Taiwan has 9 national parks and 1 national natural park, which are administered by the Ministry of the Interior.
National parks of Taiwan are protected spaces for the nature, wildlife, and history under their current jurisdiction. The national parks cover 7,489.49 square kilometres (2,891.71 sq mi). [1] The 3,103.76-square-kilometre (1,198.37 sq mi) total land area constitutes around 8.6% of the entire land area of the country. After World War II, calls for protecting the natural environment were met with opposition due to the prioritization of economic development. [2] The National Park Law was passed in 1972, and the first national park was established in 1984. [3]
National parks should not be confused with national scenic areas. The national scenic areas are administered by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. [4] There are also different philosophies that govern the development of the two types of areas. For a national park, the emphasis is on the preservation of natural and cultural resources, with development for human utilization being a secondary priority. [4]
Currently there are nine national parks in Taiwan. There is also one national nature park, which is designed for areas with fewer resources compared to a full national park.
Name | Chinese | Date established | Area | Description | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kenting National Park | 墾丁國家公園 | January 1, 1984 | 332.90 km2 (82,261.4 acres), 180.84 km2 of land, and 152.06 km2 water | Located on the southern tip of Taiwan, it is also the oldest national park on Taiwan (Pingtung County). Kenting is famous for its tropical coral reefs and migratory birds. | |
Yushan National Park | 玉山國家公園 | April 6, 1985 | 1,031.21 km2 (254,817.5 acres) | The largest national park in Taiwan, located on the central part of the island. It is named after Mount Jade (Yushan literally means "Jade Mountain") which is the highest peak in East Asia at 3,952 metres. | |
Yangmingshan National Park | 陽明山國家公園 | September 16, 1985 | 113.38 km2 (28,016.8 acres) | The northernmost national park on the island of Taiwan; it has a volcanic landform. Yangmingshan is famous for its hotsprings and geothermal phenomenon. Each spring, Yangmingshan also has a dazzling flower season. It is located partially in Taipei City and partially in New Taipei City. | |
Taroko National Park | 太魯閣國家公園 | November 28, 1986 | 920 km2 (227,337.0 acres) | A magnificent marble gorge cut by Liwu River, creating one of the most astounding landscapes in the world. It is also the home of the indigenous Truku people. Taroko is located in eastern Taiwan. | |
Shei-Pa National Park | 雪霸國家公園 | July 1, 1992 | 768.5 km2 (189,900.5 acres) | Located in the northern central part of Taiwan island, in Hsinchu County and Miaoli County. It encompasses Xueshan (Snow Mountain), the second tallest mountain in Taiwan and East Asia, and Dabajian Mountain. | |
Kinmen National Park | 金門國家公園 | October 18, 1995 | 35.29 km2 (8,720.3 acres) | Located on an island just off the coast of Mainland China, it includes famous historical battlefields in Kinmen. It is also known for its wetland ecosystem and traditional Fujian buildings that date back to the Ming Dynasty. | |
Dongsha Atoll National Park | 東沙環礁國家公園 | October 4, 2007 | 3,536.68 km2 (873,932.7 acres), including 1.79 km2 of land | Taiwan's first marine national park. The atoll and the adjacent waters provide for a rich biodiversity of marine life including fish, jellyfish, squid, sicklefin lemon sharks, and rays to sea turtles, Dugongs, and cetaceans (dolphins and whales). Because of a strict protection policy, it is currently not open to public tourism. | |
Taijiang National Park | 臺江國家公園 | December 28, 2009 | 393.1 km2 (97,137.1 acres), 49.05 km2 of land, and 344.05 km2 water | Located in southwest Taiwan on the coast of Tainan City. The park's tidal landscape is one of its most distinctive features. Around 200 years ago, a large part of the park was part of the Taijiang Inland Sea. There is a rich variety of marine life, including 205 species of shellfish, 240 species of fish and 49 crab species that thrive on the marshes of southern Taiwan. | |
South Penghu Marine National Park | 澎湖南方四島 國家公園 | October 18, 2014 | 358.44 km2 (88,572.5 acres), including 3.70 km2 of land | Located in the south of the Penghu Islands. The seas around the islets feature large clusters of Acropora coral and a diversity of fish and shells living among the reefs. The islets are also known for magnificent basalt terrains and unique low-roofed houses built by early inhabitants with coral stone and basalt. [5] |
Name | Chinese | Date established | Area | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|
Shoushan National Nature Park | 壽山國家自然公園 | December 6, 2011 | 11.23 km2 (2,775.0 acres) |
Five other national parks were proposed but the plans of formation were halted due to opposition:
Another national nature park was proposed but the plans of formation were halted due to opposition:
The first national parks were designated for establishment in 1937, when Taiwan was under Japanese rule, though never formally managed as such. [6] The first national parks (國立公園, Kokuritsu Kōen) in Taiwan were planned on December 27, 1937, by Governor-General Seizō Kobayashi (小林躋造). This was when Taiwan was under Japanese rule, thus the three national parks were to be national parks of the Empire of Japan.
Name | Japanese | Taiwanese | Today's equivalent |
---|---|---|---|
Daiton National Park | 大屯國立公園 | Toā-tūn Kok-li̍p Kong-hn̂g | Yangmingshan National Park |
Nītaka-Arisan National Park | 新高阿里山國立公園 | Sin-ko A-lí-san Kok-li̍p Kong-hn̂g | Yushan National Park and Alishan National Scenic Area |
Tsugitaka-Taroko National Park | 次高タロコ國立公園 | Chhù-ko Thài-ló͘-koh Kok-li̍p Kong-hn̂g | Taroko National Park and Shei-Pa National Park |
The legal basis for these national parks was no longer in force when Japan withdrew from Taiwan in 1945 after World War II. However, these planned national parks formed the basis for subsequent national park establishments. [6]
Juguang Township / Jyuguang Township, also spelled Chukuang, is a rural township of Lienchiang County, Republic of China (Taiwan). Juguang Township includes two major islands, Dongju Island and Xiju Island, as well as some islets.
