Geography of Taiwan

"Formosa" redirects here. For other uses, seeFormosa (disambiguation).

Geography of Taiwan

Taiwan is mostly mountainous in the east, with gently sloping plains in the west. ThePenghu Islandsappear in the Taiwan Strait to the west of the main island.
Region	East Asia
Area	Ranked 138
• Total	36,197 km2(13,976 sq mi)
• Land	89.7%
• Water	10.3%
Coastline	1,566.3 km (973.3 mi)
Highest point	Yu Shan,3,952 m (12,966 ft)
Climate	Tropical marine
Natural resources	Small deposits ofcoal,natural gas,limestone,marble,asbestos,arable land,rice
Environmental issues	Air pollution,water pollutionfrom industrial emissions andraw sewage,contamination of drinking water,trade in endangered species,low-level radioactive wastedisposal
Exclusive economic zone	83,231 km2(32,136 sq mi)

Taiwan
Traditional Chinese	Đài loanorĐài loan
Simplified Chinese	Đài loan
Postal	Taiwan
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Táiwān Bopomofo ㄊㄞˊ ㄨㄢ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Tair'uan Wade–Giles T'ai2-wan1 Tongyong Pinyin Táiwan MPS2 Táiwān IPA [tʰǎɪ.wán] Wu Romanization Wu Chinese pronunciation:[d̥euɛ] Hakka Romanization Thòi-vàn Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Toi4Waan1 IPA [tʰɔj˩ wan˥] Southern Min HokkienPOJ Tâi-oân Tâi-lô Tâi-uân Eastern Min FuzhouBUC Dài-uăng

Taiwan,officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country inEast Asia.Theisland of Taiwan,formerly known asFormosa,makes up 99% of the land area of the territories under ROC control. The main island is 35,808 square kilometres (13,826 sq mi) and lies some 180 kilometres (112 mi) across theTaiwan Straitfrom the southeastern coast of thePeople's Republic of China(PRC). TheEast China Sealies to the north of the island, thePhilippine Seato its east, theLuzon Straitdirectly to its south and theSouth China Seato its southwest. The ROC also controls a number ofsmaller islands,including thePenghuarchipelago in the Taiwan Strait, theKinmenandMatsu IslandsinFuchiennear the PRC's coast, and some of theSouth China Sea Islands.

Geologically, the main island comprises a tiltedfault block,characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirds, consisting mostly of five rugged mountain ranges running parallel to the east coast, and the flat to gently rolling plains of the western third, where the majority of the population resides. Several peaks exceed 3,500 m in height - the highest,Yu Shanat 3,952 m (12,966 ft), makes Taiwan the world'sfourth-highest island.Thetectonicboundary that formed these ranges remains active, and the island experiences many earthquakes, some of them highly destructive. There are also manyactivesubmarine volcanoesin the Taiwan Straits.

The climate ranges fromtropicalin the south tosubtropicalin the north, and is governed by theEast Asian Monsoon.On average, fourtyphoonsstrike the main island each year. The heavily forested eastern mountains provide a habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, while humanland usein the western and northern lowlands is intensive.

Physical boundaries

For a more comprehensive list, seeList of islands of Taiwan.

The total land area of Taiwan is 36,197 km²(13,976 sq mi),slightly larger thanBelgium.It has a coastline of 1,566.3 km (973.3 mi).The ROC claims anexclusive economic zoneof 83,231 km²(32,136 sq mi) with 200nmi(370.4 km; 230.2 mi) and a territorial sea of 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi).

The island of Taiwan, the largest of the archipelago, was known in the West until afterWorld War IIasFormosa,from thePortugueseIlha Formosa([ˌiʎɐfuɾˈmɔzɐ]), "beautiful island".It is 394 km (245 mi) long and 144 km (89 mi) wide,and has an area of 35,808 km²(13,826 sq mi).The northernmost point of the island isCape FuguiinNew Taipei'sShimen District.Thecentral point of the islandis inPuli Township,Nantou County.The southernmost point on the island isCape EluanbiinHengchun Township,Pingtung County.

The main island is separated from the southeast coast ofmainland Chinaby theTaiwan Strait,which ranges from 220 km (140 mi) at its widest point to 130 km (81 mi) at its narrowest. Part of the continental shelf, the Strait is no more than 100 m (330 ft) deep, and has become a land bridge duringglacial periods.Niushan Islandin Nanlai village, Aoqian town, Pingtan County, Fuzhou, Fujian is the closest China (PRC)-administered island to the main island.

