Taipei (Taibei) city (state capital), economy - - Pictures
As Taipei's economy has grown and diversified during the 20th century, the importance of agriculture has diminished. Once a chief contributor to the local economy, agriculture now accounts for less than 2 percent of the employed population. Manufacturing and services are now the major economic activities. Approximately 1 in 5 employed people in Taipei work in manufacturing, producing such goods as textiles, wood and metal products, machinery, electronics, food products, and chemicals. The central government seeks to maintain Taipei's importance as Taiwan's major industrial center. The government is promoting the development of light and precision industries in Taipei's Neihu district and a software industry in suburban Nankang. The service sector dominates Taipei's economy, employing nearly 3 of every 4 working people. Most service employees work in trade activities, though business and personal services are also important. Transportation services employ a lesser number of people. In addition to Taipei's formal employment, some people work in the informal sector as unlicensed street vendors and in illegal factories.
Taipei is Taiwan's chief transportation center. The main domestic airport, Sungshan, is located northeast of Taipei's old central business district. A superhighway connects the city with Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in T'aoyuan County, 72 km (45 mi) to the southwest. To help lessen the city's acute traffic congestion, the railroad in Taipei was partially reconstructed underground to open more roads. Other transportation facilities include the Mass Rapid Transit System (first opened in the early 1990s), elevated highways, and the Sun Yat-sen Freeway. When completed, the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System is expected to service more than half the city's daily commuters.
