It is a long island in the western Pacific, off the south-east coast of the Asian mainland, across the Taiwan Strait.

What is Taiwan famous for?

Semiconductor chips and electronics, oolong tea, night markets and the Yushan peak.

What is the climate of Taiwan?

Subtropical in the north and tropical in the south: warm and wet, with typhoons in summer and autumn.

Taiwan Island – Landforms, Climate and Economy

Taiwan is a long island in the western Pacific, about 36,000 square km, off the south-east coast of the mainland across the Taiwan Strait (130 to 180 km wide). A mountain chain runs from north to south and Yushan (3,952 m) is the top peak. Plains are in the west, the east coast is steep. The Tropic of Cancer crosses it, so it is warm and wet, with typhoons. It grows rice, tea and fruit and is famous for electronics and computer chips. Trade and travel link it with the mainland.

Island landforms and climate

Landforms

Taiwan is an island of about 36,000 sq km. It is about 390 km long from north to south and at most 145 km wide.
The Central Mountain Range runs along the island like a spine. Yushan (3,952 m) is the highest peak. About two thirds of the island is mountains and hills.
The western plain is wide and gentle, with short rivers. Most people, farms and big cities are there.
The east coast has steep cliffs falling to the sea, with little flat land.
The island lies where two pieces of Earth's crust meet, so it has earthquakes.

Climate

The Tropic of Cancer crosses the middle. The north is subtropical and the south is tropical: warm all year.
Summers are hot and wet. Winters bring cool winds that drop rain on the north and east slopes.
Typhoons (strong tropical storms) hit mostly from July to October. Heavy rain can cause floods and landslides.
Mountain tops are cool and the highest ones can get snow.

Products and economy

Farming: rice on the plain, fruit such as pineapple, banana and mango, and oolong tea on hill slopes where mist and rain help.
Industry: electronics, computer parts, machines and chemicals. Taiwan is a world leader in making semiconductor chips, the tiny parts inside phones and computers.
Trade: the island has little coal, oil or metal, so it imports raw materials and fuel and exports finished goods. Ports such as Kaohsiung and Keelung are busy.
Tourism: mountains, hot springs, lakes and night markets.

Lesson: a place with few natural resources can still become rich by skills, factories and trade.

Cross-strait links

The Taiwan Strait is the sea between the island and the mainland. It is about 130 km wide at its narrowest and up to about 180 km wide.

Trade and investment: factories on both sides buy and sell parts and goods.
Travel: flights and ferries carry tourists, students and business people.
Culture: people on both sides speak related languages and share festivals, food and family histories.

Governments and people hold different views about the political status of the island. This lesson studies the geography, economy and everyday links; for politics, use history and civics lessons and listen to more than one view.

Try it: read the island

Pick the layer "Landforms" in the 3D. Count the peaks in the mountain spine. Which side has the plain?
Pick "Climate". Where does the rain fall, and why on that side? (Winds hit the mountains and rise.)
Pick "Economy" and name four products. Which ones are farm goods and which are factory goods?
At home, find a product labelled "Made in Taiwan" (a charger, a bicycle part, a chip) and note what it is.

Key formulas and definitions

Strait: a narrow sea between two lands (Taiwan Strait: about 130 to 180 km)
Yushan: highest peak, 3,952 m
Central Mountain Range: the island's mountain spine
Tropic of Cancer: line of latitude about 23.5° N, crosses the island
Typhoon: a strong tropical storm, July to October
Semiconductor chip: a tiny part that works as the brain of electronics
Area: about 36,000 sq km; about two thirds is mountains and hills

Worked examples

1. Why do most towns and farms lie on the west side of the island?

The west has a wide, gentle plain with rivers and fertile soil. The east is steep and rocky with little flat land, so it is hard to build and farm there.

2. Why does the east side get heavy rain in winter?

Moist winds from the sea hit the mountains, are forced upwards, cool, and drop rain on the windward (east and north) slopes.

3. The island has few minerals but is rich. How?

It imports raw materials, uses skilled workers and technology to make high-value goods such as chips and electronics, and sells them abroad through its ports.

Common mistakes

Thinking the whole island is flat. Two thirds is mountains and hills; the plain is in the west.
Thinking the strait is hundreds of km wide. It is about 130 to 180 km.
Thinking it has a cold climate. It is warm and wet, with typhoons.
Thinking its wealth comes from mines or oil. It comes mainly from electronics, machines and trade.

Practice quiz

Practice: answer these yourself

Type or choose your answer, then press Check. Use a hint if you are stuck; the full solution appears after you answer.

Taiwan: island landforms, climate, products and economy

🎬 Step-by-step story

🤔 Common doubts, cleared

Is Taiwan flat like a plain?

How wide is the strait?

Why does Taiwan have earthquakes?

Which side gets the most rain?

What does the island sell abroad?