Geography & environment — Taiwan
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Taiwan: Asia
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Asia
- Geographic Coordinates
23 30 N, 121 00 E
- Total Area
13,892 Square Miles 35,980 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
12,456 Square Miles 32,260 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
1,436 Square Miles 3,720 Square Kilometers
- Coastline
973 Miles 1,566 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
- Highest Point
3,952 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Yu Shan 3,952 m
- Lowest Point Location
South China Sea 0 m
- Natural Resources
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
- The Tropic of Cancer bisects the island, so the climate is sub-tropical with temperatures ranging from 12 to 35 degrees Celsius (54-95 degrees Fahrenheit). Northern Taiwan has two long seasons (summer & winter) and two short seasons (spring and autumn). Spring, mid-March to mid-May, is mostly sunny and mild with brief spells of cloudy skies and rain showers. Spring's average daily temperature is 17-25C or 62-77F. Summer, mid-May through late September, is hot with an average rainfall of 10 inches a month, mostly from afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Autumn, late September to early November, is characterized by mild temperatures and afternoon showers. Winter, November through mid-April, is characterized by low cloud drizzle, fog, and occasional winds. The daily temperatures range between 17 - 24 degrees C (62-75F) in November, dropping to 12 - 19C (54 - 66F) in January and then rising to 14 - 22C (57 - 72F) in March. Occasionally, the temperature drops below 1OC (50F), especially in mountainous areas. The typhoon season usually starts in mid-June and lasts through October. An average of 12 typhoons form in the Western Pacific each year. The average daily temperature range in Taipei is 21 - 29C (70 - 84F) in May
- 24 - 35C (75 - 95F) in July and August
- 23 - 33C (73 - 91F) in September
- and 20 - 27C (68 - 81F) in October. Kaohsiung enjoys a milder, drier winter than Taipei, but summer temperatures average about the same. As a result of its subtropical position and heavy rainfall, Taiwan's natural landscape is constantly green with varied hues of forest, shrubs, and coarse tropical grass. All but the peaks of the highest mountains are covered with vegetation.
- Terrain
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
- 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
- Total Area
13,892 Square Miles 35,980 Square Kilometers
Environment
- 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