Pratas Island, also known as the Tungsha Islands or the Dongsha Islands, is a coral island situated in the northern part of the South China Sea administered as part of Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is located about 170 nautical miles southeast of Hong Kong. It has an area of about 240 hectares, including 64 hectares of lagoon, and is the largest of the South China Sea Islands. It is the location of the Dongsha Airport.
Kenting National Park, commonly known as Kenting, is a national park located on the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County, Taiwan, covering Hengchun, Checheng, and Manzhou Townships. Established on 1 January 1984, it is Taiwan's oldest and the southernmost national park on the main island, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island along Bashi Channel. Administered by the Executive Yuan's Ministry of the Interior, this national park is well known for its tropical climate and sunshine, scenic mountain and beach, the Spring Scream rock-band festival held in every March, and has long been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taiwan with 5.84 million visitors in 2016.
Guishan Island / Gueishan Island or Steep Island or Turtle Island, also known as Kweishan Island or Kueishan Island, is an island in the Pacific Ocean, part of Toucheng Township, Yilan County, Taiwan and located 9.1 km (5.7 mi) east of port of Kengfang Fishery Harbor. The island's name is derived from the resemblance of the topography of the island to that of a turtle. There is a smaller island south of Gueishan Island called Gueiluan Island). The island is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1785.
Yushan National Park is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the summit Yushan, the highest peak of the park. The park covers a total area of 103,121 hectares that includes large sections of the Central Mountain Range. The park contains more than thirty peaks over 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) in elevation, and two-thirds of the area within the park is above 2,000 metres (6,562 ft). The elevation difference in the park is 3,600 metres (11,811 ft), and there are many canyons, cliffs, and valleys.
The Kinmen National Park is a national park in Kinmen, Fuchien Province, Republic of China.
Beigan Township, is an insular rural township in Lienchiang County, Taiwan (ROC). The township is in the East China Sea off the coast of Fujian Province, China near Fuzhou (Foochow). Beigan Island, the main island of the township, is the second largest island in the Matsu Islands. Other smaller islands in the township include Daqiu Island, known for its Formosan sika deer, and Gaodeng Island and Liang Island which are off-limits to the public. The native language many of the inhabitants is Matsu dialect which is one of the statutory languages for public transport announcements in the Matsu Islands.
The Ministry of Labor is a ministry of the Taiwanese Executive Yuan administering policies relating to employees and labor. The MOL works with various international organizations and engages in bilateral exchanges to elevate the welfare of laborers in Taiwan, administering programs such as Labor Insurance.
The Dongsha Atoll National Park is the seventh national park of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Xiyu Township is a rural township encompassing Xiyu/Hsiyu/Si Island/Hsi Island, also known as Fisher Island, Yuweng or Pescadores Island, which is among the three major islands of the Penghu County, Taiwan. It has a population of 8,301 and an area of 18.7148 square kilometres.
Taijiang National Park is a national park in Tainan, Taiwan.
South Penghu Marine National Park is a national park of Taiwan in the south of Penghu Islands. The marine park includes the islands of Dongjiyu, Xijiyu, Dongyupingyu, Xiyupingyu, other smaller islets and surrounding waters. It is managed by the Marine National Park Headquarters.
Mianhua Islet is a 0.133 km2 (0.051 sq mi) volcanic island in Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan, located in the East China Sea. Pingfong Rock, just east of the islet, is the easternmost point under the actual control of Taiwan (ROC).
Dongding Island is an 0.0160 square kilometer island in the Taiwan Strait in Jinhu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The island is the southernmost point of Kinmen County. The island is near Longhai City, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China.
Gaodeng Island is an island in the East China Sea, part of Beigan Township, Lienchiang County, Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The island is closed to the public. Gaodeng is located 9.25 kilometres (5.75 mi) away from the Beijiao Peninsula in Lianjiang County, Fuzhou, Fujian, China (PRC). The island can be seen from the nearby Beigan Island and Daqiu Island.
Liang Island is an island located in the East China Sea in Beigan Township, Lienchiang County, Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The island is closed to the public. The island is located 26 kilometers (16 mi) from both Beigan Island and Dongyin Island and 19.25 kilometers (11.96 mi) from Kuishan Island in Haidao Township, Xiapu County, Ningde, Fujian, People's Republic of China (PRC).
Hua Islet is an islet in Huayu Village, Wangan Township, Penghu County, Taiwan. Hua Islet is the westernmost point in Penghu. The island has also been known as "West Islet" (西嶼). The Japanese-built Huayu Lighthouse is located on the southwestern hill of the island.
Hujing Island / Huching Island / Hujing Islet (Chinese: 虎井嶼; pinyin: Hǔjǐng Yǔ; Wade–Giles: Hu3-ching3 Yü3; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hó͘-chéⁿ-sū) is an islet in Hujing Village (虎井里), Magong City, Penghu County (the Pescadores), Taiwan. The island has also been known as Da'anshan (大案山) and the nearby Tongpan Island as Xiao'anshan (小案山). The southern part of the island is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer. Hujing Island is the seventh largest island in Penghu (the Pescadores). The island is 7 nmi (13 km) from Penghu Main Island. There are mountains on the eastern end (Dongshan) and western end (Sishan) of the island.