- published: 13 Jul 2009
- views: 840
- author: NTDTV
Vimeo results:
Youtube results:
More Videos
Loading...
..." width="225" height="168" class="playvideo1 gotop" onClick="activateTab('playlist1'); return false" style="display: block;" />
Open Collage in a new Window
Email the Collage
- Loading...
Loading suggestions ...
- Aksai Chin
- Archipelago
- Baekdu Mountain
- Baisha, Penghu
- Bangladesh
- Beigan, Lienchiang
- Bird
- Bougainvillea
- Brunei
- Burma
- Changhua County
- Chiayi
- Chiayi County
- China
- Chinese character
- Chinese Crested Tern
- Chinese language
- Chinese Mainland
- Chinese surname
- Cijin District
- Clam
- CNN
- Dongyin, Lienchiang
- East Asia
- Empire of Japan
- Endangered species
- Extinct species
- Farming
- Fern
- Fish
- Fujian
- Fuzhou dialect
- Green Island, Taiwan
- Guishan Island
- Gulls
- Hokkien
- Hong Kong
- Hsinchu
- Hsinchu County
- Hualien County
- Huxi, Penghu
- India
- Islet
- Japan
- Jellyfish
- Jincheng, Kinmen
- Jinhu, Kinmen
- Jinning, Kinmen
- Jinsha, Kinmen
- John F. Kennedy
- Juguang, Lienchiang
- Kachin State
- Kaohsiung
- Kashmir
- Keelung
- Kinmen
- Kinmen County
- Korean Peninsula
- Kori Creek
- Kuomintang
- Lamay Island
- Liancourt Rocks
- Lianjiang County
- Lieyu, Kinmen
- Lin
- Liu
- Macau
- Macclesfield Bank
- Magong, Taiwan
- Mainland China
- Mainlander
- Malaysia
- Mandarin Chinese
- Matsu (goddess)
- Matsu Islands
- Meizhou Island
- Miaoli County
- Min Chinese
- Min Dong
- Mojibake
- Mongolia
- Moss
- Nangan
- Nangan, Lienchiang
- Nantou County
- Nautical mile
- New Taipei
- North Borneo dispute
- North Korea
- Orange (fruit)
- Orchid Island
- Order (biology)
- Outer Mongolia
- Pakistan
- Pamir Mountains
- Paracel Islands
- Pedra Branca dispute
- Penghu
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī
- Philippines
- Pingtung County
- Pinyin
- Pirate
- Pratas Islands
- Qimei, Penghu
- Qing Dynasty
- Quemoy
- Republic of China
- Rice
- Richard Nixon
- Russia
- Sabah
- Sanctuary
- Scarborough Shoal
- Senkaku Islands
- Singapore
- Socotra Rock
- South Asia
- South Korea
- South Tibet dispute
- Southeast Asia
- Species (biology)
- Spratly Islands
- Sugar cane
- Taichung
- Tainan
- Taipei
- Taipei Times
- Taiping Island
- Taitung County
- Taiwan
- Taiwan Independence
- Taiwan island
- Taiwan Province
- Taiwan Strait
- Tajikistan
- Tannu Uriankhai
- Tea plant
- Temperature
- Terns
- Territorial dispute
- Tongyong Pinyin
- Toucheng, Yilan
- Tuva
- Vietnam
- Wade–Giles
- Wang
- Wang-an, Penghu
- Wikitravel
- World War II
- Wuqiu, Kinmen
- Xiyu, Penghu
- Yale Romanization
- Yilan County, Taiwan
- Yuan Dynasty
- Yunlin County
- Zheng He
-
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
i/æfˈɡænɨstæn/ (Persian/Pashto: افغانستان, Afġānistān), officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming part of South Asia, Central Asia, and Greater Middle East, it is also considered to be part of a broader West Asia. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of 647,500 km2 (250,001 sq mi), making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and the east, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast.
Afghanistan has been an ancient focal point of the Silk Road and human migration. Archaeologists have found evidence of human habitation from as far back as 50,000 BC. Urban civilization may have begun in the area as early as 3,000 to 2,000 BC. Sitting at an important geostrategic location that connects the Middle East with Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, the land has been home to various peoples through the ages and witnessed many military campaigns, notably by Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and in modern era Western forces. The land also served as a source from which the Greco-Bactrians, Kushans, Saffarids, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Timurids, Mughals and many others have risen to form major empires.
wn.com/Afghanistan -
Aksai Chin
Coordinates: 35°7′N 79°8′E / 35.117°N 79.133°E / 35.117; 79.133
Aksai Chin (Chinese: 阿克赛钦; pinyin: Ākèsàiqīn, Hindi: अक्साई चिन, Urdu: اکسائی چن) is one of the two main disputed border areas between China and India, the other being Arunachal Pradesh. It is administered by China as part of Hotan County in the Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, but is also claimed by India as a part of the Ladakh district of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In 1962 China and India fought a brief war over Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, but in 1993 and 1996 the two countries signed agreements to respect the Line of Actual Control.
The etymology of Aksai Chin is uncertain regarding the word "Chin". As a word of Turk origin, aksai literally means "white brook" but whether the word Chin refers to Chinese or pass is disputed. The area is largely a vast high-altitude desert including some salt lakes from 4,800 metres (15,700 ft) to 5,500 metres (18,000 ft) above sea level. It covers an area of 37,244 square kilometres (14,380 sq mi). The Chinese name of the region, 阿克赛钦, is composed of Chinese characters chosen for their phonetic values, irrespective of their meaning.
wn.com/Aksai_Chin -
Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23°N 90°E / 23°N 90°E / 23; 90
Bangladesh (i/ˈbɑːŋɡlədɛʃ/ or i/bæŋɡləˈdɛʃ/ (Anglicized pronunciation); Bengali: বাংলাদেশ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bengali: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh) is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India and Burma and by the Bay of Bengal to the south. The capital (and largest city) is Dhaka, located in central Bangladesh. The official state language is Bengali. The name Bangladesh means "Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal" the in the Bengali language, from Bangla "Bengal" and desh holding a dual meaning of "land" and "country" as English "country," German land, French pays, etc.
The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal during the reign and demise of the British India. Its map was chartered by Sir Cyril Radcliffe during the creation of Pakistan and India in 1947, when the region became East Pakistan, part of the newly formed nation of Pakistan. Due to political exclusion and economic exploitation by the politically dominant West Pakistan, popular agitation grew against West Pakistan and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, after the Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence on 26 March 1971. With the intervention of the Indian Army, the war came to an end on 16 December 1971 with the surrender of the Pakistan Army at Ramna Race Course.
wn.com/Bangladesh -
Brunei
Bruneii/bruːˈnaɪ/, officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: نڬارا بروني دارالسلام), is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and it is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang. It is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo, with the remainder of the island belonging to Malaysia and Indonesia. Brunei's population was 401,890 in July 2011.
The official national history claims that Brunei can trace its beginnings to the 7th century, when it was a subject state of the Srivijayan empire under the name P'o-li. It later became a vassal state of Majapahit empire before converting to Islam in the 15th century. At the peak of its empire, the sultanate had control that extended over the coastal regions of modern-day Sarawak and Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, and the islands off the northwest tip of Borneo. The thalassocracy was visited by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and fought the Castille War in 1578 against Spain. Its empire began to decline with the forced ceding of Sarawak to James Brooke and the ceding of Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company. After the loss of Limbang, Brunei finally became a British protectorate in 1888, receiving a resident in 1906. In the years after the Japanese wartime occupation during World War II, it formalised a constitution and fought an armed rebellion. Brunei regained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984. Economic growth during the 1970s and 1990s, averaging 56% from 1999 to 2008, has transformed Brunei Darussalam into a newly industrialised country.
wn.com/Brunei -
Burma
Burma
i/ˈbɜrmə/ BUR-mə, also known as Myanmar i/ˌmjɑːnˈmɑr/ MYAHN--MAR, is a country in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. One-third of Burma's total perimeter of 1,930 kilometres (1,200 mi) forms an uninterrupted coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. At 676,578 km2 (261,227 sq mi), it is the 40th largest country in the world and the second largest country in Southeast Asia. Burma is also the 24th most populous country in the world with over 60.28 million people.
Burma is home to some of the early civilizations of Southeast Asia including the Pyu and the Mon. In the 9th century, the Burmans of the Kingdom of Nanzhao, entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and, following the establishment of the Pagan Empire in the 1050s, the Burmese language and culture slowly became dominant in the country. During this period, Theravada Buddhism gradually became the predominant religion of the country. The Pagan Empire fell due to the Mongol invasions (1277–1301), and several warring states emerged. In the second half of the 16th century, the country was reunified by the Taungoo Dynasty which for a brief period was the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia. The early 19th century Konbaung Dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Burma as well as Manipur and Assam. The country was colonized by Britain following three Anglo-Burmese Wars (1824–1885).
wn.com/Burma -
Changhua County
Changhua County is the smallest county in Taiwan located on the westside of Taiwan. It is officially governed as a county of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
wn.com/Changhua_County -
Chiayi County
Chiayi County is a county in southwestern Taiwan surrounding but not including Chiayi City. Its historical name in Taiwanese Hokkien (諸羅山, Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chu-lô-san) derives from Tsirosen in the Formosan languages. It is home to one of Taiwan's most outstanding research universities, National Chung Cheng University.
Chiayi County is home to National Chung Cheng University, a research institution.
wn.com/Chiayi_County -
China
China (i/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
wn.com/China -
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan (Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國; Shinjitai: 大日本帝国; Romaji: Dai Nippon Teikoku; literally Great Imperial State of Japan; officially Great Japan or Empire of Great Japan; commonly as Imperial Japan or the Japanese Empire) was an empire and world power that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of Japan on 3 May 1947.
Imperial Japan's rapid industrialization and militarization under the slogan Fukoku Kyōhei (富国強兵?, "Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Army") led to its emergence as a world power, eventually culminating in its membership in the Axis alliance and the conquest of a large part of the Asia-Pacific region. At the height of its power in 1942, the Japanese Empire ruled over a land area spanning 7,400,000 square kilometres (2,857,000 sq mi), making it one of the largest maritime empires in history.
After several large-scale military successes during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and the Pacific War, the Empire of Japan also gained notoriety for its war crimes against the peoples of the countries it conquered. After suffering many defeats and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, however, the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies on 2 September 1945. A period of occupation by the Allies followed the surrender, and a new constitution was created with American involvement. The constitution came into force on 3 May 1947, officially dissolving the Empire. American occupation and reconstruction of the country continued well into the 1950s, eventually forming the current nation-state whose title is simply that ("the nation of Japan" Nippon-koku) or just "Japan" .
wn.com/Empire_of_Japan -
Fujian
Coordinates: 25°54′N 118°18′E / 25.9°N 118.3°E / 25.9; 118.3
Fujian (help·info) (Chinese: 福建), formerly romanised as Fukien or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait. The name Fujian came from the combination of Fuzhou and Jianzhou (a former name for Jian'ou) two cities in Fujian, during the Tang Dynasty. With a Han majority, it is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse provinces in China.
