China: where is Taiwan?

One of the largest countries in the world, having the largest number of inhabitants is China. What is the administrative division of this country? Where is Taiwan and how is it connected with China? The answers to these questions are given in the text of the article.

Where is Taiwan?

In which country is Taiwan located? The Republic of China is the name of an autonomous province of China located on the islands near the Chinese southeast: Taiwan, Matsu, Penghu, Kinmen. The Republic of China is recognized by many countries of the world. The leading world powers have economic ties with it. But the question of the sovereignty of the Republic of China is unresolved. Therefore, it is difficult to answer unambiguously where Taiwan is located, in which country. Taiwan is the largest island of the Republic of China or an autonomous province of China.

Geographical position

Taiwan is located in the Pacific Ocean, 150 kilometers from China. Its vertical extent is about 400 km, and the horizontal - about 140 km. Taiwan is washed by the waters of three seas: in the south by the Philippine and South China, in the north by the East China and the Pacific Ocean from the east. The climate of the area where Taiwan is located, tropical (south of the island) with a two-month rainy season, during which almost annual rainfall falls. The north of the island falls on a subtropical belt. That zone of the islands, where Taiwan is located, separates the east of Asia from the Pacific Ocean. The relief of these islands is mainly mountainous. On the island of Taiwan stretch the Taiwan mountains, which are four ridges that run parallel and are divided by valleys.

Historical reference

It is known that at the beginning of the new millennium the Chinese knew where the island of Taiwan is located. As a certain island of the kingdom of Liu Tai, Taiwan is mentioned in the Chinese annals of the 3rd century AD. In the same century, the Chinese made their first military visit to the island, after which trade relations began between Taiwan and China. Since the 12th century, the island is considered a Chinese territory, where immigrants from the continent engaged in farming and fishing. During the colonial development of Asia by Europeans (17th century) for Taiwan there was a struggle between the Spaniards and the Dutch. The island went to Holland. However, the possession of the island was short-lived: the Dutch capitulated to thousands of followers of the Ming dynasty led by Coxing, who fled from the continent to Taiwan. In the late 17th century, continental China managed to break Taiwan's resistance and to include the island with the composition of Fujian. In Taiwan, there was also Japanese domination for 50 years, until 1945, after which the island was included in China. Since then, the time of the uncertain position of that island in the Pacific, where Taiwan is located, has begun. Country in the state - so you can indicate the current situation of Taiwan.

Population and Culture

The population of the island is more than 23 million people. Of these, only two percent of the inhabitants are not Chinese - they are indigenous inhabitants of the island, gaoshan. The official language is recognized as an official, existing in parallel with other dialects of the Chinese language. The main percentage of the population lives in large agglomerations on the western coast of the island: Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Taoyuan, Tainan and others.

The capital of Taiwan is Taipei. It is the largest city of the island, located in its north-west. Together with the agglomeration that surrounds the city, is called New Taipei, Xinbei.

The culture of the island is unique, because it was influenced by European countries, and Asian and indigenous people. On the island, centuries-old customs are observed, to which the United States, Japan, and China have been heavily influenced lately. Taiwanese art is closely related to Chinese art. Everywhere their unity is traced: in music, in painting, in literature. Taiwan's medicine is also similar to Chinese medicine and is based primarily on acupuncture and homeopathy. Taiwanese cuisine is different from the cuisine of mainland China by the abundance of seafood, which is connected with the place where Taiwan is located.

sights

The history of the island is ancient and interesting. In Taiwan, you can find historical and cultural monuments of different eras. For example, the Longshan Temple, preserved in Taipei since the reign of the Qing dynasty. Kuantu is a temple of the 17th century in Taipei. It is dedicated to the goddess Maiza, the patroness of the sea. Another historical and cultural monument of Fort Santo Damingo in Taipei, built by the Spaniards for defense against the indigenous inhabitants of the island, belongs to the same period. In Taipei, the construction of a merchant family of the 18th century, Lin Antai, was preserved, where the color of that era remained untouched. Since the Japanese domination of the island, a Japanese-style building has been preserved - the Presidential Palace in Taipei.

In Taiwan, many modern monuments of architecture. For example, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial in Taipei. This building of 80 years of the last century is made in the style of architecture of the times of Ming. Snow-white marble and blue shingles talk about the tranquility and pacification that the Taiwan people are striving for. The symbol of Taiwan can be called one of the highest skyscrapers in the world - Taipei 101, located in Taipei.