To the south, the main island is separated from thePhilippineisland ofLuzonby the 250 km (155 mi)-wideLuzon Strait.TheSouth China Sealies to the southwest, theEast China Seato the north, and thePhilippine Seato the east.

Smaller islands of the archipelago include thePenghu islandsin the Taiwan Strait 50 km (31 mi) west of the main island, with an area of 127 km²(49 sq mi), the tiny islet ofXiaoliuqiuoff the southwest coast, andOrchid IslandandGreen Islandto the southeast, separated from the northernmost islands of the Philippines by theBashi Channel.The islands ofKinmenandMatsunear the coast ofFujianacross theTaiwan Straithave a total area of 180 km²(69 sq mi);thePratasandTaipingislets in the South China Sea are also administered by the ROC, but are not part of the Taiwanese archipelago.

Geology

Main article:Geology of Taiwan

See also:Taiwanese hot springsandList of volcanoes in Taiwan

Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Philippine Plate.

The island of Taiwan was formed approximately 4 to 5 million years ago at a complexconvergent boundarybetween thePhilippine Sea Plateand theEurasian Plate.In a boundary running the length of the island and continuing southwards in theLuzon Volcanic Arc(includingGreen IslandandOrchid Island), the Eurasian Plate is sliding under the Philippine Sea Plate.

Most of the island comprises a hugefault blocktilted to the west. The western part of the island, and much of the central range, consists of sedimentary deposits scraped from the descending edge of the Eurasian Plate. In the northeast of the island, and continuing eastwards in theRyukyuVolcanic Arc, the Philippine Sea Plate slides under the Eurasian Plate.

The tectonic boundary remains active, and Taiwan experiences 15,000 to 18,000 earthquakes each year, of which 800 to 1,000 are noticed by people. The most catastrophic recent earthquake was the magnitude-7.3Chi-Chi earthquake,which occurred in the centre of Taiwan on 21 September 1999, killing more than 2,400 people.On 4 March 2010 at about 01:20 UTC,a magnitude 6.4 earthquakehit southwestern Taiwan in the mountainous area ofKaohsiung County. Another major earthquakeoccurred on 6 February 2016, with a magnitude of 6.4. Tainan was damaged the most, with 117 deaths, most of them caused by the collapse of a 17-story apartment building.

Terrain

See also:List of mountains in TaiwanandList of rivers of Taiwan

Arelief mapof Taiwan

The terrain in Taiwan is divided into two parts: the flat to gently rolling plains in the west, where 90% of the population lives, and the mostly rugged forest-covered mountains in the eastern two-thirds.

The eastern part of the island is dominated by five mountain ranges, each running from north-northeast to south-southwest, roughly parallel to the east coast of the island. As a group, they extend 330 km (210 mi) from north to south and average about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from east to west. They include more than two hundred peaks with elevations of over 3,000 m (9,800 ft).

TheCentral Mountain Rangeextends fromSu'aoin the northeast toEluanbiat the southern tip of the island, forming a ridge of high mountains and serving as the island's principal watershed. The mountains are predominantly composed of hard rock formations resistant to weathering and erosion, although heavy rainfall has deeply scarred the sides with gorges and sharp valleys. The relative relief of the terrain is usually extensive, and the forest-clad mountains with their extreme ruggedness are almost impenetrable. The east side of the Central Mountain Range is the steepest mountain slope in Taiwan, with fault scarps ranging in height from 120 to 1,200 m (390 to 3,900 ft).Taroko National Park,on the steep eastern side of the range, has good examples of mountainous terrain, gorges anderosioncaused by a swiftly flowing river.

TheEast Coast Mountain Rangeextends down the east coast of the island from the mouth of theHualien Riverin the north toTaitung Countyin the south, and chiefly consist of sandstone and shale. It is separated from the Central Range by the narrowHuatung Valley,at an altitude of 120 m (390 ft). Although Hsinkangshan ( tân cảng sơn ), the highest peak, reaches an elevation of 1,682 m (5,518 ft), most of the range is composed of large hills. Small streams have developed on the flanks, but only one large river cuts across the range. Badlands are located at the western foot of the range, where the ground water level is the lowest and rock formations are the least resistant to weathering. Raised coral reefs along the east coast and the frequent occurrences of earthquakes in the rift valley indicate that the fault block is still rising.

The ranges to the west of the Central range are divided into two groups separated by theSun Moon LakeBasin in the centre of the island. TheDaduandZhuoshui Riversflow from the western slopes of the Central Range through the basin to the west coast of the island.