Most of Fujian is administered by the People's Republic of China. However, the archipelagos of Kinmen and Matsu are under the control of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Thus, there are two provinces (in the sense of government organizations): the Fujian Province administered by the People's Republic of China and the Fujian Province of the Republic of China.
Recent archaeological discoveries demonstrate that Fujian had entered the Neolithic Age by the middle of the 6th millennium BC. From the Keqiutou site (7450–5590 BP), an early Neolithic site in Pingtan Island located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Fuzhou, numerous tools made of stones, shells, bones, jades, and ceramics (including wheel-made-ceramics) have been unearthed, together with spinning wheels, a definitive evidence of weaving.
wn.com/Fujian -
Hong Kong
Coordinates: 22°16′42″N 114°09′32″E / 22.27833°N 114.15889°E / 22.27833; 114.15889
Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港) is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups. Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.
Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898. It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty. The region espoused minimum government intervention under the ethos of positive non-interventionism during the colonial era. The time period greatly influenced the current culture of Hong Kong, often described as "East meets West", and the educational system, which used to loosely follow the system in England until reforms implemented in 2009.
wn.com/Hong_Kong -
Hsinchu
Hsinchu City (Chinese: 新竹市; Hanyu Pinyin: Xīnzhú Shì; Tongyong Pinyin: Sinjhú Shìh; Wade–Giles: Hsin-chu Shih; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Sin-tek) is a city in northern Taiwan. Hsinchu is popularly nicknamed "The Windy City" (Chinese: 風城; Hanyu Pinyin: Fēngchéng; Tongyong Pinyin: Fongchéng) for its windy climate.
Hsinchu City is administered as a special municipality within Taiwan (ROC). The city is bordered by Hsinchu County to the north and east, Miaoli County to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the west. Hsinchu City is composed of three districts: North District, East District, and Xiangshan District.
In 1626, after Spain occupied northern Taiwan, Spanish missionaries arrived at Tek-khàm (竹塹; sm: zhúqiàn), where the Taokas Taiwanese aborigines lived. During the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed Hsinchu. In the 21st year of Guangxu's Regime, Hsinchu Sub Office was established, responsible for independent administration on June 24. In June of the 24th Year of Kuang Hsu's Regime, it altered its local official system again. Hsinchu County was abolished. It was then under the administration of Hsinchu Administration Office, Taipei County. On November 11, 27th Year of Kuang Hsu's Regime, it established the Hsinchu Office. In 1920, under Japanese rule, Hsinchu Street was established, with the founding of Hsinchu Street District Office. In 1930, the city system was applied. It was renamed as Hsinchu City, under the governing of Hsinchu-Chou, with the establishment of Hsinchu City Office. In 1941, its administration district was expanded, merging with Xiangshan and Qiu Kang, and became a part of Liu Jia Zhuang.
wn.com/Hsinchu -
Hsinchu County
Hsinchu County (Chinese: 新竹縣; pinyin: Xīnzhú Xiàn) is a county in north-western Taiwan. The population of the county is mainly Hakka; there is a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the capital of Hsinchu, where the government office and county office is located. Hsinchu is where most of the industrial factory and office of computer related companies are located, most known as Hsinchu Technology Zone in Taiwan. Also known as Chinese: 新竹科學園區; pinyin: Xīnzhú kēxuéyuán qū, literally "Hsinchu technology zone".
See also: Administrative divisions of the Republic of China
Hsinchu County controls one county-controlled city, three urban townships, and nine rural townships. They are:
Coordinates: 24°50′0″N 121°0′53″E / 24.833333°N 121.01472°E / 24.833333; 121.01472
wn.com/Hsinchu_County -
Hualien County
Hualien County is the largest county in Taiwan and is located on the mountainous eastern coast of Taiwan. It contains the island's largest port. It is the starting point of the Hualien-Taitung Line and the terminal point of North-Link Line of TRA. For the Provincial highway System, Hualien has the connection of Suhua Highway, Huatung Highway, Hualien-Taitung Coast Highway and the Central Cross-Island Highway. Hualien County also contains part of Taroko National Park and Yushan National Park.
The seat of Hualien County is Hualien City.
Hualien was originally called Kilai (奇萊) by the native Austronesian inhabitants of Taiwan. Spanish settlers arrived in 1622 to pan for gold. Picking up the sounds of native words, these settlers called the area "Turumoan" (多羅滿). Han Chinese settlers arrived in 1851. Qing Dynasty record the name of the region as "Huilan" (洄瀾 "eddies") due to the whirling of waters in the delta.
During Taiwan's Japanese colonial period (1985-1945) the island's Japanese governors opted not to transliterate the name "Kilai" as the Japanese pronunciation of the word resembled the Japanese word for "disgusting" (嫌い). The official name became "Karen" (花蓮; かれん). Toward the end of World War II the Governor-General of Taiwan moved many Japanese residents of Taiwan to the area to develop agriculture.
wn.com/Hualien_County -
India
India (i/ˈɪndiə/), officially the Republic of India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the south-west, and the Bay of Bengal on the south-east, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west;China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Burma and Bangladesh to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; in addition, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.
Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four of the world's major religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—originated here, whereas Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st millennium CE and also helped shape the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by and brought under the administration of the British East India Company from the early 18th century and administered directly by the United Kingdom from the mid-19th century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi.
wn.com/India -
Japan
Japani/dʒəˈpæn/ (Japanese: 日本 Nihon or Nippon; formally 日本国 
Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku, literally the State of Japan) is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun".
Japan is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. The four largest islands are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku, together accounting for ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 127 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.
Archaeological research indicates that people lived in Japan as early as the Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD. Influence from other nations followed by long periods of isolation has characterized Japan's history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War and World War I allowed Japan to expand its empire during a period of increasing militarism. The Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War II in 1941, which came to an end in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since adopting its revised constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament called the Diet.
wn.com/Japan -
Kachin State
Kachin State (Burmese: ကချင်ပြည်နယ်, pronounced: [kətɕʰɪ̀ɴ pjìnɛ̀]; Kachin: Jingphaw Mungdaw), is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is 89,041 km2 (34,379 sq mi). The capital of the state is Myitkyina. Other important towns include Bhamo.
Kachin State has Myanmar’s highest mountain, Hkakabo Razi (5,889 metres (19,321 ft)), forming the southern tip of the Himalayas, and a large inland lake, Indawgyi Lake.
The majority of the state's 1.2 million inhabitants are ethnic Kachin, also known as Jinghpaw. The state is home to other ethnic groups including the Rawang, Lisu, Zaiwa, Lawngwaw, Lachyit, Bamar, Shan, and a small number of Tibetans. According to government statistics, the state's population is 57.8% Buddhist and 36.4% Christian.[citation needed] The Kachin language is the state's lingua franca.
wn.com/Kachin_State -
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung (Chinese: 高雄; pinyin: Gāoxióng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ko-hiông; old names: Takao, Takow, Takau) is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China (Taiwan). On December 25, 2010, it merged with Kaohsiung County to form a larger municipality.
Kaohsiung is the second largest city in Taiwan, with a population around 2.9 million. It is a center for manufacturing, refining, shipbuilding, and other light and heavy industries. A major port, through which pass most of Taiwan's marine imports and exports, is located at the city but is not managed by the city government.
Kaohsiung International Airport serving the city is the second largest airport in Taiwan. The Port of Kaohsiung is the largest harbor in Taiwan. Kaohsiung is the terminal of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway. The city is served by the railway stations of Western Line and Pingtung Line. Taiwan High Speed Rail connects it with Taipei City. The Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit, the city's subway system, was launched in early 2008. Kaohsiung was the host city of the 2009 World Games, a multisport event primarily composed of sports not featured in the Olympic Games. The city is also home to the Republic of China Navy.
wn.com/Kaohsiung -
Kashmir
Kashmir (Balti, Gojri, Poonchi/Chibhali, Dogri: कश्मीर; Kashmiri: कॅशीर, کٔشِیر; Ladakhi: ཀཤམིར; Uyghur: كەشمىر; Shina: کشمیر) is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. Today Kashmir denotes a larger area that includes the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir (the Kashmir valley, Jammu and Ladakh), the Pakistani-administered Gilgit–Baltistan and the Azad Kashmir provinces, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract.
In the first half of the first millennium, the Kashmir region became an important center of Hinduism and later of Buddhism; later still, in the ninth century, Kashmir Shaivism arose. In 1349, Shah Mir became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir and inaugurated the Salatin-i-Kashmir or Swati dynasty. For the next five centuries, Muslim monarchs ruled Kashmir, including the Mughals, who ruled from 1526 until 1751, then the Afghan Durrani Empire that ruled from 1747 until 1820. That year, the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh, annexed Kashmir. In 1846, upon the purchase of the region from the British under the Treaty of Amritsar, the Dogras—under Gulab Singh—became the new rulers. Dogra Rule, under the paramountcy (or tutelage) of the British Crown, lasted until 1947, when the former princely state became a disputed territory, now administered by three countries: India, Pakistan, and the People's Republic of China.
wn.com/Kashmir -
Keelung
Keelung City (also Jilong or Chilung) is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei with which it forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with Taipei itself. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport (after Kaohsiung). Keelung is currently administered as a provincial municipality within Taiwan Province of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
The city of Keelung was known as Kelung or Keelung to the Western world during the 19th century. However, the Taiwanese people have long called the city Kelang (Chinese: 雞籠; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ke-lâng; literally "rooster cage or hencoop").
It has been proposed that the name Keelung was derived from the local mountain that took the shape of a rooster cage. However, it is more probable that the name was derived from the first inhabitants of the region, as are the names of many other Taiwanese cities. In this case, the Ketagalan people were the first inhabitants, and early Han settlers probably approximated "Ketagalan" with "Ke-lâng" (phonetics of the Southern Min Language).
wn.com/Keelung -
Kinmen
Kinmen or Quemoy (/kɪˈmɔɪ/; see also "Names" section below) is a small archipelago of several islands administered by the Republic of China (Taiwan): Greater Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen, and some islets. Administratively, it is Kinmen County of Fujian Province, ROC. The county is claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) as part of its own Fujian Province's Quanzhou Prefecture. It is geographically very near Xiamen, no more than 2 kilometers. Some islands of other counties, such as Wuchiu, were transferred to the jurisdiction of Kinmen County by the ROC government following its civil war defeat and retreat to Taiwan. Matsu is the other set of islands on the Fujian coast controlled by the Republic of China.
Kinmen was first named Jīnmén (金門; lit, "golden gate") in Chinese 1387 when the Hongwu Emperor of China's Ming Dynasty appointed a military officer to administer the island and protect it from wokou (pirate) attacks. The name, pronounced Jīnmén in the official Mandarin Chinese and Kim-mûi in the native Zhangzhou dialect of Hokkien Minnan. The various names used in English for the islands derive from these name.
wn.com/Kinmen -
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles (1,100 km) from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the east, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.
Until the end of World War II, Korea was a single political entity whose territory roughly coincided with the Korean Peninsula. Since the Armistice Agreement ended the Korean War in 1953, the northern division of the peninsula has been governed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, while the southern portion has been governed by the Republic of Korea.
