The Republic of China (Taiwan) is situated in the West
Pacific between Japan and the Philippines. Its jurisdiction extends to the archipelagoes of Penghu, Kinmen
and Matsu, as well as numerous other islets. The total
area of Taiwan proper and its outlying islands is around
36,197 square kilometers. At about the size of the
Netherlands, but with a population of some 23 million,
Taiwan is more populous than three-quarters of the
world’s nations. Taiwan proper has more than its share
of natural splendor. Mountain ranges with many peaks
reaching over 3,000 meters—including East Asia’s
highest, Jade Mountain (Yushan)—and forested foothills occupy more than half of its area.