Location Taiwan is located on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of southeastern China. It is an island of about 3600 square kilometers, with water 3720 square kilometers and land 32260 square kilometers. Taipei City is its capital.
Districts Taiwan can be divided into 5 districts: Northern Taiwan, Central Taiwan, Southern Taiwan, Eastern Taiwan and offshore islands.
Northern Taiwan: including Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan Hsinchu. It is probably the most prosperous, advanced and hi-tech area in Taiwan.
Central Taiwan: including Maoili, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou. The most-loved attraction Sun Moon Lake lies in this area.
Southern Taiwan: including Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung. Chiayi is where Alishan is located. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan. Kaohsiung is the biggest city in southern Taiwan. Pingtung is where Kenting situates.
Eastern Taiwan: Yilan, Hualien, Taitung. These areas boast magnificent natural sceneries.
Offshore Islands: including Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Green Island(Ludao), and Orchid Island(Lanyu). These offshore islands provide a getaway from the crowded Taiwan main island.
Population There are approximately 23 million people living in Taiwan, which makes it one of the most densely-populated places in the world.
Language Chinese (Mandarin) and Taiwanese are the main dialects in Taiwan. Mandarin Chinese is the official language in Taiwan. Hakka and aboriginal languages are also spoken in some parts of Taiwan.
Climate Located in subtropical climate zone and surrounded by oceans, Taiwan enjoys warm weather all year round. The annual average temperature is 22 degrees Celsius.
Taiwan’s summer(June to August) is usually hot and humid, with an average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius (84.2 degrees Fahrenheit). July is typically the hottest and has a record of reaching 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the past. The occurrences of typhoons are also more frequent during summer. Generally, Taiwan’s winter(December to February) may consist of strong wind and rain, but with an average temperature of 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), winter in Taiwan is relatively warm and short. Spring(March to May) is the blooming season with an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), but it is also the raining season as well. Autumn(September to November) is probably the best time for tourism with soothing temperatures at around 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
Currency Exchange Rates Taiwan uses the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD$).Below are the exchange rates as of December 1, 2007)
1 US Dollar (USD) = NTD$ 32.2579771209
1 Euro (EUR) = NTD$ 47.3741072680
1 Australian Dollar (AUD) = NTD$ 28.5481456002
1 Japanese Yen (JPY) = NTD$ 0.2905600571
1 Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) = NTD$ 4.1423295474
1 Singapore Dollars (SGD) = NTD$ 22.3161377223
For more Foreign Exchange Rate, please visit: www.xe.com
Electricity 110-220V 60HZ (USA plug type)
Contact Calling code: 886
Emergency Hotlines:
Police = Dial 110
Ambulance = Dial 119
Time Zone
GMT +8
Transportation Airlines: There are two international airports: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport that carries flights to 56 major cities in the world. For domestic flight routes, 4 domestic airlines are at tourists’ service.
Taiwan High Speed Railway(THRS): The operation began on January 5th, 2007, with total length of 345 kilometers. The Taiwan High Speed 700T trains travel at a top speed of 300 km/hr (about 200 miles/hour) reaching Kaohsiung from Taipei City in approximately 90 minutes. Traveling from north to south, current stations include: Taipei Station, Banciao Station, Taoyuan Station, Hsinchu Station, Taichung Station, Chiayi Station, Tainan Station, and Zuoying Station. Additional stations are planned for operation in the future.
Railway: Taiwan Railways Administration provides extensive rail network and convenient services around Taiwan. Tickets may be purchased in advance or on the spot in every station.
Bus: To reach Taiwan major cities from the airports or from Taipei, bus companies are varied and services are scheduled. In every city, regional bus companies offer inner-city and also inter-city services.
Taxi: Standard cabs in Taiwan are usually yellow and prices are charged by meters. Taxi drivers are friendly toward foreigners, but generally they don’t speak or read much English. Therefore, foreigners better write down or take a business card of where you are heading, and show the drivers.
