Since the end of World War II Taipei has undergone dramatic changes affecting the cultural , demographic, physical, political and socio-economic structure. These changes, from 1949 to 1992, are described, and explained using both official government statistics and unpublished reports, Taiwanese and Western research, and field notes taken by the author over twenty years. Tapei highlights two major problems government planners and politicians face if they are to ensure the city retains its regional and world importance, namely land constraints and respect for the rule of the law.