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.¡@¡@¡@¡@¡@¡@

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Spectacular Natural Wonders
No.V1.
welcome to download Photo by Elick Lee
44KB

With an elevation of 3,952 meters above sea level, Mount Jade is not only the highest mountain in Taiwan, but for all of East Asia.


No.V2.
welcome to download
Photo by Larry Hsieh
25KB

With an elevation of 2,480 meters above sea level, Mount Ali boasts many attractions, including the narrow-gauged railroad that winds its way to the top, the sunrise and sunset views from the peak over a sea of clouds, and its lush forests and beautiful cherry blossoms.


No.V3.
welcome to download
Photo by Elick Lee
27KB

With two thirds of its area covered by mountains, Taiwan possesses more than a hundred peaks towering over 3,000 meters. The Hohuan Mountain Range is famous for its snowy peaks in the winter and is often clad in mist, giving it a constantly changing appearance.


No.V4.
welcome to download
Photo by Larry Hsieh
36KB

The "queen's head" is probably the most famous of the many natural sandstone formations found at Yehliu on the northeastern coast of Taiwan.


No.V5.
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Photo by Larry Hsieh
59KB

The Islet of Chishan is a part of the Pescadores, a group of islands located in the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. Many of the islands are uninhabited and are composed primarily of basalt rock, giving them a unique landscape.


No.V6.
welcome to download
Photo by Larry Hsieh
30KB

A section of the Central Cross-island Highway runs alongside the beautiful waters of Green Lake in Wushe.


No.V7.
welcome to download
Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh
43KB

The Central Cross-island Highway weaves its way through the cliffs of Swallows Gorge in the marble valley of Taroko Gorge.