Taiwan | History, Flag, Map, Capital, Population, & Facts | Britannica

Relief

Taiwan’s volcanic soil and the frequency of earthquakes on the island indicate a common origin with the other nearby archipelagoes. However, the configuration of its coastlines and the age and formations of rocks on Taiwan’s west coast suggest to some geologists that Taiwan was once part of the Asian mainland. In general, the relief of the island consists of an uplifted crustal block that trends north-northeast to south-southwest. The interior of the island is mountainous and slopes sharply downward on the east side to the Pacific and more gently in the west to the Taiwan Strait.

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Mountains cover approximately two-thirds of the surface of the island. The highest are in the Chung-yang (Zhongyang, or Central) Range in the east, which extends along the island’s north-south axis and in many places descends to the shoreline. Several dozen peaks in the range tower near or above 10,000 feet (3,000 metres), the highest being Yu (Jade) Mountain, which rises to 13,113 feet (3,997 metres). The western part of the island, consisting of terraced tablelands and alluvial plains, has most of Taiwan’s flatland and, consequently, the bulk of its farmland and most of its population. By contrast, the east coast—aside from one major rift valley—provides little room for human settlement.

Many of Taiwan’s best harbours are located along the western coastline—e.g., Kao-hsiung (Gaoxiong) and An-p’ing (Anping) district of T’ai-nan (Tainan) special municipality in the southwest—with the exceptions being Suao Bay on the northeast coast and Chi-lung (Jilong, or Keelung) on the northern tip of the island. Most of the farmland and consequently most of the population are to be found on the western part of the island.

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