Cars, motorbikes outnumber the population in Taiwan

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) The number of registered motor vehicles -- including motorcycles, trucks, coaches, and specially built vehicles -- had exceeded 23.357 million units in Taiwan by the end of May, surpassing the total population, government statistics showed.

According to Highway Bureau statistics, there were a total of 23,357,381 registered motor vehicles across Taiwan at the end of May, marking an increase of 5,200 units from a month earlier.

Meanwhile, data from the Ministry of the Interior indicated that at the end of May, Taiwan had a population totaling 23,355,470, a year-on-year decline of 58,138.

The information indicates that, by the end of May, the number of vehicles had officially surpassed the total population of Taiwan by 1,911.

Citing analysis from the Highway Bureau, the Chinese-language newspaper China Times -- one of Taiwan's three largest print dailies -- attributed the phenomenon to the unrestricted number of motor vehicles that individuals, businesses, or government agencies can register in the country.

The bureau was cited as saying in the report published on Sunday that with overall improvements in living standards in Taiwan, some people may own both a car and a motorcycle to suit different purposes.

They may use motorcycles for daily commuting and cars during weekends or for long-distance travel, the bureau said.

It added that the trend of one person owning multiple vehicles reflected changes in Taiwanese people's transportation patterns and lifestyles, according to the report.