Taiwan is not big, but the natural resource and humanities appearances that contains in it are considerable. Lying on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of fire," the continuous tectonic movements have created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines, and other wonders. Taiwan sees climates of many types: tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate; one is also able to experience the different seasons distinctively. There are about 18,400 species of wildlife on the island, with more than 20% belonging to rare or endangered species, Among these are Sakura salmon, Taiwan mountain goat, Formosan monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, royal pheasant, Hsuehshan's grass lizard, and many more.
Have made Taiwan become one of the important precincts of the world conservation
The government has established 6 national parks and 11 national scenic areas to preserve Taiwan's best natural ecological environment and culture relics. Take in the splendor and sheer heights of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; take a ride on the Alishan train--one of only three mountain railways in the world--and experience the breathtaking sunset and seas of clouds; hike up to the summit of North Asia's highest peak, Jade Mountain. You can also soak up the sun in Kenting, Asia's version of Hawaii; stand at the edge of Sun Moon Lake; traipse through the Hua-Tong East Rift Valley; or visit the offshore islands of Kinmen and Penghu. It's fun in capital letters as well as an awesome journey of natural discovery!
The cultural aspects are also not to be missed. The blending of hakka, Taiwanese, and main-land cultures has produced a rich plethora of cultural and social colors. Whether it is religion, architecture, language, living habits, or food, it's just one big exciting melting pot! Food is the best representative of this cultural mixing and matching. Aside from cuisines from different parts of the mainland such as Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Shanghai, Beijing, Sichuan, and others, there is also the local Taiwanese cuisine as well as the local delicacies of each.
Taiwan has a population of 23 million. The larger part of the island's inhabitants are the descendants of immigrants from the various provinces of mainland China, but in particular from the southeastern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. Because the different ethnic groups have fairly well integrated, differences that originally existed between people from different provinces have gradually disappeared.
Some 360,000 indigenous people, the original inhabitants of Taiwan, still live here;
They can be distinguished into 10 different tribes, namely the Saisiyat, the Atayal, the Amis, the Bunun, the Puyuma, the Rukai, the Paiwan, the Tao, the Sao and the Zou
The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese (Guoyu), but because many Taiwanese are of southern Fujianese descent, Min-nan (the Southern Min dialect, or Holo) is also widely spoken. The smaller groups of Hakka people and aborigines have also preserved their own languages. Many elderly people can also speak some Japanese, as they were subjected to Japanese education before Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule in 1945 after the Japanese occupation which lasted for half a century.
The most popular foreign language in Taiwan is English, which is part of the regular school curriculum. However, to be on the safe side, when taking a taxi in Taiwan it is advisable to prepare a note with your place of destination written in Chinese to show the taxi driver.
Taiwan is also the most ideal place to learn Chinese. There are numerous language schools that offer Chinese classes, ranging from hourly-based classes to recognized university programs. Many foreigners from Europe and the United States, as well as other areas, come to Taiwan to spend their holidays, or one or two years, studying Chinese.