The northern boundaries for the Korean Peninsula are commonly (and tacitly) taken to coincide with today's political borders between North Korea and her northern neighbors, China (1,416 km (880 mi) along the provinces of Jilin and Liaoning) and Russia (19 km (12 mi)). These borders are formed naturally by the rivers Yalu/Amnok and Tumen/Tuman/Duman. Taking this definition, the Korean Peninsula (including its islands) has an area of 220,847 km2 (85,270 sq mi).
wn.com/Korean_Peninsula -
Kori Creek
The Kori Creek is a tidal creek in the Rann of Kachchh region of the Indian state of Gujarat and the Pakistani province of Sindh. It lies in the Kutch marshland.
This region is known for the Atlantique Incident, in which a Pakistan Navy Naval Air Arm Breguet Atlantique patrol plane, carrying 16 people on board, was shot down by the Indian Air Force for an alleged airspace violation, which was disputed by Pakistan. The episode took place in the Rann of Kutch on August 10, 1999, just a month after the Kargil War, creating a tense atmosphere between India and Pakistan.
Coordinates: 23°35′N 68°22′E / 23.583°N 68.367°E / 23.583; 68.367
wn.com/Kori_Creek -
Lamay Island
Coordinates: 22°20′19.12″N 120°22′11.34″E / 22.3386444°N 120.3698167°E / 22.3386444; 120.3698167
Lamay Island or Golden Lion Island (Chinese: 小琉球; pinyin: Xiǎo Liúqiú; Wade–Giles: Hsiao Liu-ch'iu) is an island belonging to the Republic of China (Taiwan) and administered as Liuqiu Township (Chinese: 琉球鄉; Hanyu Pinyin: Liúqiú Xiāng; Tongyong Pinyin: Lióucióu Siang) of Pingtung County. It has an area of 6.8 km² and a population of over 14,500 residents in 8 villages. It lies 15 km (8 nautical miles) west of Tungkang and it is Taiwan's only large coral island.
There are no rivers on the island, and farming is very difficult. Most residents make their living by fishing, and in recent years the island has become noted for cage aquaculture. Efforts for planned development received a boost after the island was included in the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area in 2004. Some of the best known local sights include Black Ghost Cave, Beautiful Maiden Cave, Houshih Rock Formations, and Venice Beach.
wn.com/Lamay_Island -
Liancourt Rocks
The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto (독도/獨島, literally "solitary island") in Korean or Takeshima (たけしま/竹島?, literally "bamboo island") in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea. South Korea currently has its Coast Guard stationed there.
The Franco-English name of the islets derives from Le Liancourt, the name of a French whaling ship which came close to being wrecked on the rocks in 1849. Both the Korean and Japanese names have changed over time, a testament to the historical confusion over the subject which led to today's heated dispute.
The Liancourt Rocks consist of two main islets and 35 smaller rocks. The total surface area of the islets is 0.18745 square kilometres (46.32 acres), with the highest elevation of 169 metres (554 ft) found at an unnamed location on the west islet. Two Korean citizens—an octopus fisherman and his wife—are permanent residents on the islets. A small Korean police detachment, administrative personnel, and lighthouse staff are stationed in non-permanent supporting positions on the islets.
wn.com/Liancourt_Rocks -
Lianjiang County
Lianjiang (simplified Chinese: 连江; traditional Chinese: 連江; pinyin: Liánjiāng; Wade–Giles: Lien²-chiang¹; BUC: Lièng-gŏng) is a suburban county of Fuzhou on the eastern coast of Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Most of the county is controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC), while a number of outlying islands, collectively referred to as the Matsu Islands, are administered as a separate Lienchiang County (same Chinese name but in Wade-Giles Romanization) by the Republic of China (ROC), based in Taiwan since 1949. As a result, the county has two governments governing separate jurisdictions.
See Matsu Islands for a description of ROC-governed Lienchiang County.
PRC jurisdiction:
The PRC governs 14 towns:
These townships are divided into 266 villages.
Lianjiang, in 282, during the Jin Dynasty, was Wenma, named after a shipyard there, Wensha Ship-hamlet (溫麻船屯). It was incorporated into Min Prefecture (閩縣) in 607, during the Sui Dynasty.
Wenma was changed to the present name and made its own county during in 623, during the Tang Dynasty, when Baisha (白沙) or Fusha (伏沙) of Aojiang was the capital of Lianjiang County. The capital was changed to Fengcheng as today in 742.
wn.com/Lianjiang_County -
Macau
Coordinates: 22°10′N 113°33′E / 22.167°N 113.55°E / 22.167; 113.55
Macau (Chinese: 澳門), also spelled Macao ( /məˈkaʊ/), is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across from Hong-Kong which is to the east, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south.
The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism, but also includes manufacturing.
Macau is a former Portuguese colony, and is both the first and last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer. Macau was first lent by the Chinese empire as a trading port in the 16th century, and had to administer the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty. In 1887, Macau became a colony of the Portuguese empire and its sovereignty transferred to the Portuguese.
wn.com/Macau -
Malaysia
Malaysia (i/məˈleɪʒə/ mə-LAY-zhə or i/məˈleɪsiə/ mə-LAY-see-ə) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million, with over 20 million living on the Peninsula.
Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with si being added to give the new country the name Malaysia. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism.
wn.com/Malaysia -
Matsu Islands
The Matsu Islands (simplified Chinese: 马祖列岛; traditional Chinese: 馬祖列島; pinyin: Mǎzǔ Lièdǎo; Fuzhou dialect: Mā-cū liĕk-dō̤ or less frequently, simplified Chinese: 马祖群岛; traditional Chinese: 馬祖群島; pinyin: Mǎzǔ Qúndǎo; Fuzhou dialect: 馬祖島 Mā-cū-dō̤) are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County (連江縣; Lièng-gŏng-gâing) under Fujian Province of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC. The People's Republic of China (AKA "China") controls the part of the county on mainland China and has a separate administration for that jurisdiction, Lianjiang County, which claims the entire archipelago to be its Mazu Township (馬祖鄉; Mā-cū-hiŏng).
They are named after the goddess Mazu. Kinmen is the other archipelago on the Fujian coast controlled by the ROC.
Fujianese Mainlanders started migrating to the islands during the Yuan Dynasty. Most people on Matsu came from Houguan (侯官) (today Changle County (長樂縣 Diòng-lŏ̤h-gâing), Fujian).
wn.com/Matsu_Islands -
Meizhou Island
Meizhou Island (simplified Chinese: 湄洲岛; traditional Chinese: 湄洲島; pinyin: Méizhōudǎo) is a small island close to the shores of Putian, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. It is known for being the birthplace of the goddess Matsu. Meizhou has 38,000 inhabitants, most of whom are involved in the fishing industry.
An open provincial tourism economic region (旅游经济区) since June 1988, in April 1992 Meizhou Island introduced a landing visa policy for visitors from Taiwan. In October of the same year it became a national tourism-vacation region (国家旅游度假区). The island was formally opened to visitors from overseas in October 1999.
Annually, some 100,000 Taiwanese pilgrims come to Meizhou to see the place where Matsu once lived, some of whom visit every year.
Meizhou Island is administered by Meizhou Town, an area that is divided into 11 villages:
along with three others.
Meizhou Town is an administrative unit within the Xiuyu District of Putian City.
Located in the northern part of the mouth of Meizhou Bay, Meizhou Island covers an area of 14.35 square kilometres (5.54 sq mi) and measures 9.6 kilometres (6.0 mi) north-south, and 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) east-west. The beach runs for around 20 kilometres (12 mi).
wn.com/Meizhou_Island -
Miaoli County
Miaoli County is a county in western Taiwan. The name Miaoli was coined using two Hakka words, cat (貓) and raccoon dog (狸), which phonetically approximate Pali (Bari), a community of Taokas people. Miaoli city is the capital of the county, and is also known as "Mountain Town", owing to the number of mountains nearby, making it a destination for hiking.
wn.com/Miaoli_County -
Mongolia
Mongoliai/mɒŋˈɡoʊliə/ (Mongolian: Монгол улс (help·info), literally Mongol country/state) is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 38 kilometres (24 mi) from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest city, is home to about 45% of the population. Mongolia's political system is a parliamentary republic.
The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires, including the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Rouran, the Gökturks and others. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan in 1206. After the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols returned to their earlier pattern of constant internal conflict and occasional raids on the Chinese borderlands. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Mongolia came under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism. At the end of the 17th century, all of Mongolia had been incorporated into the area ruled by the Qing Dynasty. During the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Mongolia declared independence, but had to struggle until 1921 to firmly establish de facto independence from the Republic of China, and until 1945 to gain international recognition.
wn.com/Mongolia -
Nantou County
Nantou County (Chinese: 南投縣; pinyin: Nántóu Xiàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lâm-tâu-kōan) is the second largest county of Taiwan. It is also the only landlocked county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau. Nantou County is officially administered as a county of Taiwan Province.
Its mountainous area makes it a tourist destination; Sun Moon Lake is located in this county. Other well-known areas of the county are Hehuanshan and Sitou. Notable cities in Nantou: Nantou City, Puli.
Nantou county butterfly is: Broad-tailed swallowtail butterfly (Agehana maraho)
Nantou's Dongding Oolong tea is world-famous.
wn.com/Nantou_County -
North Korea
Coordinates: 40°00′N 127°00′E / 40°N 127°E / 40; 127 The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK; Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선민주주의인민공화국), commonly referred to as "North Korea" ( listen), is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea. The Amnok, or Yalu, and the Tumen rivers form the border between North Korea and China. A section of the Tumen River in the far northeast is the border with Russia.
The peninsula was governed by the Korean Empire until it was annexed by Japan after the Russo-Japanese War in 1910. It was divided into Soviet- and American-occupied zones in 1945, after the end of World War II. North Korea refused to participate in a United Nations–supervised election held in the south in 1948, which led to the creation of separate Korean governments for the two occupation zones. North and South Korea each claimed sovereignty over the whole Korean Peninsula, which led to the Korean War of 1950. The Armistice Agreement of 1953 ended the fighting; but the two countries are officially still at war against each other, for a peace treaty was never signed. Both states were accepted into the United Nations in 1991.
wn.com/North_Korea -
Orchid Island
Coordinates: 22°03′N 121°32′E / 22.05°N 121.533°E / 22.05; 121.533
Orchid Island (Yami language: Ponso no Tao or Pongso no Tao; Chinese: 蘭嶼; pinyin: Lán Yǔ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lân-sū) is a 45 km² volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan Island and separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is governed as Lanyu Township of Taitung County.
The island is home to the Tao, an ethnic minority group who migrated to the island from the Batan Archipelago 800 years ago. The island is known to them as Ponso no Tao or Pongso no Tawo (island of the people) or Irala. Out of a total current population of 4,000, approximately 2,400 belong to the aboriginal Tao community and the remaining 1,600 are mainly Han Chinese. In neighboring Philippines the island is referred to as Botel Tobago.
