TAIWAN

Taiwan is an island in East Asia, but the term "Taiwan" is also commonly used to collectively refer to the territories governed by the state officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), which include the island of Taiwan, Lanyu (Orchid Island) and Green Island in the Pacific off the Taiwan coast, the Pescadores in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and Matsu off the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Location

Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China.

Geography

Strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait.

Capital

Taipei

Population

23,036,087

Climate

Tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year.

Language

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Monetary Unit

New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Largest Cities

Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Panchiao, Keelung (Chilung), Chungho

Principal rivers

Lao Nung Chi

Principal mountains

Yushan, 3997 m

Places to Visit

Taipei, Alishan, Lanyu, Tienhsiang. The National Palace Museum, Taipei city houses more than 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting and porcelain. Taipei 101 tower has a heigth of 509.2 m and was a world record. Taipei 101 was overtaken in height on July 21, 2007 by the Burj Dubai, UAE on completion of it's 141th floor. Burj Dubai will be of 818 m in height and 160 floors when completed by September 2009.

Air Ports

Chiayi Aero Airport, Shang Yi Airport, Ching Chuan Kang Ab Airport , Green I Airport, Hengchun Airport