.
Overview
Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples, who originated in Austronesia and southern China, have lived on Taiwan for 12,000 to 15,000 years. Significant migration to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland began as early as A.D. 500. Dutch traders first claimed the island in 1624 as a base for Dutch commerce with Japan and the China coast. Two years later, the Spanish established a settlement on the northwest coast of Taiwan, which they occupied until 1642 when they were driven out by the Dutch.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Aboriginal & Early Settlement
13000 BCE – 1624
Austronesian aboriginal peoples inhabited Taiwan for roughly 12,000 to 15,000 years before significant outside contact. Sporadic migration from mainland China began around A.D. 500, and Portuguese sailors dubbed the island Ilha Formosa — 'beautiful island' — in 1517. These centuries established the island's indigenous cultural foundations before European colonial ambitions arrived.
European Colonial Era
1624 – 1661
The Dutch East India Company established a colonial administration in southern Taiwan in 1624, using the island as a trading hub linking Japan and the China coast. Spain simultaneously occupied the northwest coast from 1626 until the Dutch expelled them in 1642. Dutch rule accelerated the first major wave of Han Chinese migration from the mainland, driven by chaos during the collapse of the Ming Dynasty.
Koxinga & Qing Rule
1661 – 1895
Ming loyalist Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) expelled the Dutch in 1661 and used Taiwan as a base to resist Manchu rule, though his heirs submitted to the Qing Dynasty in 1683. The Qing administered Taiwan as a prefecture and elevated it to a full province in 1887, while steady migration from Fujian and Guangdong transformed the island into a predominantly Han Chinese society. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 following China's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War.
Japanese Colonial Period
1895 – 1945
Japan governed Taiwan for fifty years under the Treaty of Shimonoseki, investing heavily in infrastructure, agriculture, and industrial development while enforcing cultural assimilation through compulsory Japanese education and the adoption of Japanese names. Resistance movements were suppressed, and aboriginal communities faced particularly harsh policies. Despite its exploitative character, Japanese colonial rule laid economic foundations that would later support Taiwan's rapid industrialization.
KMT Rule & Authoritarian Era
1945 – 1987
Taiwan reverted to Nationalist Chinese (KMT) control in 1945, but early governance was marred by repression culminating in the brutal suppression of the February 28, 1947 uprising, in which thousands were killed. Following the Communist victory on the mainland, Chiang Kai-shek relocated the Republic of China government to Taipei in 1949 with two million refugees. The KMT ruled under martial law from 1949 to 1987, while simultaneously executing land reforms and steering Taiwan toward becoming one of Asia's foremost export-driven economies.
Democratization & Modern Taiwan
1987 – present
The lifting of martial law in 1987 inaugurated a sweeping democratic transition; Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996, and in 2000 a peaceful transfer of power to the Democratic Progressive Party marked the consolidation of multiparty democracy. Taiwan emerged as one of East Asia's economic 'Tigers,' a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing and technology. Cross-strait relations with the People's Republic of China remain the defining geopolitical tension, with questions of sovereignty and potential unification unresolved.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1517
Portuguese sailors named Ilha Formosa (beautiful island), later known as Taiwan.
Portuguese sailors named Ilha Formosa (beautiful island), later known as Taiwan.
1624
The Dutch colonize the south of Formosa.
The Dutch colonize the south of Formosa.
1626
The Spanish colonize northern Taiwan.
The Spanish colonize northern Taiwan.
1661
Chinese Ming dynasty occupied Taiwan.
Chinese Ming dynasty occupied Taiwan.
1683
The Manchus (Tartars) conquer Taiwan which becomes part of the Chinese empire.
The Manchus (Tartars) conquer Taiwan which becomes part of the Chinese empire.
1884
French forces lead by Admiral Coubert invade northern Taiwan.
French forces lead by Admiral Coubert invade northern Taiwan.
1895
China cedes Taiwan to Japan.
China ceded Taiwan to Japan under the Apr 17 Treaty of Shimonoseki. This followed a war over control of the Korean peninsula. Japanese occupation ended in 1945.