The Lanyu nuclear waste storage facility was built in 1982. The plant receives nuclear waste from Taiwan's three nuclear power plants operated by state utility Taiwan Power Company (Taipower). About 100,000 barrels of nuclear waste from the nation’s three operational nuclear power plants have been stored at the Lanyu complex. In 2002 and 2012, there were major protests from local residents, calling on Taipower to remove the nuclear waste from the island.
wn.com/Orchid_Island -
Pakistan
Pakistan (i/ˈpækɨstæn/ or i/pɑːkiˈstɑːn/; Urdu: پاکستان) (Urdu pronunciation: [paːkɪˈst̪aːn] (
listen)), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان), is a sovereign country in South Asia. It sits at the crossroads of the strategically important regions of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west and north, Iran to the southwest and China in the far northeast. It is separated from Tajikistan by Afghanistan's narrow Wakhan Corridor in the north, and it shares a marine border with Oman.
The territory of modern Pakistan was the site of several ancient cultures, including the Neolithic Mehrgarh and the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation, and has undergone invasions or settlements by Hindu, Persian, Indo-Greek, Islamic, Turco-Mongol, Afghan and Sikh cultures. Thus the area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties, including the Indian Mauryan Empire, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the Arab Umayyad Caliphate, the Mongol Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Durrani Empire, the Sikh Empire and the British Empire. As a result of the Pakistan Movement led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and India's struggle for independence, Pakistan was created in 1947 as an independent nation for Muslims from the regions in the east and west of India where there was a Muslim majority. Initially a dominion, Pakistan adopted a new constitution in 1956, becoming an Islamic republic. A civil war in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the new country of Bangladesh.
wn.com/Pakistan -
Pamir Mountains
Coordinates: 39°N 72°E / 39°N 72°E / 39; 72
The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range in Central Asia formed by the junction or knot of the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains and since Victorian times they have been known as the "Roof of the World" a probable translation from the Persian.
In other languages they are called: Kyrgyz Памир тоолору; Persian: رشته کوه های پامیر Reshte Kūh-hāye Pāmīr; Tajik: Кӯҳҳои Помир; Pashto: د پامير غرونه; Uyghur: پامىر ئېگىزلىكى; Urdu: پامیر کوهستان; Hindi: पामीर पर्वतमाला; Chinese: 帕米尔高原; pinyin: Pàmǐ'ěr Gāoyuán. Another Chinese name is Congling (cōnglǐng 葱嶺) (Wade-Giles: Ts'ung-ling) or "Onion Range" (after the wild onions growing in the region).
The precise extent of the Pamir Mountains is debatable. They lie mostly in Gorno-Badakhshan province, Tajikistan and Badakshan Province, Afghanistan. To the north they join the Tian Shan mountains along the Alay Valley of Kyrgyzstan. To the south they join the Hindu Kush mountains along the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan/Pakistan, and also Gilgit–Baltistan in Pakistan. To the east they may end on the Chinese border or extend to the range that includes Kongur Tagh which is sometimes included in the Kunlun Mountains.
wn.com/Pamir_Mountains -
Pedra Branca dispute
The Pedra Branca dispute was a territorial dispute between Singapore and Malaysia over several islets at the eastern entrance to the Singapore Strait, namely Pedra Branca (previously called Pulau Batu Puteh and now Batu Puteh by Malaysia), Middle Rocks and South Ledge. The dispute began in 1979 and was largely resolved by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2008, which opined that Pedra Branca belonged to Singapore and Middle Rocks belonged to Malaysia.
In early 1980, Singapore lodged a formal protest with Malaysia in response to a map published by Malaysia in 1979 claiming Pedra Branca. In 1989 Singapore proposed submitting the dispute to the ICJ. Malaysia agreed to this in 1994. In 1993, Singapore also claimed the nearby islets Middle Rocks and South Ledge. In 1998 the two countries agreed on the text of a Special Agreement that was needed to submit the dispute to the ICJ. The Special Agreement was signed in February 2003, and the ICJ formally notified of the Agreement in July that year. The hearing before the ICJ was held over three weeks in November 2007 under the name Sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia v. Singapore).
wn.com/Pedra_Branca_dispute -
Penghu
The Penghu Islands, also known as Pescadores (from Portuguese: "fishermen") are an archipelago off the western coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers. Though claimed by both the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China, they are administered by Taiwan.
The whole archipelago forms Penghu County of Taiwan, the archipelago along with the island of Taiwan, composed the former Japanese territory of Formosa.
Peng-hu was first recorded in unofficial historical records and regional logs in 1171 during the Southern Song Dynasty. From the middle of the 17th century to 1895, Taiwan and the archipelago were ruled by pirates, the colonial Dutch Empire (attempts at conquest from 1622 onward), the Koxinga kingdom (Tungning), and the Qing Dynasty, successively.
The Penghu archipelago was captured by the French in March 1885, in the closing weeks of the Sino-French War, and evacuated four months later. The Pescadores Campaign was the last campaign of Admiral Amédée Courbet, whose naval victories during the war had made him a national hero in France. Courbet was among several French soldiers and sailors who succumbed to cholera during the French occupation of Penghu. He died aboard his flagship Bayard in Makung harbour on 11 June 1885.
wn.com/Penghu -
Philippines
The Philippinesi/ˈfɪlɨpiːnz/ FI-lə-peenz (Filipino: Pilipinas [ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs]), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas) is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila.
With an estimated population of about 98 million people, the Philippines is the 7th most populated Asian country and the 12th most populated country in the world. An additional 12.5 million Filipinos live overseas. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times, Negritos were some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic societies. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences which remain to this day.
wn.com/Philippines -
Pingtung County
Pingtung County is a county in Southern Taiwan. Pingtung County is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The oldest national park in Taiwan, Kenting National Park, was established in Pingtung County in 1984. Pingtung City is the capital of Pingtung County.
Modern-day Pingtung County and Kaohsiung City were part of Wan-nien Province (萬年州) during the Kingdom of Tungning and Fengshan Prefecture in the Qing Dynasty. Pingtung County is a recently-developed county. Its largest city is Pingtung City. The name Pingtung refers to a former nearby mountain known as Half-Screen Mountain (半屏山). Pingtung means "East of Half-Screen Mountain."
Until the seventeenth century this area of Taiwan was a place of exile for Chinese criminals and occasional landing point for international mariners. Only the settlements near present-day Checheng Township existed. In 1664 Chinese, Cantonese and Hakka settlers arrived from China and farmed under a homesteading system introduced by Zheng Jing.
wn.com/Pingtung_County -
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.
The dynasty was founded by the Jurchen Aisin Gioro clan in contemporary Northeastern China. The Aisin Gioro leader, Nurhachi, who was originally a vassal of the Ming emperors, began unifying the Jurchen clans in the late sixteenth century. By 1635, Nurhachi's son Hong Taiji could claim they constituted a single and united Manchu people and began forcing the Ming out of Liaoning in southern Manchuria. In 1644, the Ming capital Beijing was sacked by a peasant revolt led by Li Zicheng, a former minor Ming official who became the leader of the peasant revolt, who then proclaimed the Shun dynasty. The last Ming ruler, the Chongzhen Emperor, committed suicide when the city fell. When Li Zicheng moved against Ming general Wu Sangui, the latter made an alliance with the Manchus and opened the Shanhai Pass to the Manchurian army. Under Prince Dorgon, they seized control of Beijing and overthrew Li Zicheng's short-lived Shun Dynasty. Complete pacification of China was accomplished around 1683 under the Kangxi Emperor.
wn.com/Qing_Dynasty -
Russia
Russiai/ˈrʌʃə/ or /ˈrʊʃə/ (Russian: Россия, tr. Rossiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijə] (
listen)), also officially known as the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация, tr. Rossiyskaya Federatsiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə] ( listen)), is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, and the US state of Alaska by the Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area. Russia is also the eighth most populous nation with 143 million people. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe, spanning nine time zones and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources and is the largest producer of oil and natural gas globally. Russia has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's fresh water.
wn.com/Russia -
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia, and is its easternmost state. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south. In spite of its status as a Malaysian state, Sabah remains a disputed territory; the Philippines has a dormant claim over much of the eastern part of the territory. The capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton. Sabah is often referred to as "Land Below The Wind", because of its location just south of the typhoon-prone region around the Philippines.
The origin of the name Sabah is uncertain, and there are many theories that have arisen. One theory is that during the time it was part of the Bruneian Sultanate, it was referred to as Saba because of the presence of pisang saba, a type of banana, found on the coasts of the region. Due to the location of Sabah in relation to Brunei, it has been suggested that Sabah was a Bruneian Malay word meaning upstream or the northern side of the river. Another theory suggests that it came from the Malay word sabak which means a place where palm sugar is extracted. Sabah is also an Arabic word which means sunrise. The presence of multiple theories makes it difficult to pinpoint the true origin of the name.
wn.com/Sabah -
Singapore
Singapore (i/ˈsɪŋəpɔər/ SI-ngə-pohr), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is highly urbanised but almost half of the country is covered by greenery. More land is being created for development through land reclamation.
wn.com/Singapore -
South Korea
South Korea ( listen), officially the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국; Hanja: 大韓民國; Daehan Minguk listen), is a sovereign state in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages (an initial "G" in Korean is pronounced like an English "K").
Its neighbors are China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the Korea Strait to the south. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of almost 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 9,794,304.
Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period.Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when it was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy, though political turmoil and times of military rule and martial law characterized much of the period until the foundation of the Sixth Republic in 1987.
wn.com/South_Korea -
Taichung
Taichung (臺中; literally "Central Taiwan") is a city located in west-central Taiwan, with a population of just over 2.6 million people, making it the third largest city on the island after New Taipei and Kaohsiung. On 25 December 2010, it merged with Taichung County to form a single special municipality. The city's motto is "economic, cultural and international city."
Taichung City is located in the Taichung Basin along the main western coastal plain that stretches from northern Taiwan along the west coast nearly to the southern tip. The city is located just north of 24° north and about 120.5° east longitude.
Taichung City borders Changhua County (彰化縣), Nantou County (南投縣), Hualien County (花蓮縣), Yilan County (宜蘭縣), Hsinchu County (新竹縣), Miaoli County (苗栗縣).
The Central Mountain Range lies just to the east of the city. Lower, rolling hills run to the north leading to Miaoli County. Flat coastal plains dominate the landscape to the south leading to Changhua County and the Taiwan Strait to the west.
wn.com/Taichung -
Tainan
Tainan is a city in southern Taiwan. It is the fifth largest city of Taiwan, one of special municipalities directly under the Executive Yuan by central government of the ROC. Tainan faces the Taiwan Strait in the west and south. Tainan's complex history of comebacks, redefinitions and renewals inspired its popular nickname "the Phoenix City."
