Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in here! If you click on these and book something, I would make a small commission at no cost to you. Where exactly in the world is Taiwan? Well, you could simply check its location here on GoogleMaps . But in this article, I’ll dive a little deeper, with several maps and interesting facts related to Taiwan’s location. For travelers, you may also like this interactive map of Taiwan that made, with clickable location pins that will take you to all my relevant articles about them. Table of Contents The Short Answer Taiwan is an East Asian island nation in the Pacific Ocean . It is located off the coast of China, with South Korea and Japan to its north and northeast, China to its west, and the Philippines to its south. Taiwan has been considered important for centuries is that it lies at the crossroads of Asia, where many shipping routes pass. This is one reason the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has dubbed Taiwan the “ Heart of Asia “. As you can hopefully see in the above map, Taiwan is NOT the same as Thailand. But in my personal experience, people all over the world still regularly confuse the two countries . Learn some quirkier facts about Taiwan and admire these beautiful pictures of Taiwan . Is Taiwan in Northeast Asia or Southeast Asia? People often wonder whether Taiwan is in Northeast Asia or Southeast Asia. Geographically, it is right between the two . Taiwan, especially the tropical south, shares some characteristics with Southeast Asia. However, Taiwan is not a part of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Taiwanese don’t consider themselves Southeast Asians. However, culturally, Taiwan has more in common with Northeast Asia, especially China (where most Taiwanese trace their ancestry to) and Japan (which colonized Japan for 50 years). If you ask Taiwanese, they will tell you that they are East Asians . Also read about what Taiwan is known for and the most famous Taiwanese celebrities . Is Taiwan in the Tropics or Subtropics? Taiwan is located in the Northern Hemisphere. As I’ve indicated in the above map, the Tropic of Cancer runs through the middle of Taiwan . This means that the northern part (a little more than half) of Taiwan, including the capital city Taipei , is subtropical. Therefore, it has more distinct seasons and is cooler in winter. The southern part (a little less than half) of Taiwan is more tropical, meaning it remains warm or hot year-round. The country has a few Tropic of Cancer markers, including this one in southern Hualien county. The main peak of the tallest mountain in Taiwan, Yushan or “Jade Mountain” (3952 meters / 12,966 feet), is just a smidge north of the Tropic of Cancer. Read more about Taiwan’s weather in the north vs. south and the best time to visit . Where Are Taiwan’s Islands Located? Besides its main island, Taiwan has more than 150 small offshore islands . I introduce 10 of the most well-known Taiwanese islands here , most of which I have visited. Of these, Taiwan’s main islands or archipelagos (collections of small islands) include Green Island, Orchid Island, Xiaoliuqiu, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu Islands. Green Island (also called Lu Dao) and Orchid Island (also called Lanyu) are southeast of the main island of Taiwan. Xiaoliuqiu (also called Lambai Island) is found to the southwest. The Penghu archipelago is to the west, in the Taiwan Strait between China and Taiwan, but slightly closer to Taiwan than to China. Taiwan also owns two archipelagos which are just off the coast of China, so close that China’s shore can be seen from them. These former military battlefronts include Kinmen (just off the coast of Xiamen) and the Matsu Islands (also called Lienchiang County) further north off the coast of Fujian. The latter are the northernmost part of Taiwan.

How Far is Taiwan from Nearby Countries? No part of Taiwan is physically connected to any other countries. How far Taiwan is from its neighborhing countries depends on whether you measure from the main island of Taiwan to the main island (or mainland) of those countries, or if you measure from small islands owned by those countries. I’ll show both measurements in the below table. Distance from Taiwan to China As I showed in the last section, Taiwan’s closest neighbor is China, which in this context some people call “Mainland China” (大陸). Lieyu island ( here on GoogleMaps ) of Taiwan’s Kinmen county is a mere 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) off the coast of Xiamen city in China. Despite tensions between China and Taiwan, inhabitants of Kinmen are able to easily travel to Xiamen and vice versa. To the north, Taiwan’s Matsu Islands (Lienchiang county) are also very close to the coast of China (but not quite as close – I could barely make out China’s coast when I rode a scooter up the tallest mountain in Matsu Islands). However, if we don’t count small islands, the shortest distance from Taiwan (around Taoyuan , where Taiwan’s main airport is located) to China is about 140 kilometers (87 miles). Distance from Taiwan to Japan In the map in above, I’ve also labeled Yonaguni , the closest Japan-owned island to Taiwan. Yonaguni islands lies 109 kilometers (67 miles) off the coast of Yilan in Taiwan. Yonaguni is administered by Okinawa, which is 578 kilometers (359 miles) northeast of Taiwan. However, the distance from Taiwan to Fukuoka, considered one of the four main islands of Japan, is 1083 kilometers (673 miles). Distance from Taiwan to the Philippines Taiwan’s third closest neighbor (if we include small islands) is the Philippines. The distance from Kenting National Park at the southern tip of the main island of Taiwan to Itbayat island of the Philippines is 156 kilometers (97 miles). However, the distance from the southern tip of the main island of Taiwan to the northern tip of Luzon, the main island of the Philippines, is 363 kilometers (226 miles). The Tao indigenous people of Orchid Island in southern Taiwan have more in common with ethnic groups in the Philippines than in Taiwan ( source ). Where is Taiwan’s Antipode? If you started digging a hole in Taiwan and keeping going all the way to the other side of the world, where would you end up? The answer to this is very cool: Taiwan is antipodal to Formosa Province, Argentina ! This is interesting because Formosa is another name for Taiwan. The story goes that when Portuguese sailors first spotted Taiwan, they named it “Isla Formosa” or “Beautiful Island”. The name Formosa stuck for centuries. However, they named several other places in the world Formosa, and it just so happens that one of them is on the exact opposite side of the globe from Taiwan. Find the answers to other FAQs about Taiwan here ! A Travel Guide to Hualien, Taiwan’s Largest County Neiwan Old Street: Sampling Hakka Foods in Hsinchu County 1 thought on “Where is Taiwan? A Guide to Understanding Taiwan’s Location” I am absolutely fascinated by all this information and extremely appreciative too. It makes travel all the more special. Thank you! I just finished reading Green Island, and I felt such humility about the complex history and hardships that are post of the Taiwan history. I am absolutely fascinated by all this information and extremely appreciative too. It makes travel all the more special. Thank you! I just finished reading Green Island, and I felt such humility about the complex history and hardships that are post of the Taiwan history. Leave a Comment