Taiwan

I

Introduction

Taiwan, island in East Asia. Taiwan is bordered on the west by the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island from mainland China, on the north by the East China Sea, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south by the South China Sea. The government on Taiwan also administers the P’enghu Islands (Pescadores), the Chinmen Islands (Quemoy Islands) offshore from the mainland city of Xiamen, and the Matsu Islands offshore from Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province.

The government that administers Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China. Leaders of the government moved to the island from the Chinese mainland in 1949, when Communist armies gained control of the mainland and established the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The government on Taiwan recognizes the mainland city of Nanjing (spelled Nanking in Taiwan) as its official capital, and designates Taiwan’s largest city of Taipei as its temporary capital. The PRC does not recognize the government on Taiwan and considers the island a renegade province. Taiwan recognizes that the Communist government rules the Chinese mainland while the republican government rules Taiwan.

II

Land and Resources of Taiwan

The total area of the islands administered by the government on Taiwan is about 36,000 sq km (about 13,900 sq mi). Taiwan Island accounts for about 98 percent of this. The island is shaped like a tobacco leaf, extending about 390 km (about 240 mi) from its stem in the south to its northern tip. At its widest east-west point, the island extends about 140 km (about 90 mi). P’enghu, the largest of the P’enghu Islands, constitutes approximately half the group’s total area of about 130 sq km (about 50 sq mi). The 12 small Chinmen Islands cover a total area of about 150 sq km (about 60 sq mi). The Matsu Islands, situated northwest of Taiwan Island outside the mouth of the Min River, consist of a small main island and several smaller islands. The main island has a total area of about 12 sq km (about 5 sq mi). Although administered by the government on Taiwan, the Matsu and Chinmen islands are officially part of Fujian Province.

Located about 1,800 km (about 1,100 mi) southwest of Taiwan in the South China Sea, the Spratly Islands are claimed by Taiwan, mainland China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines. A contingent of Taiwan’s Marine Corps is stationed on Itu Aba (called T’aip’ing Island in Taiwan) at the center of the group.

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Taiwan Island’s most distinct land feature is its Chungyang Range, covering about half the total land area. The mountains extend over the island’s entire north-south length and reach a maximum elevation of 3,997 m (13,114 ft) at Yü Shan (Mount Jade). East of this central chain the land is rugged, terminating at precipitous cliffs that rise as high as 760 m (2,500 ft) from the Pacific Ocean. To the west, a broad, fertile plain and a series of connected basins slope gently to the shallow Taiwan Strait.

A

Rivers and Lakes

All Taiwan’s rivers originate in the mountains and have short, rapid courses. The Tanshui is the only navigable stream. Taiwan’s longest river is the 186-km (116-mi) Choshui. It is also the most heavily tapped for hydroelectricity. Other rivers include the Taan, Tachia, Tatu, Kaop’ing, and Tsengwen. Among Taiwan’s lakes are Sun Moon Lake, a popular resort in the foothills of the Chungyang Range, and Coral Lake northeast of T’ainan.

B

Plant and Animal Life

Taiwan has about 3,800 plant species, which vary by elevation. Between sea level and 2,000 m (6,500 ft), tropical and subtropical forests predominate. Deciduous and coniferous trees grow in the mountains between 2,000 and 3,000 m (6,500 and 10,000 ft). Above this level only coniferous forests are found, mainly cypress. Taiwan is home to the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center, which opened in 2008 for the conservation of rare and endangered tropical plant species from around the world. Animal life in Taiwan includes deer, wild boars, bears, monkeys, wildcats, panthers, and snakes. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (also known as the Chinese white dolphin) is found in the waters of Taiwan’s west coast.

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