Tainan was initially established by the Dutch East India Company as a ruling and trading base which called Fort Zeelandia during the period of Dutch rule on Taiwan. After Dutch colonists were defeated by Koxinga in 1661, Tainan was remained as the capital of the Tungning Kingdom until 1683 and afterwards the capital of Taiwan prefecture under the rule of Qing Dynasty until 1887, when the Qing Dynasty established Taipei as the new provincial capital. Tainan has been historically regarded as one of the oldest cities in Taiwan, and its former name, Tayouan (大員), has been claimed to be the source of the name Taiwan. It is also one of Taiwan's cultural capitals, for its rich folk cultures including the famous local snack food, extensively preserved Taoist rites and other living local traditions covering child birth to funeral. The city houses the first Confucian school–temple, built in 1665, the remains of the Eastern and Southern gates of the old city, and countless other historical monuments. Tainan claims more Buddhist and Taoist temples than any other city in Taiwan.
wn.com/Tainan -
Taipei
Taipei City (/ˌtaɪˈpeɪ/; [tʰǎipèi]; Chinese: 臺北市 or 台北市; pinyin: Táiběi Shì) is the capital of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Situated at the northern tip of the island of Taiwan, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River; it is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, a port city on the Pacific Ocean. It lies in the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung (基隆河) and Xindian (新店溪) rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border. The city proper (Taipei City) is home to an estimated 2,618,772 people. Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung together form the Taipei metropolitan area with a population of 6,900,273. However, they are administered under different local governing bodies. "Taipei" sometimes refers to the whole metropolitan area, while "Taipei City" refers to the city proper. Taipei City proper is surrounded on all sides by New Taipei.
Taipei is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan. The National Palace Museum which has one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world is located in Taipei. Considered to be a global city, Taipei is part of a major industrial area. Railways, high speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan.
wn.com/Taipei -
Taitung County
Taitung County is a county in eastern Taiwan. While its name means "Eastern Taiwan", it is also known as "Houshan" (Chinese: 後山; pinyin: hòushān; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: āu-soaⁿ) by many of the locals, meaning behind the mountains or the back mountains. Taitung is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China.
Taitung runs along the south east coast of Taiwan. Taitung county, possessing 3,515 km2 is the 3rd largest county in Taiwan. Taitung County's coastline is 231 km long. Taitung currently has a population of 231,863. The country possess only one registered city, Taitung City. The rest of the county is composed of two towns and thirteen villages.
Due in part to its remote location and isolation by mountains from Taiwan's main population centers, Taitung was the last part of the island to be colonized by Han Chinese immigrants (late 19th century). Throughout the 20th century Taitung remained an economic backwater. Sparsely populated even today, this isolation may have been a blessing in disguise, as Taitung mostly escaped the urbanization and pollution that have come to plague much of the island's lowland areas.
wn.com/Taitung_County -
Taiwan
Taiwan (i/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ TY-WAHN; Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān; see below), officially the Republic of China (ROC; Chinese: 中華民國; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó), is a state in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the country, and New Taipei is the most populous city.
The earliest evidence of inhabitation of Taiwan dates back to the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch and the Spanish Empire. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.
wn.com/Taiwan -
Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province (traditional Chinese: 臺灣省 or 台灣省; simplified Chinese: 台湾省; pinyin: Táiwān Shěng) is one of the two administrative divisions of the Republic of China (ROC) that are officially referred to as "provinces". The province covers approximately 73% of the territory controlled by the ROC, with around 40% of the total population.
Geographically it covers the majority of the island of Taiwan as well as almost all of its surrounding islands, the largest of which are the Penghu archipelago, Green Island and Orchid Island. Taiwan Province does not cover territories in the direct-controlled special municipalities of Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan, and New Taipei, all of which located geographically within main island of Taiwan. It also does not include the counties of Kinmen and Lienchiang, which are located alongside the southeast coast of Mainland China and administered as a separate Fujian Province.
Historically Taiwan Province covers the entire island of Taiwan and all its associated islands. All the special municipalities were split off from the province between 1967 and 2010. Since 1997 most of the Taiwan provincial government's functions have been transferred to the central government of the Republic of China following a constitutional amendment. The Taiwan provincial government has effectively become a nominal institution under the Executive Yuan's administration.
wn.com/Taiwan_Province -
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide (111.85-mile-wide) strait separating the island of Taiwan from the Asian mainland. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast. The narrowest part is 130 km (81 mi) wide.
Fujian province in mainland China is to the west of the strait, while important islands like Quemoy, Xiamen Island, Pingtan Island, and the Matsu Islands lie just off the coast. To the east are the west coasts of Taiwan and Penghu. The island fishermen use the strait as a fishing resource. The Min and Jiulong Rivers empty into the strait.
There have been discussions about the strategic importance of the Taiwan Strait. Some Japanese politicians claimed that the Taiwan Strait is an essential sea route for oil shipment from the Middle East via the Malacca Strait to Japan. However, some have argued that this is merely an excuse for intervention since the sea lane east of Taiwan is even shorter
wn.com/Taiwan_Strait -
Tajikistan
Tajikistan (i/tɑːˈdʒiːkɨstɑːn/, /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/, or /tæˈdʒiːkiːstæn/; Тоҷикистон [ˈtɔjikɪsˈtɔn]), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajik: Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Cumhuriyi Tocikiston; Persian: جمهوری تاجیکستان Jomhuri-ye Tajikestan; Russian: Республика Таджикистан, Respublika Tadzhikistan), is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. It borders Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. Gilgit Baltistan as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan are separated from Tajikistan by the narrow Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan in the south.
Most of Tajikistan's population belongs to the Persian-speaking Tajik ethnic group, who share language, culture and history with Afghanistan and Iran. Once part of the Samanid Empire, Tajikistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century, known as the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR). Mountains cover over 90% of this Central Asian republic.
After independence, Tajikistan suffered from a devastating civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country's economy to grow. Trade in commodities such as cotton, aluminium and uranium has contributed greatly to this steady improvement.
wn.com/Tajikistan -
Tuva
The Tyva Republic (Russian: Респу́блика Тыва́, tr. Respublika Tyva; IPA: [rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva]; Tuvan: Тыва Республика, Tyva Respublika), or Tuva (Russian: Тува́), is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). It lies in the geographical center of Asia, in southern Siberia. The republic borders with the Altai Republic, the Republic of Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, and the Republic of Buryatia in Russia and with Mongolia to the south. Its capital is the city of Kyzyl. Population: 307,930 (2010 Census).
Forests, mountains, and steppe make up a large part of the geography.
A majority of the people are Tuvans who speak the Tuvan language, but Russian is also spoken extensively. Tuva is governed by the Great Khural which elects a chairman for a four-year term. The current chairman is Sholban Kara-ool.
The republic is situated in the far south of Siberia. Its capital city of Kyzyl is located near the geographic "center of Asia". The eastern part of the republic is forested and elevated, and the west is a drier lowland.
wn.com/Tuva -
Vietnam
Vietnam ( listen), formally the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam; listen), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 91.5 million inhabitants as of 2012, it is the world's 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-most-populous Asian country. The name Vietnam translates as "South Viet", and was officially adopted in 1945. The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.
The Vietnamese became independent from Imperial China in 938 AD, following the Battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive Vietnamese royal dynasties flourished as the nation expanded geographically and politically into Southeast Asia, until the Indochina Peninsula was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. The First Indochina War eventually led to the expulsion of the French in 1954, leaving Vietnam divided politically into two states, North and South Vietnam. Conflict between the two sides intensified, with heavy foreign intervention, during the Vietnam War, which ended with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
wn.com/Vietnam -
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty (Chinese: 元朝, p Yuán Cháo; Mongolian: Их Юань улс) was the branch of Mongol Borjigin dynasty established by Kublai Khan. Although the Mongols had ruled northern China for decades, it was not until 1271 that Kublai Khan officially proclaimed the dynasty in the traditional Chinese style. His realm – the Great Yuan Empire (t 大元帝國, s 大元帝国, p Dà Yuán Dìguó) – was by this point isolated from the other khanates and controlled only most of present-day China and its surrounding areas including modern Mongolia. It was the first non-Han dynasty to rule all of China and lasted until 1368, after which its remnants in Mongolia were known as the Northern Yuan.
The Yuan is considered both a successor to the Mongol Empire and as an imperial Chinese dynasty. In official Chinese histories, the Yuan Dynasty bore the Mandate of Heaven, following the Song Dynasty and preceding the Ming Dynasty. Although the dynasty was established by Kublai Khan, he placed his grandfather Genghis Khan on the imperial records as the official founder of the dynasty as Taizu.
wn.com/Yuan_Dynasty -
Yunlin County
Yunlin County is a county in the western part of Taiwan, the Republic of China. Yunlin is located to the right of the Taiwan Strait, the east of Nantou County and sharing a border with Changhua County divided by the Zhuoshui River. Yunlin is one of the counties of Taiwan that is part of the Chianan Plain, a flat land rich for agriculture with abundant waters. Agricultural products of Yunlin county include pomelo, tea leaves, suan cai, papaya and muskmelon. Due to Yunlin's abundant waters, it has potentials for hydroelectricity. Douliu is the largest city and the capital city of Yunlin.
Taiwan Railway Administration passes through Yunlin with stations:
Taiwan High Speed Rail is building a station in Yunlin to be completed at 2015.
Highways include:
Coordinates: 23°42′18″N 120°28′34″E / 23.70489°N 120.47607°E / 23.70489; 120.47607
wn.com/Yunlin_County
-
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm (0.4–4 in) tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems. At certain times mosses produce spore capsules which may appear as beak-like capsules borne aloft on thin stalks.
There are approximately 12,000 species of moss classified in the Bryophyta. The division Bryophyta formerly included not only mosses, but also liverworts and hornworts. These other two groups of bryophytes now are often placed in their own divisions.
Botanically, mosses are bryophytes, or non-vascular plants. They differ from 'higher' plants by not having internal water-bearing vessels or veins, and no flowers and therefore no fruits, cones or seeds. They are small (a few centimeters tall) and herbaceous (nonwoody) and absorb water and nutrients through their leaves. Mosses have stems which may be simple or branched and upright or lax, simple leaves that often have midribs, roots (rhizoids) that anchor them to their substrate, and spore-bearing capsules on long stems. They harvest sunlight to create food through photosynthesis. Mosses do not absorb water or nutrients from their substrate through their roots, so while mosses often grow on trees, they are never parasitic on the tree.
wn.com/Moss -
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.
Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, California. After completing his undergraduate work at Whittier College, he graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1937, and returned to California to practice law. He and his wife, Pat Nixon, moved to Washington to work for the federal government in 1942. He subsequently served in the United States Navy during World War II. Nixon was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the Senate in 1950. His pursuit of the Hiss Case established his reputation as a leading anti-communist, and elevated him to national prominence. He was the running mate of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Republican Party presidential nominee in the 1952 election. Nixon served for eight years as vice president. He waged an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1960, narrowly losing to John F. Kennedy, and lost a race for Governor of California in 1962. In 1968, he ran again for the presidency and was elected.
wn.com/Richard_Nixon -
Zheng He
Zheng He (1371–1433; simplified Chinese: 郑和; traditional Chinese: 鄭和; pinyin: Zhèng Hé), also known as Ma Sanbao (simplified Chinese: 马三宝; traditional Chinese: 馬三寶) and Hajji Mahmud Shamsuddin (Arabic: حاجي محمود شمس الدين) was a Hui-Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, who commanded voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and the Horn of Africa collectively referred to as the Voyages of Zheng He or Voyages of Cheng Ho from 1405 to 1433.
