There are tons of interesting facts about Taiwan. From geographical phenomenon to spicy political gossip, here are a quick top 10 facts about the sweet potato island.
You’ve probably heard that Taiwan is small. Whoever told you that wasn’t joking; it only takes 4 hours by high speed train to go from top to bottom. Or 10 hours if you accidentally take the painfully boring local train.
That said, Taiwan is bigger than most of the small countries in Europe, including the Netherlands and Belgium. 50 times bigger than Singapore and the same size as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut combined, Taiwan is much bigger than you think. And it’s packed with things to do, eat, and explore.
Which of course means that there are tons of interesting facts about Taiwan. From geographical phenomenon to spicy political gossip, this list of facts about Taiwan could go on forever, so here’s just 10 facts to get you started.
1. Kinmen is Just Over 1 Mile From China
Kinmen 金門 is an outlying island belonging to Taiwan. With a university, a military base, and a population of over 120,000 people, Kinmen is very much a lived-in island. Which is impressive because it’s just over 1 mile away from China, and is so close that the soaring skyscrapers of Xiamen (Fujian province) can be seen from the beach.
Such proximity is not without its dangers. Ever since the KMT (Chinese Nationalist Party) retreated to Taiwan in 1949 and established their own republic, Kinmen has born the brunt of China’s firepower. From bombs to swarms of drones, Kinmen has suffered continuously for the past 70 years.
2. Taiwan as its Own Calendar System
Move over Gregorian calendar. The calendar system used in Taiwan is called the Republic of China calendar (ROC Calendar or Minguo Calendar) and is pretty easy to use once you’ve got the hang of it. You just need to know a little backstory.
The KMT, also known as the Kuomintang or the Chinese Nationalist Party, was established in China in 1911. It might seem ancient history, but this is one of the most important facts about Taiwan that you need to remember. That’s because 1911 is considered to be Year 1, aka the start of the new dawn with the KMT.
During the civil war – that was against the CCP btw – of 1945 to 1949, KMT soldiers fled to Taiwan, taking with them millions of Chinese civilians. Many of them unwillingly, I might add. Arriving in Taiwan, the KMT seized power over the island and founded their own Republic of China (Taiwan). Along with their very own calendar system.
3. There’s a Volcano Near Taipei
Yangmingshan 阳明山 (also known as Yangmingshan National Park) is a collection of composite volcanoes, mountains, and grasslands that sit at an elevation of 805 meters above sea level. The volcanoes themselves are mostly harmless and only draw attention for their emission of sulfuric gas, sapphire-colored sulfuric crystal formations, and hot springs.
Whether it’s the sweet smell of sulfur in the air or the lush green pastures on the mountains, cows love Yangmingshan. And the public love the cows too, so much so that there is a trail (Qiantiangang) specifically for visiting the Taiwan Water Buffaloes and Black Japanese Tajima cows on Yangmingshan.
4. There is No Official Religion in Taiwan
While there is no official religion in Taiwan 臺灣宗教, Buddhist and Taoist temples are all over the place. Buddhism and Taoism are actually so popular in Taiwan, along with Confucianism, that it’s common for temples to have deities from all three religions within their walls. Luerhman Mazu Temple in Tainan is an imposing example of this.
Christianity is also present, albeit with a much smaller following than other religions in Taiwan. Even so, Christianity (including Catholicism and Protestantism) is predominant among Taiwan’s indigenous tribes. This is largely a result of Christian missionaries heading into the mountains in the early 20th century.
5. Taiwan has Black Sand Beaches
Although there are golden sandy beaches in the south in Tainan and pebble stone beaches in the east in Hualien, a fun fact about Taiwan is that many of its beaches are actually black. These can usually be found in the north in places like Yilan 宜蘭縣 (Taiwan’s northernmost point) and Keelung 基隆市.
Black sand beaches are normally found near places with volcanic activity. As Taiwan is located within the volatile ‘Ring of Fire’, receives frequent earthquakes, and is home to 7 volcanoes, it makes sense why there would be so many black beaches in Taiwan.
Related: 10 Best Things to do in Yilan6. Taiwan is Home to 16 Indigenous Tribes
Although they make up little more than 2.3% of the population, the indigenous people of Taiwan have a lengthy history with the island. The original inhabitants of the plains, mountains, and islands, Taiwan’s indigenous tribes were forced into the mountains with the arrival of the Chinese Qing Dynasty and the Japanese.
Today, there are just 16 officially recognized tribes. While there is a renewed effort to preserve the livelihood of the remaining tribes, with so many indigenous peoples forcibly assimilated into the Han Chinese culture, many of the traditional languages and customs in Taiwan have been lost.
7. Old Ladies Run the Midnight Snack Scene
One of the most interesting facts about Taiwan is how diverse the country’s night time food scene is. From bustling night markets to late evening Re-Chao 熱炒’s, Taiwan is full of satisfying midnight snacks. But the best among them has to be the Soy Bean Milk 豆漿 stores.
Usually open from 9pm to 3am, Soy Bean Milk stores are the perfect late night meal fix. Why these late night establishments are run by old ladies, I don’t know. All I know is that the older the old lady, the more delicious the crispy youtiao 油條 (Chinese donut) and shaobing 燒餅 (sesame flatbread).
8. It Snows in Taiwan
Taiwan is an island with both a tropical and a subtropical climate. Like many other countries in East Asia, Taiwan is no stranger to typhoons, monsoons, and blistering heat, with its weather being unpredictable at best.
However, contrary to popular belief, Taiwan does have snow. Snow in Taiwan is a more common sight in the north and northeastern parts of the island, as this is where many of the taller mountains can be found. Mountains in Taitung and Yilan that exceed an elevation of 1,300m frequently receive a dusting of snow during the winter months, creating the perfect winter wonderland.
9. All Presidents Have Graduated From NTU
National Taiwan University (NTU) is the best university in Taiwan by miles. It’s the most funded, most established and most selective university in Taiwan, and has the best track record for setting students up to be the next president of Taiwan.
Democratic elections were opened in 2000 by President Lee Teng-hui, the ‘father’ of democracy in Taiwan. Since then, all the elected presidents of Taiwan have graduated from NTU. Be it the Law department or the Agriculture department, NTU is the place to go if you’re thinking of a career in politics.
Related: Want to follow in the footsteps of Taiwanese Presidents? Learn Chinese at NTU!10. Fights in the Taiwan Parliament are Common
Save for the president of Taiwan, members of Taiwan’s Parliament are renowned for getting into bloody fist fights, chair and water balloon throwing matches, and just generally rowdy behavior. So much for National Taiwan University graduates being the best of society.
Fights in Taiwan Parliament are so common and internationally renowned that a delegation from Slovakia even staged their own mini brawl when visiting the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan Parliament).
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