FACTBOX: Taiwan's 24 diplomatic allies

(Reuters) - Central America’s Costa Rica has switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister announced on Thursday, in the latest blow for the island that China claims as a renegade province.

Under the “One China” policy, Beijing insists that nations cannot have official relations with both China and Taiwan, which split after a 1949 civil war. Most now recognize China rather than Taiwan, which left the United Nations when China was admitted in 1971.

Here is a list of Taiwan’s remaining 24 allies:

SOUTH PACIFIC (6)

Republic of the Marshall Islands

Republic of Nauru

Republic of Palau

Republic of Kiribati

Solomon Islands

Tuvalu

NOTE: Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry dropped Republic of Vanuatu from the list after the island nation established formal ties with China, even though Vanuatu did not formally break off ties with Taiwan.

AFRICA (5)

Burkina Faso

Republic of the Gambia

Republic of Malawi

Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Kingdom of Swaziland

EUROPE (1)

Vatican

LATIN AMERICA (12)

Belize

Dominican Republic

Republic of El Salvador

Republic of Guatemala

Republic of Haiti

Republic of Honduras

Republic of Nicaragua

Republic of Panama

Republic of Paraguay

Saint Christoper and Nevis

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Lucia (resumption on April 30, 2007)

Source: Reuters