The Origin of Formosa: As legend prevailed from 15th and 16th century, because of the geographic discoveries and new sea routes were discovered and started, people said that the East region is covered with gold and spices, making the Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and other European countries sent their ships for exploration.
Since the mid-16th century onwards, the Asian region’s marine shipping’s were getting busier and frequent, many sea routes through the waters near Taiwan, the Portuguese vessels passed through the Taiwan sea, they overlooked Taiwan from far on the sea and found Taiwan island was covered with high mountains and heavy green forests, was so beautiful, they shouted 【Ilha Formosa！】-meant [beautiful island] ( “ Ilha” means “ island“ in English ) Back then the Portuguese put the attention on the Indo-China peninsula, the Taiwan island is considered just a passing beautiful spot, But 『Formosa』for this name has been used since the Dutch took over Taiwan, until now there still many people like to call Taiwan island as [ Formosa].

Position of Taiwan:


Absolute

position: 120ºE~122ºE (東經E), 22ºN~25ºN (北緯N)
Relative Position: The southeastern coast of mainland Asia, the Pacific Ocean’s west coast, the Philippines’ north, southwestern of the Ryukyu Islands
Time zone: GMT+8:00 Taipei The island of Taiwan is located on the western Pacific Ocean, yam shaped, the east coast of Taiwan island is the Pacific Ocean, the distance from Taiwan to IshigakiJapan is about 75 kms. The distance across the Taiwan Strait from the west coast to the mainland China isacross about 150 kms. Foreshore Bashi Channel, the distance to the Philippines is about 300 kms. North to the east China Sea. The island with an area of 35,915 square kms and narrow, East West lying low, mostly are mountainous, hills and basins, plateaus and plains as the main players. Mountains and hills island about two-thirds of the total area. The island of Taiwan is located by the Eurasia plate and the Philippine plate junction, crustal uplift has been squeezed formed on the mountain, the main north-south Taiwan, with the Central Mountain Range as the mainstay, high and steep terrain. Both sides to this thing, but gradually fell lower gentle hilly or plateaus, rivers by the end of the Rangers alluvial plains. Basin were scattered in the mountains and hills, or between the mesas. These plains to the hill, plateaus mainly in the west.