TheXueshan Rangelies to the northwest of the Central Mountain Range, beginning atSandiaojiao,the northeast tip of the island, and gaining elevation as it extends southwest towardsNantou County.Xueshan,the main peak, is 3,886 m (12,749 ft) high.

TheSanguang Riverin northwestern Taiwan

TheYushan Rangeruns along the southwestern flank of the Central Range. It includes the island's tallest peak, the 3,952 m (12,966 ft)Yu Shan('Jade Mountain')which makes Taiwan the world'sfourth-highest island,and is the highest point in the western Pacific region outside of theKamchatka Peninsula,New Guinea HighlandsandMount Kinabalu.

TheAlishan Rangelies west of the Yushan Range, across the valley of the south-flowingKaoping River.The range has major elevations between 1,000 and 2,000 m (3,300 and 6,600 ft). The main peak, Data Mountain ( đại tháp sơn ), towers 2,663 m (8,737 ft).

Below the western foothills of the ranges, such as theHsinchu Hillsand theMiaoli Hills,lie raisedterracesformed of material eroded from the ranges. These include theLinkou Plateau,theTaoyuan Plateauand theDadu Plateau.About 23% of Taiwan's land area consists of fertilealluvial plainsandbasinswatered by rivers running from the eastern mountains. Over half of this land lies in theChianan Plainin southwest Taiwan, with lesser areas in thePingtung Plain,Taichung BasinandTaipei Basin.The only sizable plain on the east coast is theYilan Plainin the northeast.

Climate

Köppen climate classification of Taiwan

The island of Taiwan lies across theTropic of Cancer,and its climate is influenced by theEast Asian Monsoon.Northern Taiwan has ahumid subtropical climate,with substantial seasonal variation of temperatures, while parts of central and most of southern Taiwan have atropical monsoon climatewhere seasonal temperature variations are less noticeable, with temperatures typically varying from warm to hot. During the winter (November to March), the northeast experiences steady rain, while the central and southern parts of the island are mostly sunny. The summer monsoon (from May to October) accounts for 90% of the annual precipitation in the south, but only 60% in the north.The average rainfall is approximately 2,600 mm per year.

Taipei(Northern Taiwan) Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 83 19 14 170 20 14 180 22 16 178 26 19 235 29 22 326 32 25 245 34 26 322 34 26 361 31 25 149 28 22 83 24 19 73 21 16 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █Precipitation totals in mm Source:Central Weather Bureau Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 3.3 66 57 6.7 67 58 7.1 72 60 7 78 66 9.2 85 72 13 90 76 9.6 94 79 13 93 79 14 88 77 5.9 82 72 3.3 76 67 2.9 69 60 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █Precipitation totals in inches Taichung(Central Taiwan) Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 36 22 13 88 22 14 94 25 16 135 28 20 225 30 23 343 32 24 246 33 25 317 33 25 98 32 24 16 30 22 19 27 18 26 24 14 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █Precipitation totals in mm Source:Central Weather Bureau Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 1.4 72 55 3.5 72 57 3.7 76 61 5.3 82 67 8.9 86 73 13 89 76 9.7 91 77 12 91 77 3.9 89 75 0.6 86 71 0.7 81 65 1 74 58 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █Precipitation totals in inches Kaohsiung(Southern Taiwan) Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 16 24 16 21 25 17 39 27 19 70 29 22 197 31 25 415 32 26 391 32 26 417 32 26 242 31 26 43 30 24 19 28 21 16 25 17 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █Precipitation totals in mm Source:Central Weather Bureau Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 0.6 75 60 0.8 76 62 1.5 80 67 2.7 84 72 7.8 87 77 16 89 79 15 90 80 16 89 79 9.5 89 78 1.7 86 75 0.7 82 70 0.6 77 63 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █Precipitation totals in inches Taitung(Eastern Taiwan) Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 43 23 17 48 24 17 43 25 19 74 28 21 157 30 23 248 31 25 281 32 26 308 32 26 299 31 25 236 29 23 78 27 21 42 24 18 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █Precipitation totals in mm Source:Central Weather Bureau Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 1.7 73 63 1.9 75 63 1.7 77 66 2.9 82 70 6.2 86 73 9.8 88 77 11 90 79 12 90 79 12 88 77 9.3 84 73 3.1 81 70 1.7 75 64 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █Precipitation totals in inches

Typhoonsare most likely to strike between July and October, with on average about four direct hits per year. Intensive rain from typhoons often leads to disastrous mudslides.

