Taiwan is a medium-sized archipelago in East Asia, located at 23°30N, 121°00E and running through the middle of the Tropic of Cancer (23°5N). It is located 150km (95 miles) off mainland China and makes up the majority of the territories effectively under the control of the Republic of China. The main island is Taiwan Island, which comprises about 98 % of the current jurisdiction of the Republic of China; the other 2 % are the smaller islands of Lanyu, and the Pescadores, along with the tiny islets of Green Island, Liuchiu. Taiwan island is separated from mainland China by the Taiwan Strait and borders the South China Sea and Philippine Sea to the south, the East China Sea in the north, and the Pacific Ocean in the west. (The islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuchiu, etc. across the Taiwan Strait, and Pratas and Taiping in the South China Sea, are also administered by the ROC.)

Taiwan's area is 35,980 km² of which 32,260 km² is land and 3,720 km² is territorial water claims, making it slightly smaller than the combined area of Maryland and Delaware. It is 394 km (244 miles) long and 144 km (89 miles) wide. It has a coastline of 1,566.3 km. The ROC claims an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles (370 km) and a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles (22 km).

[edit] Climates and terrain

The climate on the island is generally marine and varies widely by season. From June to August is the rainy season, when monsoons are most likely to hit. In the northern part of Taiwan, cloudiness is persistent and extensive during the year; in the south, however, the rainy days are always in the summer time, and 90% of the annual precipitation falls during this period. The annual rainfall is usually is more than 2500 mm.

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 western mountain forests are very diverse, with several endemic species such as Formosan Cypress Chamaecyparis formosensis and Taiwan Fir Abies kawakamii, while camphor Cinnamomum camphora was once also widespread at lower levels (now mostly cleared for agricultural land). The highest elevation in Taiwan is Jade Mountain (Yu Shan), at 3,997 m. Prior to major Taiwanese economic success, the mountainous areas held several endemic animal species and subspecies, such as the Swinhoe’s Pheasant Lophura swinhoii, Taiwan Blue Magpie Urocissa caerulea, Formosan Black Bear (Selanarctos thibetanus formosanus), the Formosan Sika Deer (Cervus nippon taiwanensis or Cervus nippon taiouanus) and the Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus). A few of these are now extinct, and many others have been designated endangered species.

[edit] Natural resources

Natural resources on the islands include small deposits of gold, copper, coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos. The island is 55 % forests and woodland (mostly on the mountains) and 24 % arable land (mostly on the plains), with 15 % going to other purposes. Five percent is permanent pastures and 1 % is permanent crops.

[edit] Natural hazards and environmental issues

Earthquakes and typhoons are the two major natural hazards on the island. In September 21, 1999, an earthquake occurred in the center of Taiwan. The death toll in this catastrophe reached more than 2,000. Meanwhile, mudslides resulting from intensive rain caused by typhoons often leads to disaster.

Current environmental issues include: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions and raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; and low-level radioactive waste disposal. Though regulation of sulfate aerosol emissions from petroleum production is becoming stringent, acid rain remains to be a threat to the health of the residents and the forests. Scholars in Taiwan point out that more than half of its acid rain is actually brought by monsoon rains from mainland China. [1]