TheRepublicofChina(Taiwan)issituatedintheWest
PacificbetweenJapanandthePhilippines.ItsjurisdictionextendstothearchipelagoesofPenghu,Kinmen
andMatsu,aswellasnumerousotherislets.Thetotal
areaofTaiwanproperanditsoutlyingislandsisaround
36,197squarekilometers.Ataboutthesizeofthe
Netherlands,butwithapopulationofsome23million,
Taiwanismorepopulousthanthree-quartersofthe
world’snations.Taiwanproperhasmorethanitsshare
ofnaturalsplendor.Mountainrangeswithmanypeaks
reachingover3,000meters—includingEastAsia’s
highest,JadeMountain(Yushan)—andforestedfoothillsoccupymorethanhalfofitsarea.