Records

Area	Max. temperature		Date	Earliest recording
	°C	°F
Taipei City	39.3	102.7	8 August 2013	1896
Kaohsiung City	37.6	99.7	15 September 2014	1932
Taitung County	40.2	104.4	9 May 2004
Taoyuan City	37.9	100.2	15 September 2014

Climate change

This section is an excerpt fromClimate change in Taiwan.[edit]

Climate change in Taiwanhas caused temperatures inTaiwanto rise by 1.4 degrees Celsius the last 100 years.The sea around Taiwan is to rise at twice the rate of the globalsea level rise.The government pledged to reduceemissionsby 20% in 2030 and 50% in 2050, compared to 2005 levels.

Flora and fauna

See also:List of endemic species of TaiwanandList of national parks in Taiwan

Before extensive human settlement, the vegetation on Taiwan ranged fromtropical rainforestin the lowlands throughtemperate forests,boreal forestandalpine plantswith increasing altitude. Most of the plains and low-lying hills of the west and north of the island have been cleared for agricultural use since the arrival of theChineseimmigrants during the 17th and 18th century. However the mountain forests are very diverse, with severalendemicspecies such asFormosan cypress(Chamaecyparis formosensis) andTaiwan fir(Abies kawakamii), while the camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) was once also widespread at lower altitudes.

Formosan serow

Taiwan is a centre of birdendemism(seeList of endemic birds of Taiwan).

Before the country'sindustrialization,the mountainous areas held several endemic animal species and subspecies, such as theSwinhoe's pheasant(Lophura swinhoii),Taiwan blue magpie(Urocissa caerulea), theFormosan sika deer(Cervus nippon taiwanensisorCervus nippon taiouanus) and theFormosan landlocked salmon(Oncorhynchus masou formosanus). A few of these are nowextinct,and many others have been designatedendangered species.

Taiwan has 65 species of fireflies, the third highest density after Jamaica and Costa Rica. Fireflies are protected and their numbers are increasing, but they are threatened by climate change in the long term.

Taiwan had relatively fewcarnivores,11 species in total, of which theFormosan clouded leopardis likely extinct and theotterrestricted toKinmen island.The largest carnivore is theFormosan black bear(Selanarctos thibetanus formosanus), a rare and endangered species.

Nine national parks in Taiwan showcase the archipelago's diverse terrain, flora and fauna.Kenting National Parkon the southern tip of Taiwan containsupliftedcoral reefs,moist tropical forestand marine ecosystems.Yushan National Parkhas alpine terrain, mountain ecology, forest types that vary with altitude, and remains of ancient roads.YangmingshanNational Park has volcanic geology, hot springs, waterfalls, and forest.Taroko National Parkhas a marble canyon, cliff, and fold mountains.Shei-Pa National Parkhas alpine ecosystems, geological terrain, and valley streams.Kinmen National Parkhas lakes, wetlands, coastal topography, flora and fauna-shaped island.Dongsha Atoll National Parkhas the Pratas reef atolls for integrity, a unique marine ecology, and biodiversity, and is a key habitat for the marine resources of the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

Natural resources

Taiwan fir (Abies kawakamii)

Natural resources on the islands include small deposits ofgold,copper,coal,natural gas,limestone,marble,andasbestos.The island is 55% forest and woodland (mostly on the mountains) and 24% arable land (mostly on the plains), with 15% going to other purposes. 5% is permanentpastureand 1% is permanent crops.

Because of the intensiveexploitationthroughoutTaiwan's pre-modern and modern history,the island's mineral resources (e.g. coal, gold, marble), as well as wild animal reserves (e.g. deer), have been virtually exhausted. Moreover, much ofTaiwan's forestry resources,especiallyfirswere harvested duringJapanese rulefor the construction ofshrinesand have only recovered slightly since then. To this day, forests do not contribute to significant timber production mainly because of concerns about production costs and environmental regulations.

Agriculture

Main article:Agriculture in Taiwan

The few natural resources with significant economic value remaining in Taiwan are agriculture-associated.Sugarcaneandricehave been cultivated in western Taiwan since the 17th century.Camphorextraction and sugar refining played an important role in Taiwan's exports from the late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century.The importance of these industries declined mainly due to the reduction of international demand rather than the exhaustion of related natural resources.

Domestic agriculture (rice being the dominant kind of crop) andfisheriesretain some importance. Still, they have been greatly challenged by foreign imports since Taiwan's accession to theWorld Trade Organizationin 2002. Consequently, upon the decline of subsistence, Taiwan's agriculture now relies heavily on the marketing and export of specialty crops, such asbananas,guavas,lychees,bell fruits,andhigh-mountain tea.