Zheng, born as Ma He (馬和 / 马和), was the second son of a Muslim family which also had four daughters, from Kunyang, present day Jinning, just south of Kunming near the southwest corner of Lake Dian in Yunnan.
He was the great great great grandson of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar, a Persian who served in the administration of the Mongolian Empire and was appointed governor of Yunnan during the early Yuan Dynasty. Both his grandfather and great-grandfather carried the title of Hajji, which indicates they had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. His great-grandfather was named Bayan and may have been a member of a Mongol garrison in Yunnan.
wn.com/Zheng_He
Send this Playlist by SMS
Email this Page
Taiwan Remote Island - Matsu Expedition
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:43
- Updated: 06 Aug 2012
And next we take you to a remote island off of Taiwan called Matsu. This military island is the northern-most territory of the Republic of China. Due to its isolation, it preserves some magnificent things rarely seen by the public. NTD's Kevin Lin brings us there. This more than a century old building belongs to the Treasury of ROC, and it is rarely seen by the public due to its isolation. At this expedition, not only we will uncover this mysterious island, we'll also try to get a glance on the conditions of current Chinese Nationalist (Taiwan) army here on the island. Matsu consists of a chain of islands which is right next to Fujian Province of China. During the tight tension across the Strait, soldiers who have been randomly selected to serve on the islands. The reward is quite surprising, as weve discovered - that is to be able to enjoy this paradise-like environment that ordinary people may not be able to experience. Dong Yin a remote island in the Taiwan Strait is one of the prettiest islands among the Matsu Islands. The villa-like lighthouse built in 1904 has a symbolic meaning in the island's geography and history. The magnificent landscapes created by wave erosion are best seen at this scenic spot, known as "A Thread of Sky". Behind the steep cliff surface and penetrating into the granite rock bed, there is a hidden tunnel built by soldiers' bare hands. Inside the twisting and turning spaces, you may sense the hardship of the armies that camp here. At the end of ...
http://wn.com/Taiwan_Remote_Island_Matsu_Expedition
And next we take you to a remote island off of Taiwan called Matsu. This military island is the northern-most territory of the Republic of China. Due to its isolation, it preserves some magnificent things rarely seen by the public. NTD's Kevin Lin brings us there. This more than a century old building belongs to the Treasury of ROC, and it is rarely seen by the public due to its isolation. At this expedition, not only we will uncover this mysterious island, we'll also try to get a glance on the conditions of current Chinese Nationalist (Taiwan) army here on the island. Matsu consists of a chain of islands which is right next to Fujian Province of China. During the tight tension across the Strait, soldiers who have been randomly selected to serve on the islands. The reward is quite surprising, as weve discovered - that is to be able to enjoy this paradise-like environment that ordinary people may not be able to experience. Dong Yin a remote island in the Taiwan Strait is one of the prettiest islands among the Matsu Islands. The villa-like lighthouse built in 1904 has a symbolic meaning in the island's geography and history. The magnificent landscapes created by wave erosion are best seen at this scenic spot, known as "A Thread of Sky". Behind the steep cliff surface and penetrating into the granite rock bed, there is a hidden tunnel built by soldiers' bare hands. Inside the twisting and turning spaces, you may sense the hardship of the armies that camp here. At the end of ...
"Nankan, largest island of the Matsu island group" Kurtmult's photos around Nankan, Matsu, Taiwan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:53
- Updated: 04 Feb 2012
Preview of Kurtmult's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: www.travelpod.com This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Learn more about these videos: www.travelpod.com
http://wn.com/Nankan,_largest_island_of_the_Matsu_island_group_Kurtmult's_photos_around_Nankan,_Matsu,_Taiwan
Preview of Kurtmult's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: www.travelpod.com This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Learn more about these videos: www.travelpod.com
- published: 10 Dec 2010
- views: 263
- author: TripAdvisorTRIPWOWu
BO0M - MATSU ISLAND EXPEDITION - TAIWAN - 19:21utc - 27-Jul-2012 - 20 meters band
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:18
- Updated: 27 Jul 2012
BO0M - MATSU ISLAND EXPEDITION - TAIWAN - 19:21utc - 27-Jul-2012 - 20 meters band
http://wn.com/BO0M_MATSU_ISLAND_EXPEDITION_TAIWAN_1921utc_27-Jul-2012_20_meters_band
BO0M - MATSU ISLAND EXPEDITION - TAIWAN - 19:21utc - 27-Jul-2012 - 20 meters band
- published: 27 Jul 2012
- views: 9
- author: TheCarusin
HD Matsu Temple, Mei Zhou Island, China ; Le Temple de Matsu, Chine
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:53
- Updated: 18 Jun 2012
The temple of the goddess Matsu 妈祖goddess of the sea. Le Temple de Matsu, Mei Zhou l'Île Templo de Matsu, Mei Zhou Isla, China Music: zhen de hao xiang ni
http://wn.com/HD_Matsu_Temple,_Mei_Zhou_Island,_China_;_Le_Temple_de_Matsu,_Chine
The temple of the goddess Matsu 妈祖goddess of the sea. Le Temple de Matsu, Mei Zhou l'Île Templo de Matsu, Mei Zhou Isla, China Music: zhen de hao xiang ni
- published: 13 Sep 2009
- views: 444
- author: limjumeng
"First leg of my walk - the remote Matsu islands" Kurtmult's photos around Peikan, Matsu, Taiwan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:20
- Updated: 10 Feb 2012
Preview of Kurtmult's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: www.travelpod.com This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Learn more about these videos: www.travelpod.com
http://wn.com/First_leg_of_my_walk_the_remote_Matsu_islands_Kurtmult's_photos_around_Peikan,_Matsu,_Taiwan
Preview of Kurtmult's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: www.travelpod.com This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Learn more about these videos: www.travelpod.com
- published: 18 Feb 2011
- views: 81
- author: TripAdvisorTRIPWOW1
Matsu in Taiwan-Enkhbayar, Eba
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 13:40
- Updated: 09 Jul 2012
I love Matsu Islands of Taiwan. Real beautiful place and wild nature. If you travel to Matsu, you can feel real nature. You should travelling to Matsu. Good luck your travel.
http://wn.com/Matsu_in_Taiwan-Enkhbayar,_Eba
I love Matsu Islands of Taiwan. Real beautiful place and wild nature. If you travel to Matsu, you can feel real nature. You should travelling to Matsu. Good luck your travel.
- published: 02 Oct 2010
- views: 326
- author: Bayarkhuu Dorjsuren
Matsu1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:44
- Updated: 08 Nov 2012
amaizing weeckend in Matsu Island Taiwan
http://wn.com/Matsu1
Matsu --- Romantic & Beautiful Island
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:14
- Updated: 15 Oct 2010
Welcome everyone come to visit Matsu, the romantic & beautiful Island.
http://wn.com/Matsu_--_Romantic_Beautiful_Island
Welcome everyone come to visit Matsu, the romantic & beautiful Island.
- published: 10 Aug 2010
- views: 599
- author: juser98
Eisenhower on the Taiwan Situation
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:59
- Updated: 28 Dec 2012
On September 11, 1958, after almost three weeks of attacks by mainland China against Taiwan's offshore islands of Quemoy and Matsu, US President Dwight Eisenhower went before the nation with this radio-television address. The President strongly reaffirmed the US support of Taiwan leader Chiang Kai-shek, noting; "Some misguided persons have said that Quemoy is nothing to become excited about." Eisenhower warned that the Red Chinese were using the attacks on the islands to test the free world's courage in resisting aggression.
http://wn.com/Eisenhower_on_the_Taiwan_Situation
On September 11, 1958, after almost three weeks of attacks by mainland China against Taiwan's offshore islands of Quemoy and Matsu, US President Dwight Eisenhower went before the nation with this radio-television address. The President strongly reaffirmed the US support of Taiwan leader Chiang Kai-shek, noting; "Some misguided persons have said that Quemoy is nothing to become excited about." Eisenhower warned that the Red Chinese were using the attacks on the islands to test the free world's courage in resisting aggression.
- published: 02 Sep 2008
- views: 3100
- author: SiliconShield
Matsu -- Taiwan's Guardian Goddess #1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:13
- Updated: 23 Oct 2012
Matsu, Goddess of the sea, was not a fictitious character; she was a beautiful young woman with a real name whose benevolence and heroic deeds in saving people's lives made her a goddess. The worship of Matsu has become a tremendously popular practice in Taiwan－she is the most worshipped deity on the island, and a majority of the island's temples are dedicated to her. Through pilgrimages and parades by believers, this documentary displays the great respect for Matsu held by her followers, allowing viewers to experience the goddess' importance in the people daily lives.
http://wn.com/Matsu_-_Taiwan's_Guardian_Goddess_1
Matsu, Goddess of the sea, was not a fictitious character; she was a beautiful young woman with a real name whose benevolence and heroic deeds in saving people's lives made her a goddess. The worship of Matsu has become a tremendously popular practice in Taiwan－she is the most worshipped deity on the island, and a majority of the island's temples are dedicated to her. Through pilgrimages and parades by believers, this documentary displays the great respect for Matsu held by her followers, allowing viewers to experience the goddess' importance in the people daily lives.
- published: 24 Nov 2009
- views: 1786
- author: gionettaiwan
China-Fujian-Minjiankou-Chinese Crested Tern-201105-mating
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:01
- Updated: 20 Jul 2012
this is the bird dispeared for long time, then refound at 2000 Taiwan, Matsu island. it's very honor to got mating shot to witness the power of birds surviving.
http://wn.com/China-Fujian-Minjiankou-Chinese_Crested_Tern-201105-mating
this is the bird dispeared for long time, then refound at 2000 Taiwan, Matsu island. it's very honor to got mating shot to witness the power of birds surviving.
- published: 17 May 2011
- views: 1050
- author: hikasiaorg
Annular Eclipse 2012 from Taiwan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:42
- Updated: 14 Aug 2012
This video was taken with a Sony handheld digital camera held up to the lens of Bushnell 10x42 binoculars using Rainbow Symphony black polymer solar filters. This was taken near the line of maximum eclipse in the Matsu Islands, Republic of China (Taiwan). Bailey's beads (?) can be seen as the trailing limb of the moon crosses directly over the sun.
http://wn.com/Annular_Eclipse_2012_from_Taiwan
This video was taken with a Sony handheld digital camera held up to the lens of Bushnell 10x42 binoculars using Rainbow Symphony black polymer solar filters. This was taken near the line of maximum eclipse in the Matsu Islands, Republic of China (Taiwan). Bailey's beads (?) can be seen as the trailing limb of the moon crosses directly over the sun.
