Taiwan

Location	Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Geographic coordinates	23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references	Southeast Asia
Area	total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries	0 km
Coastline	1,566.3 km
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate	tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain	eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Natural resources	small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use	arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001)
Irrigated land	NA
Total renewable water resources	67 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards	earthquakes; typhoons volcanism: Kueishantao Island (elev. 401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries
Environment - current issues	air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements	party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Geography - note	strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait