! ! ! DISCOVER TAIWANThis issue, being the first of the series is all about Taiwan! Starting with a little geographical introduction, we include some information about the weather, nature and people. Hope you will enjoy it.

Taiwan is a leaf-shaped island lying off the southeastern coast of mainland China, across the Taiwan Strait with Japan in the north and the Philippines in the south. Lying on the “rim of fire” of the western edge of the Pacific, continuous tectonic movements have created in Taiwan majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines, and other natural wonders.

Taiwan's tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate climates provide clear differentiation between different seasons. Although we do experience climatic shifting during the four seasons, vigorous fluctuations are never part of the game. Therefore, with the exception of some mountain areas, no traces of snow can be found throughout Taiwan. The weather is just wonderful for traveling. Basking in the pleasant warmth and the gentle touch of sunlight would definitely make every day a special day. If the healthy sensation of having beads of sweat running down your cheeks while doing outdoor activities is what you are aiming for, Kenting in the southern tip of Taiwan not only gives you year-round summertime but

also has the perfect beach for surfing.

Taiwan has been generous ly endowed with forests. Some 258 mountain peaks are more than 3,000 meters high, geographically making Taiwan incomparable to any other country in the world. As mountains can be found anywhere, mountain climbing is a popular leisure activity in Taiwan. Hiking on the hills at the outskirts of the cities is enjoyable, while accepting the challenge of climbing one of the numerous high mountains is exciting and gives you shots of adrenaline. Following the course of

streams and valleys, tracing back the source of rivers and witnessing the extraordinary diversity of wild life cloaked within layers of flourishing indigenous plants really refresh every soul. There are about 18,400 species of flora and fauna on the island, with more than 20% being rare or endangered species. Among these are the land-locked salmon, Taiwan mountain goat, Formosan rock monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, Mikado pheasant, Xueshan grass lizard, and many more. If you look carefully, you might find yourself followed or surrounded by friendly creatures as they might are equally curious about you. Once the lush scenery is unveiled right before you, it will not take too long before you’re convinced of the beauty of nature in Taiwan. The land-locked salmon

DISCOVER TAIWAN

In addition to this, eight national parks offer a variety of distinct topographic landscapes: the Taroko National Park, a narrow ravine created by a river cutting through the mountains; Yu Mountain (Yushan) National Park, with the highest peak in Northeast Asia resting on; Shei-pa National Park, featuring its dangerously steep slopes; Yangming Mountain (Yangmingshan) National Park, famous for the volcanic craters and lakes; Ke n d i n g ( Ke n t i n g )

National Park, which encompasses Taiwan's only tropical area which breathes a truly Southeast Asian atmosphere; Kinmen National Park, comprising storied granite hills; Dongsha Marine National Park, with white coral and shell beaches that draws in visitors and the last but not least, Taijiang National Park, featuring wetlands, the black-faced Spoonbill reserve and many other special scenic areas. All the geological wonders await your discover.

Taiwan has a population of 23 million. The larger part of the country's inhabitants are the descendants of immigrants from the various provinces of mainland China, particularly from the southeastern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. Because the different ethnic groups have fairly well integrated, differences that originally existed among people from

distinct provinces have gradually disappeared. Some 360,000 indigenous people, the original inhabitants of Taiwan, still live here. Most of the aboriginal people originally lived in the mountain areas, some still are nowadays, which explains that the name of the mountain people was traditionally used. They can be distinguished into 14 different tribes, namely the Amis, the Atayal, the Paiwan, the Bunun, the Puyuma, the Rukai, the Tsou, the Saisiyat, the Yami, the Thao, the Kavalan, the Truku ,the Sakizaya and the Sediq, as in the Taiwanese movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, “The Flags of the Sun: Sediq Bale” and the sequal “The Warriors of the Rainbow: Sediq Bale,” telling the saga of a legendary chieftain of the tribe Sediq.

The legendary chieftain Monaludau of the tribe Sediq, played by Ching-Tai Lin. From the film “Sediq Bale”

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