Area: 36,000 square kilo meters
Population: 23million
Capital: Taipei City
Taiwan's total land area is only about 36,000 square kilometers; it is shaped like a tobacco leaf that is narrow at both ends. It lies off the southeastern coast of mainland Asia, across the Taiwan Strait from Mainland China-- a solitary island on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. To the north lies Japan; to the south is the Philippines. Many airlines fly to Taiwan, helping make it the perfect travel destination.
Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of fire," and continuous tectonic movements have created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines, and other wonders. Taiwan's tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate climates provide clear differentiation between the different seasons. There are about 18,400 species of wildlife on the island, with more than 20% belonging to rare or endangered species. Among these are the land-locked salmon, Taiwan mountain goat, Formosan rock monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, Mikado pheasant, Hsuehshan grass lizard, and many more.
The government has established 7 national parks and 13 national scenic areas to preserve Taiwan's best natural ecological environment and cultural sites. Take a hike in the splendor and sheer heights of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; take a ride on the Alishan train--one of only three mountain railways in the world--and experience the breathtaking sunrise and sea of clouds; hike up to the summit of Northeast Asia's highest peak, Jade Mountain. You can also soak up the sun in Kending, Asia's version of Hawaii; stand at the edge of Sun Moon Lake; traipse through the East Rift Valley; or visit the offshore islands of Kinmen and Penghu. It's fun in capital letters as well as an awesome journey of natural discovery!
The cultural aspects are also not to be missed. The blending of Hakka, Taiwanese,indigenous people and mainland Chinese cultures has produced a rich plethora of cultural and social color. Whether it is religion, architecture, language, living habits, or food, it's just one big exciting melting pot! Food is the best representative of this cultural mixing and matching. Aside from cuisines from different parts of the mainland such as Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Shanghai, Beijing, Sichuan, and others, there is also the local Taiwanese cuisine as well as the local delicacies of each area.
Taiwan's international flights are well developed and there are two international airports, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport. Thirty-four Airlines fly to 56 major cities around the world from Taiwan, and the average flight time from Taiwan to major cities in the Asia-Pacific region is only two-and-a-half hours. A direct flight from the West Coast of the U.S. to Taiwan takes only 12 hours, and flights are frequent.
Keelung, Kaohsiung, and Hualien are the main international ports for passenger liners. All and all, Taiwan, in sharp contrast to most countries in the Asia-Pacific Region, is equipped with all the necessary basic facilities and a convenient transportation network, enabling easy and relaxed traveling.
Taiwan is known for its towering mountains, and is reputable as a "Mountainous Island". The island is spotted with numerous mountains over 3,000 meters. It is also home to the Northeast Asia's tallest mountain, Jade Mountain, which is nearly 4,000 meter in height. Besides mountains, beautiful coastal scenes are also part of Taiwan's great natural asset. Starting from the northern tip of the island is the North Coast & Guanyinshan National Scenic Area and Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area that features various sorts of coastal geography.
Traveling all the way down from here, one will first arrive at the scenic East Coast National Scenic Area and East Rift Valley National Scenic Area, and then the Tapeng Bay National Scenic Area blessed with sunshine and tropical touch. Alongside the mountainous areas is the Maolin National Scenic Area , where a lot of aborigines live and place one can check out the world of butterfly, Lukai stone-made houses and Natural scenes in Taiwan.
Legendary tales depict subtle beauty of Alishan National Scenic Area , where you can enjoy the relaxing scene of sunrise & cloud sea. Natural setting of Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area , eagle-spotting at Bagua Mountain, home of fruit-Lishan can sacred Buddhist sanctuary- Lion Mountain, can bring to you the many faces of the island's beauty.
Penghu National Scenic Area , comprising of sixty-four islets, scattering around the Taiwan Strait. Flat landscape makes it different from Taiwan Island. It is blessed with the most spectacular view in Taiwan. Located in Pacific Ocean southeast of Taiwan, Lanyu and Green Island offer the enjoyment of nature environment, whale spotting and scuba diving.Matzu National Scenic Area comprises four townships on five islands. Most of the tourist sites are located in Nankan. Peikan has its stone houses and fish noodles. Chukuang has its fishing port, as well as a lighthouse designated as a Class 2 historic site. In Tungyin one will find fantastic rock formations and the Tungyin branch of the Matsu Distillery.Southwest Coast National Scenic Area is the 12th national scenic area.Natural and cultural attractions abound at the Siraya National Scenic Area in southern Taiwan's Tainan County.
In addition to five scenic reservoir areas (Zengwun, Wushantou, Baihe, Jianshanpi, and Hutou), the scenic area embraces the geologically fascinating Caoshan Moon World, the Zoujhen archaeological site, and the skin-pampering mud springs of Guanzihling. Colorful aboriginal events and tasty local specialties also await you at Siraya. The scenic area's main attraction is a varied coastline that consists of sand dunes, sand banks, marshes and wetlands, offering precious ecological habitats for wildlife. Taiwan now has 6 National Parks - Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei suburban, which is famous for its volcanic landscape; the Shei-Pa National Park, acrossing Hsinchu & Miaoli counties and famous for special fish species- formosan Oncorhynchus masou ; locating in Hualien county adjacent to Li-Wu creek, Taroko National Park is known for its lofty canyon landscape; acrossing many counties in central Taiwan, Yushan National Park is famous for its bright sunshine; locating in south tip, Kenting National Park gives you a total touch of Southeast Asia; last on the list is Kinmen National Park which is known for legacies from the war decades ago. In addition to the beautiful natural setting provided, above six National Parks also offer great ecological environment for tourists. The Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park was established in January 2007 at the north tip of the South China Sea, marking the southern portal to the Taiwan Strait. The atoll has a unique white sand landscape formed of coral and shell.
Besides, National Palace Museum, located in outskirt of Taipei City, is home to essense of the five-thousand-year Chinese history. It has the finest collections of Chinese Arts, providing an eye-opening experience of Chinese culture. Taiwan is somewhere you can experience the amazement of Chinese culture.
