Taiwan is a beautiful island situated in the Pacific Ocean about 160
km off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island is about midway
between Korea to the north and Hong Kong to the south. Centrally located, Taiwan
is a natural gateway for travellers to and within Asia.
Taiwan is 394 km long by 144 km wide. The central mountain range bisects
Taiwan along a north-south axis; about two-thirds of the island is covered with
forested mountains. Jade Mountain (Yushan), with an elevation of 3,952m, is the
highest mountain in East Asia. The rest of the island is made up of foothills,
terraced flatlands, coastal plains and basins.
Over the past fifty years, Taiwan has experienced remarkable economic success
and a spectacular rise in living standards.
The climate of Taiwan is subtropical with average annual temperatures of 22°C
in the north and 24°C in the south. Summers, which last from May to September,
are usually hot and humid with average daytime highs from 27°-35°C. Winters,
from December to February, are short and mild with an average lows of 12°-16°C;
snow falls only on the higher mountains.