- published: 21 May 2012
- views: 465
- author: mohyla103
Matsu -- Taiwan's Guardian Goddess #2
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:04
- Updated: 23 Dec 2012
Matsu, Goddess of the sea, was not a fictitious character; she was a beautiful young woman with a real name whose benevolence and heroic deeds in saving people's lives made her a goddess. The worship of Matsu has become a tremendously popular practice in Taiwan－she is the most worshipped deity on the island, and a majority of the island's temples are dedicated to her. Through pilgrimages and parades by believers, this documentary displays the great respect for Matsu held by her followers, allowing viewers to experience the goddess' importance in the people daily lives.
http://wn.com/Matsu_-_Taiwan's_Guardian_Goddess_2
Matsu, Goddess of the sea, was not a fictitious character; she was a beautiful young woman with a real name whose benevolence and heroic deeds in saving people's lives made her a goddess. The worship of Matsu has become a tremendously popular practice in Taiwan－she is the most worshipped deity on the island, and a majority of the island's temples are dedicated to her. Through pilgrimages and parades by believers, this documentary displays the great respect for Matsu held by her followers, allowing viewers to experience the goddess' importance in the people daily lives.
- published: 24 Nov 2009
- views: 739
- author: gionettaiwan
Matsu
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:36
- Updated: 04 May 2012
Night race Matsu Island
http://wn.com/Matsu
About Matsu National Scenic Area #1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:23
- Updated: 06 Apr 2010
Like a string of pearls floating at the mouth of the Min River. Matsu shines in the ocean of azure waves. At the north-west end of the nation. Matsu is composed of a series of islands and reef rocks separated from the main lands by a narrow strip of seawater for a long time. Matsu shouldered the duty of guarding our nation. Although nowadays, Matsu has shaded off its small of gun-powder the colors of camouflage are still marked on the face of this retired General.【The information from Tourism Bureau Ministy of Transportation and Communication, Republic of China(Taiwan)】
http://wn.com/About_Matsu_National_Scenic_Area_1
Like a string of pearls floating at the mouth of the Min River. Matsu shines in the ocean of azure waves. At the north-west end of the nation. Matsu is composed of a series of islands and reef rocks separated from the main lands by a narrow strip of seawater for a long time. Matsu shouldered the duty of guarding our nation. Although nowadays, Matsu has shaded off its small of gun-powder the colors of camouflage are still marked on the face of this retired General.【The information from Tourism Bureau Ministy of Transportation and Communication, Republic of China(Taiwan)】
- published: 28 Dec 2009
- views: 130
- author: gionettaiwan
matsu turkey maki.3GP
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:05
- Updated: 02 Nov 2012
Chef Matsu and Chef Jet from Wazuzu making a thankgiving turkey maki roll! Watch the master sushi chef turn thanksgiving dinner into a great sushi roll! Enjoy!
http://wn.com/matsu_turkey_maki3GP
Chef Matsu and Chef Jet from Wazuzu making a thankgiving turkey maki roll! Watch the master sushi chef turn thanksgiving dinner into a great sushi roll! Enjoy!
- published: 27 Nov 2009
- views: 806
- author: Jet Tila
Taiwan Matsu Temple Celebration part 1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:56
- Updated: 27 Aug 2010
A temple celebration for Matsu - the Goddess of the Sea's birthday. Part 1 features the dancing dragon.
http://wn.com/Taiwan_Matsu_Temple_Celebration_part_1
A temple celebration for Matsu - the Goddess of the Sea's birthday. Part 1 features the dancing dragon.
- published: 03 May 2009
- views: 909
- author: BadlyRich
Quemoy and Matsu Crisis 1958
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:19
- Updated: 12 Dec 2012
http://wn.com/Quemoy_and_Matsu_Crisis_1958
Matsu -- Taiwan's Guardian Goddess #3
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:21
- Updated: 11 Feb 2010
http://wn.com/Matsu_-_Taiwan's_Guardian_Goddess_3
![Kurayami no Hate de Kimi o Matsu [3]](http://web.archive.org./web/20121230164507im_/http://i.ytimg.com/vi/q_zzidlUXrs/default.jpg "Kurayami no Hate de Kimi o Matsu [3]")
Kurayami no Hate de Kimi o Matsu [3]
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:04
- Updated: 14 Jul 2012
thenintendo.com Kurayami no Hate de Kimi o Matsu
http://wn.com/Kurayami_no_Hate_de_Kimi_o_Matsu_3_
thenintendo.com Kurayami no Hate de Kimi o Matsu
- published: 14 Oct 2009
- views: 1685
- author: TheNintendoJP
To become friends on Matsu
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:52
- Updated: 20 Nov 2012
To become friends on Matsu
http://wn.com/To_become_friends_on_Matsu
Weidner Resorts Mediterranean of Asia Resort (Matsu)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:51
- Updated: 13 Oct 2012
Weidner Resorts Mediterranean of Asia Resort (Matsu)
http://wn.com/Weidner_Resorts_Mediterranean_of_Asia_Resort_Matsu
Weidner Resorts Mediterranean of Asia Resort (Matsu)
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 559
- author: WeidnerResorts
About Matsu National Scenic Area #2
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:11
- Updated: 10 Mar 2010
Like a string of pearls floating at the mouth of the Min River. Matsu shines in the ocean of azure waves. At the north-west end of the nation. Matsu is composed of a series of islands and reef rocks separated from the main lands by a narrow strip of seawater for a long time. Matsu shouldered the duty of guarding our nation. Although nowadays, Matsu has shaded off its small of gun-powder the colors of camouflage are still marked on the face of this retired General.【The information from Tourism Bureau Ministy of Transportation and Communication, Republic of China(Taiwan)】
http://wn.com/About_Matsu_National_Scenic_Area_2
Like a string of pearls floating at the mouth of the Min River. Matsu shines in the ocean of azure waves. At the north-west end of the nation. Matsu is composed of a series of islands and reef rocks separated from the main lands by a narrow strip of seawater for a long time. Matsu shouldered the duty of guarding our nation. Although nowadays, Matsu has shaded off its small of gun-powder the colors of camouflage are still marked on the face of this retired General.【The information from Tourism Bureau Ministy of Transportation and Communication, Republic of China(Taiwan)】
- published: 29 Dec 2009
- views: 180
- author: gionettaiwan
photo: AP / Altaf Qadri
29 Dec 2012
Police in India have sealed off much of the capital, Delhi, and issued an appeal for calm after the death of a woman who was gang-raped in the city. The 23-year old woman, who has not been identified, died early on Saturday at a hospital in Singapore, where she had been taken for specialist treatment. Her body is to be flown back to India for burial ... Gatherings of more than five people have been banned in the city centre ... ....(size: 4.9Kb)
photo: US Navy / HMC Josh Ives
27 Dec 2012
Imperial adventures are nothing new in the Middle East. Neither is their glorification, as Peter O’Toole’s pained Lawrence of Arabia eternally reminds us. But for a decade or so now, things have been heating up, as if to coincide with climate change and fears of declining petroleum reserves ... The Belly for Belligerence? ... The question loomed over beltway intelligentsia like an ephemeral Gordian knot ... We’re All Hawks Now ... While George W ... ....(size: 9.3Kb)
photo: AP / Ben Curtis
28 Dec 2012
The president of Central African Republic (CAR) has urgently called on France and other foreign powers to help his government fend off rebels who are quickly seizing territory and approaching the capital. Speaking to crowds in Bangui, a city of some 600,000, Francois Bozize on Thursday pleaded with foreign powers to do what they could ... But Paris declined to offer any military assistance ... News ... Philippines claims South China Sea islands ... ....(size: 19.5Kb)
photo: AP / Itsuo Inouye
29 Dec 2012
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling ... "Harmony is to be cherished, and opposition for opposition's sake must be avoided as a matter of principle." ... But even nature itself and its many Shinto-like elements reflects this axiom ... While Japan is wrestling with China over a group of islands, it is still requesting that Russia return four islands in the Kurile chain, near the island of Hokkaido ... militarism, those protesting U.S....(size: 9.7Kb)
photo: WN / Yolanda Leyba
28 Dec 2012
Galaxy Note 2 vs. iPhone 5. Do The Companies Have Their Game Plans Right?. Posted by Jay099 on December 28, 2012 02.15 pm 0. via. Mountain View at California seems to be a busy center now. Google is stepping up the gas on the march towards a holistic environment and experience for the consumers ... My Blog . My FB Page ... ....(size: 2.2Kb)
Taipei Times
14 Nov 2012
A professional photographer, Yang Che-yi (æ¥å²ä¸), is helping children on offshore islands to dream big by undertaking a âSend a Picture Postcard to the Worldâ project. To the children of Dongjyu (æ±è) on the Matsu islands, the center of the world is not Taiwan, but neighboring Nangan (å竿島), which is the most populated and developed island in the region....(size: 3.5Kb)
Chicago Tribune
16 Oct 2012
For even cursory students of the 1950s, Evan Thomas' new book, "Ike's Bluff. President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World," offers little in the way of fresh material ... But in the end, Thomas doesn't quite make the case ... The Red Chinese army began shelling Quemoy and Matsu islands, just a few miles off the mainland and 100 miles from Formosa, in September 1954 to drive out some 70,000 Nationalist Chinese troops stationed there....(size: 6.2Kb)
The Los Angeles Times
07 Oct 2012
Ike's Bluff. President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World. Evan Thomas. Little, Brown. 481 pp., $29.99. For even cursory students of the 1950s, Evan Thomas' new book, "Ike's Bluff ... nuclear deterrence ... The Red Chinese army began shelling Quemoy and Matsu islands, just a few miles off the mainland and 100 miles from Formosa, in September 1954 to drive out some 70,000 Nationalist Chinese troops stationed there ... Maybe ... A Biography." ... 0 ... ....(size: 24.9Kb)
BBC News
25 Sep 2012
Calm waves roll up onto the shores of Matsu as birds chirp. It is quiet throughout the day practically everywhere on this island chain, located northwest of mainland Taiwan ... The economy of Matsu once depended on the 50,000 soldiers stationed here when it was an important military outpost in Taiwan's defence against a Communist takeover during the Cold War ... Many of Matsu's residents consider casinos a necessary evil....(size: 5.7Kb)
noodls
21 Sep 2012
Blocks of almost solid granite surging from the ocean, the Matsu Islands provide prime bare-rock nesting sites for birds that like that sort of thing ... Eight uninhabited islets/islands and surrounding sea were set aside as the 60-hectare Matsu Islands Tern Refuge in early 2000 ... The Yulu Trail, on Dongju, one of Matsu's five main islands, connects Dapu and Daping villages ... Matsu Islands Tern Refuge 馬祖列島燕鷗保護區....(size: 12.8Kb)
noodls
13 Sep 2012
Lienchiang County Government of Taiwan has ordered two 9L32/44CR four-stroke engines to power a Ropax vessel sailing between Keelung and the Matsu islands, an archipelago located close to the Chinese mainland ... The 106-metre ferry will be built by Jade Shipbuilding, Kaohsiung, SW Taiwan and will travel six days a week between Keelung and the Matsu islands ... ....(size: 2.5Kb)
Yahoo Daily News
10 Sep 2012
Their votes were clearly influenced by the promises of American businessman Bill Weidner, who pledged not only to build a new casino, but also a world-class tourist resort, a vastly expanded airport, a 3-kilometre (2-mile) bridge linking Matsu's two main islands, a university designed to train some of the 5,000 people needed to run the facilities, ......(size: 14.3Kb)
Star Tribune
09 Sep 2012
The Washington Post
09 Sep 2012
MATSU, Taiwan — Cheng Yu-lan tends a deserted tea shop on a tiny Taiwanese island within sight of China and frets about the flood of gamblers from the mainland that will change this serene backwater forever ... But Weidner gave Matsu islanders an offer they couldn’t refuse — at least not lightly....(size: 2.9Kb)
The Himalayan
09 Sep 2012
Bi, visitors look down on the airport’s single runway jutting out into into the sea on Beigan in the Matsu island group, off northern Taiwan ... some of the 5,000-people needed to run the facilities, and perhaps most alluring of all, a monthly payment of 80,000 New Taiwan dollars ($2,666) for every Matsu resident five years after the casino opened....(size: 12.8Kb)
Newsvine
09 Sep 2012
Sacramento Bee
09 Sep 2012
Seattle Post
09 Sep 2012
"Lienchiang County" redirects here. For the county of the People's Republic of China, see Lianjiang County.
