Taiwan Business Guide - Management and Business Studies Portal

Market Entry
Choosing the right LOCATION
Geography
Taiwan is located 100 miles across the
Taiwan Strait from mainland China,
between Japan and the Philippines. It is an
island nation, comprising the main island
of Taiwan, along with Penghu, Kinmen and
Matsu. Taiwan is 250 miles long and 88
miles across – roughly the size of Wales.
A rugged mountain range, the second
highest in Asia after the Himalayas, covers
more than half of the main island. The
tallest mountain is Yushan, or “Jade
Mountain”, which rises to 12,966 feet
(3,952 metres) above sea level and stands
at the heart of Yushan National Park.
Approximately 60 per cent of Taiwan is
covered by forest. Having such a limited
usable land area makes it the second most
densely populated country in the world.
Climate
The climate of Taiwan is sub-tropical,
except for the extreme south which is
tropical. Occasionally, typhoons hit the
island during May to September. Apart
from this, Taiwan’s weather is temperate,
with average temperatures of 22°C
(summer temperatures are around 35°C
in July; winter temperatures are around
12°C in January).
Centres of business
Taiwan has five special municipalities
(Taipei, Xinbei, Taichung, Tainan and
Kaohsiung), which are home to more than
13.7 million residents. The most important
commercial centres are Taipei, to the north,
and Kaohsiung to the south.
Taipei is the capital of Taiwan and the
country’s political, economic and cultural
heart. The Taipei metropolitan area (which
includes Taipei, Xinbei and Keelung) has
a population of over 6.7 million people.
The city is served by two airports, Taipei
Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan, and has
high-speed rail and road links to the rest
of the island. Taipei also has a modern and
efficient public transport system, with five
metro lines in operation. Many of Taiwan’s
leading companies have their headquarters
there, including ASUS, Chunghwa Telecom,
Mandarin Airlines and Tatung. For more
information visit http://english.taipei.gov.tw
Kaohsiung is the second-largest city
in Taiwan, with a population of 2.9
million people. It is one of five special
municipalities in Taiwan and a centre for
manufacturing, refining, shipbuilding,
light and heavy industries. Kaohsiung
International Airport is the second-largest
airport in Taiwan, while its port is the
country’s biggest. The city was host of
the 2009 World Games and is home to
the Republic of China navy.
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