Taiwan Country

Introduction
History meets hyper-reality on this pulsing, picturesque island. Taiwan is a modern industrialised megalopolis clinging to the fringes of an ancient culture; a string of teeming cities at the feet of a glorious mountain range. Here you'll find traditional noodles at the 7-Eleven, and a day of temple rituals followed by waterslide rides.

If you step outside chaotic Taipei you'll discover why Taiwan is known as Ilha Formosa, the 'beautiful island'. Mountain peaks puncture a sea of clouds, slick black volcanic rock wraps the coastlines, and waterfalls shroud themselves in mist. Taiwan is a computer-generated Chinese watercolour.

Geography:
The island of Taiwan is adrift 160km (99mi) off the coast of mainland China. The island's total area is 35,563 sq km (13,869 sq mi) - it's 394km (244mi) long and 144km (89mi) wide. Taiwan's spine is a ridge of steep mountains, falling away to a rocky coastline on the east and a narrow, fertile plain (where 90% of the population lives) on the west. Mount Yushan is, at 3952m (12,963ft), the highest peak in Northeast Asia. The small islands of Penghu, Lanyu, Green, Liuchiu, Kinmen, Matsu and Wuchiu are controlled by Taiwan. Taiwan's high mountain forests are predominantly cyprus, although camphor used to grow in abundance. Taiwan is home to many endemic species, including the Formosan black bear, the Formosan Sika deer and the Formosan landlocked salmon. Unfortunately, in its headlong scurry towards economic prosperity, Taiwan has managed to destroy most of the western coast's habitat and wipe out a species or two, although the inaccessibility of much of the island has made it a natural wildlife reserve. In the last 20 years Taiwan has declared 67 reserves, including six national parks, and instituted some fairly hefty environmental legislation.

Destination Facts
Capital: Taipei
President: Ma Ying-jeou
Premier: Liu Chao-shiuan
Government: multiparty democracy
Time zone: GMT +8
Area: 35563
Population: 23036000
People: Taiwanese - including Hakka (84%), Aboriginal (2%), Chinese (14%)
Religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christian
Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)
Major industries: machinery, electrical equipment, electronic/computer goods, textiles, iron and steel
Major Trading Partners: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, USA
Country Dialing Code: 886

Getting there and away
Taiwan has international airports at Taoyuan (near Taipei), Kaohsiung and Taichung. You can fly to Taiwan from just about anywhere in the world, including - in a very recent development - mainland China. After decades of air links with China being non-existent due to political reasons, travellers can now fly direct between Taipei or Kaohsiung to the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Xiamen and Guangzhou on weekends and holidays. It is expected that daily passenger flights will follow shortly. Ferries run between Okinawa in Japan and Keelung and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.

Getting around
Flights go between all the major cities and outlying islands, which are also serviced by regular ferries. With buses you can choose between government or private (cheaper and faster but more dangerous). A train line circumnavigates the island and the service is good. There are four classes - the first three are more expensive than buses, the fourth is cheap but slow. A high-speed rail (HSR) system on the west coast, from Taipei to Zuoying in Kaohsiung, opened in 2007. HSR stations are literally in the sticks - connecting shuttle services link to urban centres. Long-distance share taxis are expensive - there are several tourist trains with better facilities and service. Driving a car is not terribly difficult outside of the cities, especially on weekdays.

Weather
Although Taiwan is sub-tropical, the mountains can be chilly in summer (June to August) and snowy in winter (December to February). The dry season lasts from November to January in the north but extends to April in the south. Summer is hot and sticky all over the low parts of the island, with drenching rains in the mountains. Daytime temperatures in Taipei are around 33° C (91° F) in summer and 19° C (66° F) in winter, while the southern regions experience warmer winters with daytime highs of around 24° C (75° F). In winter monsoon winds can sweep across the island from Central Asia and cool the air by 10° C (50° F) or more in a matter of hours.