Geography, Weather, & Wildlife of Taiwan
Geography
Rice fields & Lake Waist
Taiwan is an island nation just off the eastern coast of Asia's Far East. Although it has no land borders, it is a short distance from China, which is just to Taiwan's northwest and who claims jurisdiction over the island. Taiwan's other close neighbors are Japan to the north and the Philippines to the south. Taiwan is surrounded by the South China Sea to the south, the East China Sea to the north, and the Philippine Sea to the east.
Taiwan is dominated by the Taiwan Shan Mountains which run north and south in the central to eastern half of the island. These mountains and the vegetation create a fairly difficult landscape, however they also provide rivers and fresh water on all sides of the island. The coasts are relatively flat and are the most densely populated regions of the island.
Weather
Waterfall
There are a few seasons in Taiwan, the short and cool winter, the wet and rainy typhoon, and the long, hot, and tropical summer. Winters run from about November to February, but winter in this context is not like much of the northern hemisphere as temperatures only drop to about the 70s°F (21-26°C) during the days, but nights can fall to the 50s°F (10-15°C) and if it rains can feel very cold. Taipei and the north is generally cloudy during the winter, as the south is generally sunny and clear. Beginning in about March, the country becomes hot and tropical as temperatures rise to the 90s°F (30°C) if not hotter. These temperatures continue to be hot until about November, but this season also brings in the rains, humidity, and beginning in about June and lasting until as late as November, typhoons are also possible. During this time a few typhoons are common and in the inland mountains, rain is common.