GEOGRAPHIC BEAUTY

Formosa “beautiful island” is what the Portuguese called Taiwan when they came here in the 16th century and saw the

island's verdant beauty.

Located along the southeast coast of the Asian Continent at the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, between Japan and the

Philippines and right in the center of the East-Asian island arc, Taiwan forms a vital line of communication in the Asia-Pacific

region. It covers an area of approximately 36,000 square kilometers (14,400 square miles) and is longer than it is wide.

Forested mountains cover two-thirds of the total area and the remaining area consists of hilly country, platforms and

highlands, coastal plains and basins. The Central Mountain Range stretches along the entire island from north to south, thus

forming a natural line of demarcation for rivers on the eastern and western sides of the island. On the west side lays the Yushan

Mountain Range with its main peak reaching 3,952 meters, the highest mountain peak in Northeast Asia.

Scenic National Parks

Taiwan has been generously equipped with forests. Some 293 mountain peaks are more than 3,000 meters high, geographically

making Taiwan incomparable to any other country in the world. As mountains can be found anywhere, mountain climbing is a

popular leisure activity in Taiwan. One can choose to walk the mountains on the outskirts of the city or accept the challenge of

climbing one of the numerous high mountains, follow the course of streams and valleys, trace back the source of rivers,

or cross entire mountains. In any case, lush scenery will unfold before your eyes and it will not take too long before you'll be c

onvinced of the beauty of Taiwan's mountains. In addition to this, six national parks offer a variety of distinct topographic

landscapes: the Taroko National Park, a narrow ravine created by a river which has cut through the mountains,

Yushan (Jade Mountain) National Park containing the highest landmark of Taiwan and also the highest peak in Northeast

Asia, Shei-Pa National Park, featuring with its dangerously steep slopes; Yangmingshan National Park, offering volcanic

craters and lakes; Kenting National Park, encompassing Taiwan's only tropical area which breathes a truly Southeast Asian

atmosphere; and Kinmen National Park, with its storied granite hills.

Rich Marine Life

Taiwan has very rich marine ecology. In the Pacific Ocean on Taiwan's east, groups of bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins,

Risso's dolphins, and pantropical spotted dolphins can be seen jumping out of the water. Azure seas and magnificent coral reefs

can be found in Kenting on the south end of Taiwan, and on Green Island and the islands of the Penghu Archipelago. It is

 there for you to discover and marvel.

Popular Destination for Migratory Birds

Taiwan has a warm and humid climate and a variety of terrain, including sandbars, plains, basins, hills, plateaus, and mountains.

 As a result, the island is home to abundant animal and plant life, including various endemic species, and can therefore be

regarded as one gigantic eco-park. Because of the formation of mud flats and mangroves along the coast, large numbers of

migratory birds from around the world are attracted to Taiwan, where they use these coastal areas as a temporary shelter and

rest area before they resume their journey. In spring and summer, there are the birds that leave the tropics behind to spend

season in Taiwan. This includes the eye-catching fairy pitta, known in Chinese as the eight-color bird. During autumn birds

from colder northern areas come to Taiwan to spend the winter, such as the rare black-faced spoonbill, of which only 530

are left worldwide. Each year the gray-faced buzzard will be right on time to participate in the Double Tenth celebrations

(Taiwan's national day), and there are also countless other migratory birds that use Taiwan either as a stopover or as their

final destination, one way or the other adding exuberant vitality to Taiwan's wildlife.

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