One of the largest countries in the world with the largest number of inhabitants is China. What is the administrative division of this country? Where is Taiwan located and how is it related to 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 islands near the Chinese southeast: Taiwan, Matsu, Penghu, Kinmen.
The Republic of China is recognized by many countries of the world. 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 ROC or an autonomous province of the PRC.
Geographic location
Taiwan Island is located in the Pacific Ocean, 150 kilometers from China. Its vertical length is about 400 km, and its horizontal length is 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 Pacific oceans witheast. The climate of the area where Taiwan is located is tropical (south of the island) with a two-month rainy season, during which almost a year's rainfall falls. The north of the island falls on the subtropical zone. The zone of islands where Taiwan is located separates the east of Asia from the Pacific Ocean. The relief of these islands is mostly mountainous. The Taiwanese mountains stretch across the island of Taiwan, which are four ridges that run parallel and are separated by valleys.
Historical background
It is known that already at the beginning of the new millennium, the Chinese knew where the island of Taiwan was located. As a certain island of the kingdom of Luqiu, Taiwan is mentioned in Chinese chronicles of the 3rd century AD. In the same century, the Chinese made the first military visit to the island, after which trade relations between Taiwan and China begin. Since the 12th century, the island has been considered a Chinese territory, where settlers from the continent were engaged in agriculture and fishing. During the period of colonial development of Asia by Europeans (17th century), there was a struggle for Taiwan 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 supporters of the Ming dynasty, led by Koksing, who fled from the continent to Taiwan. At the end of the 17th century, mainland China managed to break the Taiwanese resistance and include the island in Fujian. Taiwan was also dominated by Japan for 50 years, until 1945, after which the island was incorporated into China. Since then began the time of uncertaintythe position of the island in the Pacific where Taiwan is located. A country within a state - this is how you can designate 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 - these are the indigenous inhabitants of the island, the gaoshan. The Guoyu language, which exists in parallel with other dialects of the Chinese language, is recognized as official. 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 northwest. Together with the agglomeration that surrounds the city, it is called New Taipei, Xinbei.
The culture of the island is unique, as it was influenced by European countries, Asian and indigenous people. The island observes centuries-old customs, which have recently been strongly influenced by the United States, Japan, and China. Taiwanese art is closely related to Chinese art. Their unity can be traced everywhere: in music, in painting, in literature. Taiwanese medicine is also similar to Chinese medicine and is based primarily on acupuncture and homeopathy. Taiwanese cuisine differs from mainland Chinese cuisine in the abundance of seafood, which is associated with the place where Taiwan is located.
Attractions
The history of the island is ancient and interesting. In Taiwan, you can find historical and cultural monuments from different eras. For example, the Longshan Temple, preserved in Taipei from the reign ofQing Dynasty.
Kuantu is a 17th century temple in Taipei. It is dedicated to the goddess Maiza - the patroness of the sea. Another historical and cultural monument, Fort Santo Damingo in Taipei, built by the Spaniards to defend against the indigenous inhabitants of the island belongs to the same period. In Taipei, the building of the 18th century merchant family Lin Antai has been preserved, where the flavor of that era has remained intact. From the time of Japanese domination, a Japanese-style building has been preserved on the island - this is the Presidential Palace in Taipei.
Taiwan has many modern architectural monuments. For example, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial in Taipei. This building from the 80s of the last century is made in the style of Ming architecture. Snow-white marble and blue tiles speak of peace and tranquility, which the people of Taiwan strive for. The symbol of Taiwan can be called one of the highest skyscrapers in the world - Taipei 101, located in Taipei.
