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Location and Topography
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Taiwan is situated in the Pacific Ocean about 160 kilometers (100 miles)
from the southeastern coast of the Chinese mainland. Located about midway
between Korea and Japan to the north and Hong Kong and the Philippines to
the south, Taiwan is a natural gateway for travelers to and within Asia. Shaped roughly like a tobacco leaf, Taiwan is 394 kilometers (245 miles) long and 144 kilometers (89.5 miles) wide at its broadest point. The Central Mountain Range bisects Taiwan from north to south and about two-thirds of the island is covered with forested peaks. The rest of the island is made up of foothills, terraced flatlands, and coastal plains and basins. Taiwan province includes the Penghu Archipelago--a group of 64 islands--and 21 other islands.
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