Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
for hydroelectricity. The Tanshui, which runs through Taipei, is the only navigable
stream. Other rivers include the Kaoping, Tsengwen, Tachia and Tatu.
Located in the foothills of the Central Mountain Range, Sun Moon Lake is the largest
body of freshwater in Taiwan and is one of the country's top tourist destinations.
Fertile plains and basins make up most of western Taiwan, which is criss-crossed with
many small rivers that empty into the sea and has the most suitable land for agriculture.
Over on the east coast, however, even plains are in short supply. Outside the three cities
of Ilan, Hualien and Taitung, the area is among the most sparsely populated on the island.
Legendary Japanese engineer Yoichi Hatta (1886-1942) still commands hero status in
Taiwan today thanks to the major contributions he made to hydraulic engineering in the
country.
Wetlands
Taiwan is home to 100 wetlands that have been officially declared 'nationally important',
with estuaries being the most common form. There are large wetland concentrations in
the southwest and southeast of the island; Tsengwen Estuary and Sihcao Wetland, both in
Tainan, are classified 'international class' wetlands.
Besides providing a valuable ecosystem that supports a multitude of life-forms includ-
ing insects, amphibians and fish, Taiwan's wetlands are a precious gift to vast popula-
tions of migratory birds. These enamoured, annual visitors stop in Taiwan when migrat-
ing from northern areas such as Siberia, Manchuria, Korea and Japan for southern win-
tering sites in, for instance, the Philippines and Indonesia.
If you drive along Lanyang River in the dry season, you'll be greeted by a giant cabbage
patch instead of flowing waters. To find the impressive, curious sight, follow the highway
through the Xueshan and Yushan Mountain Ranges up to Wuling Farm.
Environmental Issues
When Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist troops were driven off the mainland, they brought
more than just millions of Chinese people fleeing communism with them: they also
brought capital, much of which was used to transform a primarily agrarian society into a
major industrial powerhouse. Taiwan became wealthy, quickly, but it also became toxic,
with urban air quality ranking among the world's worst, and serious pollution in most of