Energy resources

Main article:Energy in Taiwan

Wind turbinesinTaichung

Taiwan has significant coal deposits and some insignificantpetroleumandnatural gasdeposits. As of 2010,oilaccounts for 49.0% of the total energy consumption.Coalcomes next with 32.1%, followed bynuclear energywith 8.3%,natural gas(indigenous and liquefied) with 10.2%, and energy from renewable sources with 0.5%. Taiwan hassix nuclear reactorsand two under construction.Nearly all oil and gas for transportation and power needs must be imported, making Taiwan particularly sensitive to fluctuations in energy prices. Taiwan is rich inwind energyresources, with wind farms both onshore and offshore, though limited land area favours offshore wind resources.By promoting renewable energy, Taiwan's government hopes to also aid the nascent renewable energy manufacturing industry, and develop it into an export market.

Human geography

See also:Demographics of Taiwan,List of metropolitan areas in Taiwan,andHistory of Taiwan

Population density map of Taiwan

Taiwan has a population of over 23 million, the vast majority of whom live in the lowlands near the western coast of the island. The island is highly urbanized, with nearly 9 million people living in theTaipei–Keelung–Taoyuan metropolitan areaat the northern end, and over 2 million each in the urban areas ofKaohsiungandTaichung.

Taiwanese indigenous peoplescomprise approximately 2% of the population, and now mostly live in the mountainous eastern part of the island.Most scholars believe their ancestors arrived in Taiwan by sea between 4000 and 3000 BC, most likely from southeastern China.

Han Chinesemake up over 95% of the population.Immigrants from southernFujianbegan to farm the area around modern Tainan and Kaohsiung from the 17th century, later spreading across the western and northern plains and absorbing the indigenous population of those areas.Hakka peoplefrom easternGuangdongarrived later and settled the foothills further inland, but the rugged uplands of the eastern half of the island remained the exclusive preserve of the indigenous peoples until the early 20th century.A further 1.2 million people from throughout China entered Taiwan at the end of theChinese Civil Warin 1949.

Environmental issues

See also:Air pollution in Taiwan

Motor scootersare a very common means of transportation in Taiwan and contribute to urban air pollution.

Some areas in Taiwan with high population density and many factories are affected by heavy pollution. The most notable areas are the southern suburbs of Taipei and the western stretch from Tainan to Lin Yuan, south of Kaohsiung. By the late 20th century, Taipei suffered from extensive vehicle and factoryair pollution,but after the government required mandatory use of unleaded petrol and established theEnvironmental Protection Administrationin 1987 to regulate air quality, the air quality of Taiwan has improved dramatically.Motor scooters,especially older or cheapertwo-strokeversions, which are ubiquitous in Taiwan, contribute disproportionately to urban air pollution.The Taichung Power Plant also contributes significantly to air pollution, producing more CO₂than the country of Switzerland.

Other environmental issues includewater pollutionfrom industrial emissions andraw sewage,contamination of drinking watersupplies,trade in endangered species,andlow-level radioactive wastedisposal.Though regulation of sulfate aerosol emissions from petroleum combustion is becoming stringent,acid rainremains a threat to the health of residents and forests. Atmospheric scientists in Taiwan estimate that more than half of the pollutants causing Taiwan's acid rain are carried from China by monsoon winds.

Taiwan historically had a serious problem with the illegal dumping of household and industrial waste which became so severe that Taiwan was known as "garbage island." This high level of pollution led to civil and government action, by 2022 the recycling rate was one of the highest in the world at 55%. Community activism was key to this change along with innovations such as garbage trucks which play music.

Illegal extraction by Chinesesand dredgingvessels has caused significant damage to the marine environment of Taiwan's outlying areas. The Taiwan Banks are a particularly hard hit target.Bottom trawlingis a controversial practice due to the environmental damage it causes. Bottom trawlers with a tonnage under 50 are restricted from trawling within 5km of shore and those over 50 tons are restricted from trawling within 12km of shore.In 2023 the maximum penalty for ocean pollution was raised from US$48,820 to US$3.25 million.

References

Works cited

• The Republic of China Yearbook 2014(PDF).Taipei:Executive Yuan,R.O.C. 2014.ISBN978-986-04-2302-0.Archived(PDF)from the original on 20 August 2017.Retrieved11 June2016.

External links

• Taiwan datums,Open Source Geospatial Foundation Wiki
• National Parks of Taiwan,Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan (ROC)
• Taiwan Pass,Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and communications, Taiwan (ROC)
• Geographic data related toGeography of TaiwanatOpenStreetMap