Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Taiwan

Administrative divisions since 2014

Taipei

New Taipei

Keelung

Taoyuan

Hsinchu County

Hsinchu

Miaoli

Taichung

Changhua

Penghu

Nantou

Yunlin

Chiayi County

Chiayi

Tainan

Kaohsiung

Pingtung

Yilan

Hualien

Taitung

Taiwan Province

Kinmen

Lienchiang (Matsu)

Fukien Province

According to the 1947 constitution, written and promulgated whilst the ROC government still controlled mainland China, the territory of the ROC consisted of provinces, special municipalities, special administrative regions and autonomous regions (Mongolia and Tibet), which were given extremely high levels of autonomy.^[193] According to the Executive Yuan in 2012, Mongolia was already recognized by Republic of China as an independent country when the constitution was announced in 1946.^[194]
When the ROC retreated to Taiwan in 1949, its claimed territory consisted of 35 provinces, 12 special municipalities, 1 special administrative region and 2 autonomous regions. However, since its retreat, the ROC has controlled only Taiwan Province and some islands of Fujian Province. The ROC also controls the Pratas Islands and Taiping Island in the Spratly Islands, which are part of the disputed South China Sea Islands. They were placed under Kaohsiung administration after the retreat to Taiwan.^[195]
Since 1949, the government has made some changes in the area under its control. Taipei became a special municipality in 1967 and Kaohsiung in 1979. The two provincial governments were "streamlined", with their functions transferred to the central government (Fujian in 1956 and Taiwan in 1998).^[196] In 2010, New Taipei, Taichung and Tainan were upgraded to special municipalities. And in 2014, Taoyuan County was also u