Spectacular Natural Wonders
Taiwan, formerly known by the
Portuguese name Ilha Formosa,
or "beautiful island," is situated
in the western Pacific Ocean off
the southeast coast of the Chi-
nese mainland.With a subtropi-
cal climate and sufficient rain-
fall, much of Taiwan is covered
with mountains and hills. The
landscape of Taiwan is quite
diverse, containing sandy shoals,
plains, basins, hills, land tables,
and mountains. This rich variety
can be seen in the volcanic areas
of Yangmingshan, the eroded
coastal landforms of the north-
eastern cape, and the basalt for-
mations of the Pescadores Is-
lands. Due to Taiwan's moun-
tainous nature, beautiful scenery
is abundant there. For instance,
Mount Hohuan, Mount Jade, and
Mount Ali, to name only a few,
are all famous hiking, climbing
and resort areas.¡@¡@¡@¡@¡@¡@
