A. Social and Economic Background:

---People's lives experienced universal improvement; per capita GNP rose considerably and reached US$2,344 in 1980.

---Apart from 1975, when the unemployment rate reached 2.59% due to the oil crisis and international recession, unemployment consistently stayed below 2%.

---Since people born around 1950 reached childbearing age during this decade, the population growth rate rebounded to 2.59% before dropping again to 2.34% in 1980.

---Education became more universal and 99.1% of school-age children attended elementary school. The rate of illiteracy among those at least 15 years old dropped to 13.3%. High school and vocational school graduates made up 21% of the population, and those with higher education made up 9.6%.

---Those 0-14 years old constituted 32.4% and those 65 years and older made up 4.2% of the population in 1980.

B. Food

---People began eating more high-quality foodstuffs.

C. Clothing

---Washing machines (single tank) came into use and wool, rayon, synthetic blends (TC, TR, CVC), and blended synthetic knit fabrics were commonly used in clothing.

D. Housing

1. Urban housing:

---Elevator-equipped apartment buildings of seven stories or higher made their appearance. More and more buildings were constructed around a steel framework. Modern kitchens and bathroom facilities became common.

---The use of household electrical appliances became universal, and vacuum cleaners and electric ovens came into use.

---The average residential floor space was 15.3 square meters per person, and the average number of bedrooms per person was 0.66 (1980).

2. Rural housing:

---Western-style houses increased and traditional houses decreased in number. Use of brick and reinforcing steel became more common, as did modern sanitation facilities. Use of gas as a fuel became universal.

---Electricity and running water became more widespread; refrigerators, televisions, and washing machines gradually increased in number.

---The population density in the three metropolitan areas of Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung increased greatly. Approximately 60% of the total population lived in urban areas (1971). Environmental consciousness gradually took hold and more importance came to be placed on the problems of air pollution, water pollution, and solid waste disposal.

E. Education

---The number of junior college students rose.

---Semi-automated lathes and milling machines are installed in vocational high schools Elementary and middle school facilities are renovated; students' lives become less monotonous.

F. Entertainment

---Color television sets and stereo equipment become common; popular music flourishes.

---As people's incomes soar, the pursuit of a leisure lifestyle becomes steadily more important. The ability to travel for sightseeing becomes an indicator of people's quality of life. Domestic and foreign travel both take on greater importance.

---After R.O.C. citizens are first allowed to engage in overseas tourism in 1979, 1.22% of the entire population travels overseas for sightseeing in 1980.

---The government lists the promotion of culture among its twelve national development programs. Cultural centers are established in all of Taiwan's counties and cities and begin offering a range of cultural and artistic activities.

---Besides developing high-quality scenic areas and forest recreation areas, the government also establishes the legal status of the national park system and performs research and planning in order to expand the number of sightseeing and travel options.

G. Health Care

---A program is implemented to prevent infection by parasites (including tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms).

---There are 6.7 physicians and 22.4 hospital beds for every 10,000 people in 1980.