| Lianjiang County 連江縣 Abbreviation(s): Matsu (馬祖) |
|
 |
|
| County seat | Nangan Township |
| Region | Eastern Fujian |
| County Magistrate | Yang Suisheng (楊綏生) |
| Cities | 0 |
| Townships | 4 |
| Area | |
| - Total | 29.6055 km² (25 of 25) |
| - % water | n/a % |
| Population | |
| - Total | 9,755 (December 2008) (25 of 25) |
| - Density | 329.50/km² |
| Symbols | |
| - County flower | Hairy Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) |
| - County tree | none |
| - County bird | Chinese Crested Tern (Sterna bernsteini) |
| Official websites | www.matsu.gov.tw |
| Matsu Islands | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 馬祖列島 | ||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 马祖列岛 | ||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Lienchiang County | |||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 連江縣 | ||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 连江县 | ||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
The Matsu Islands (simplified Chinese: 马祖列岛; traditional Chinese: 馬祖列島; pinyin: Mǎzǔ Lièdǎo; Fuzhou dialect: Mā-cū liĕk-dō̤ or less frequently, simplified Chinese: 马祖群岛; traditional Chinese: 馬祖群島; pinyin: Mǎzǔ Qúndǎo; Fuzhou dialect: 馬祖島 Mā-cū-dō̤) are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County (連江縣; Lièng-gŏng-gâing) under Fujian Province of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC. The People's Republic of China (AKA "China") controls the part of the county on mainland China and has a separate administration for that jurisdiction, Lianjiang County, which claims the entire archipelago to be its Mazu Township (馬祖鄉; Mā-cū-hiŏng).
They are named after the goddess Mazu. Kinmen is the other archipelago on the Fujian coast controlled by the ROC.
Contents |
History[link]
Fujianese Mainlanders started migrating to the islands during the Yuan Dynasty. Most people on Matsu came from Houguan (侯官) (today Changle County (長樂縣 Diòng-lŏ̤h-gâing), Fujian).
Some crewmen of Zheng He temporarily stayed on the islands. In early Qing Dynasty, pirates gathered here and residents temporarily left.
In contrast to Taiwan and Penghu, the Matsu Islands were not ceded to the Empire of Japan via the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki. Neither were they occupied by Japan as in the case of Kinmen during World War II.[citation needed]
After the Kuomintang (KMT) retreated to Taiwan in 1949, the ROC retained the part of Lienchiang County offshore (and the entire Kinmen County as well).
The phrase "Quemoy and Matsu" became part of U.S. political language in the 1960 U.S. presidential election. During the debates, both candidates, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy, pledged to use U.S. forces if necessary to protect the Republic of China from invasion by the People's Republic of China, the mainland, which the U.S. did not at that time recognize as a legitimate government. But the two candidates had different opinions about whether to use U.S. forces to protect the ROC's forward positions, Quemoy and Matsu, as well. In fact, Senator Kennedy stated that these islands - just a few miles off the coast of China and more than a hundred miles from Taiwan - were strategically indefensible and were not essential to the defense of Taiwan. On the contrary, Vice President Nixon maintained that, since Quemoy and Matsu were in the "area of freedom," they should not be surrendered to the Communists as a matter of "principle."[1]
In April 2003, the county government started considering changing the name to Matsu County to avoid confusion with the county of the same name on the mainland. Some locals opposed the name change because they felt it reflected a Democratic Progressive Party Taiwan Independence viewpoint.[2]
Townships[link]
Lienchiang County currently divided into four townships:
| Name | Chinese | Wade–Giles | Pinyin | Fuzhou dialect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beigan Township | 北竿鄉 | Pei-kan Hsiang | Běigān Xiāng | Báe̤k-găng-hiŏng |
| Dongyin Township | 東引鄉 | Tung-in Hsiang | Dōngyǐn Xiāng | Dĕ̤ng-īng-hiŏng |
| Juguang Township | 莒光鄉 | Chü-kuang Hsiang | Jǔguāng Xiāng | Gṳ̄-guŏng-hiŏng |
| Nangan Township | 南竿鄉 | Nan-kan Hsiang | Nángān Xiāng | Nàng-găng-hiŏng |
Altogether, there are 22 Lienchiang villages, which are further divided into 137 neighborhoods (鄰 lín).
All townships, except Juguang, are named after the largest island in its jurisdictional area, but most townships also include other islets.
Geography[link]
The Matsu Islands include five major islands: Nangan, Dongju and Xiju (both in Juguang Township), Beigan, and Dongyin. Minor islands include Liang (亮島), Gaodeng (高登), Daqiu (大坵), and Xiaoqiu (小坵) - all belong to the Beigan Township.
- North: 26º18' N
- South: 25º56' N
- East: 120º1'20" E
- West: 119º51' E
Another set of coordinates: 119°51'-120°31' E, 25°55'-26°44' N.
Dongyin is the northernmost and Dongjyu is the southernmost.
- Dongyin is 100 nautical miles (190 km) from Keelung, Taiwan, 180 to the Penghu islands, and slightly over 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the Chinese Mainland.
- The soils are not ideal for farming.
- The highest point is on Beigan, 298 metres.
Areas:
- Nangan: 10.43 km²
- Beigan: 8.86 km²
- Dongyin: 4.35 km²
- Juguang islands: see Juguang
Average annual temperature is 18.6°C, with the lowest point being 1.3°.
The total number of islands and islets is 19.[2]
Demographics[link]
The language spoken by Matsu residents is Fuzhou dialect (福州話), a dialect of Min Dong Language.
Chen (陳) is the most common surname, then Lin (林), Wang (王), Tsao (曹), and Liu (劉).
Several islands are not inhabited permanently, some of which are stationed by Republic of China soldiers.
Economy[link]
Farm products include rice, sugar cane, tea plant, orange. Sea animals, such as fish, clams, and jellyfish, are also popular exports.
Tourism[link]
One of the most promising resources for local economy is tourism. Lianjiang County Government is making great efforts to attract more visitors to the Matsu Islands, especially among foreigners.[3][4] In fact, Matsu islands are famous for their historical sites and beautiful scenery. Due to their size, travelling by motorized scooter is an ideal way to get around the main islands such as Nangan and Beigan. Both Islands have regular buses and taxis are also economical.
Both Nangan and Beigan have airports, but because the main airport is located in Nangan, travel between the islands is frequently done by boat. In fact, boats are the main form of transportation between the Matsu islands.
Nangan is the capital of Matsu and is famous for its mesmerizing granite tunnel as well as the Iron Fort. It has two interconnected main roads. Each road leads to different sites but because they are connected, it does not take long to visit all of the sites on the island.
The Bei-Hei tunnels are manmade granite tunnels that marvel visitors. One is located in Beigan while the other is located in Nangan. Both tunnels were amazing for their time, and took great effort to construct. The tunnel in Nangan was built in 1968. The completion of Bei-Hei tunnel took the effort of thousands of men. The 700 metre tunnel has a width of 10 metres and a height of 16 metres. It was completed in 820 days with shovels, spades and explosives; the tunnel also took the life of a platoon of soldiers. The tunnel was considered a military location and was not opened until 1990. The tunnel’s structure and precision still amazes visitors today and is a must see in Matsu.
The Iron Fort is located on the Southwest side of Nangan island. Located by a small cliff, it is a vulnerable spot for outside attacks or illegal smuggling of materials. With that in mind, the fort was built for defence. It is equipped with multiple machine-gun rooms and rudimentary living facilities. It is now open to the public, and although most of the equipment has been removed from the site, the site itself brings back a vivid image of what it was like for soldiers at that time.
Chin Be village is located in Beigan and was renowned for its style of architecture and history. Many of the buildings were built from the late 19th century to early 20th century. However the village, once occupied by over one hundred households, was abandoned by the fishermen due to hard living conditions; the village was reduced to less than 20 households. Luckily by the 1960s, it was restored by the local government. Chin Be is situated beside a beach, overlooking China. It is ideal for an early morning or late evening stroll.
Other famous sites include the 88 Tunnel distillery, Matsu temple, Fu-Au seaport, and many different kinds of monuments.[5][6]
Natural reserves[link]
Since 1990, the county controls the Matsu Islands Bird Sanctuary (馬祖列島燕鷗保護區), which spreads across eight islands and islets in Nangan, Beigan and Tongyin Townships. It contains 30 species in 15 orders, mostly gulls and terns. In 2000, four pairs of the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern, previously thought to be extinct, were discovered nesting on the Matsu Islands, giving them global conservation importance.
There are also mosses and ferns rare or absent elsewhere in the ROC.[7]
Connection to the goddess[link]
Matsu, though named after the goddess Matsu, is written with a different character that has a different tone. But the Matsu Islands are not the birthplace of the goddess as the human Lin Muoniang - Meizhou Island is — but her death place (on a seaport named after her on Nangan Island).[8]
The Matsu Nangan Heavenly Empress Palace (馬祖南竿天后宮), a temple dedicated to the goddess, contains the sarcophagus of Lin Muoniang. It is, however, not as popular as the Meizhou temple.
Most Taiwanese pilgrims to Meizhou start off their journey in the Matsu Islands because they are the closest Taiwan-controlled base to Meizhou, which is controlled by the PRC.
See also[link]
 |
This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. |
- Administrative divisions of the Republic of China
- Township (Republic of China)
- List of cities in the Republic of China
- List of islands of the Republic of China
References[link]
- ^ Norris, Robert B. (November 29, 2010). "Quemoy and Matsu: a historical footnote revisited". American Diplomacy. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7052/is_2010_Nov_29/ai_n56470328/?tag=content;col1. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
- ^ a b Sandy Huang (April 6, 2003). "Cases of mistaken identity perplexing Lienchiang County". Taipei Times. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2003/04/06/201011. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
- ^ "Matsu Island opens doors to tourists". Taiwan Today. March 3, 2010. http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=97102&ctNode=413. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ "Matsu islands aim to attract more overseas tourists". Taipei Times. August 29, 2010. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/08/29/2003481579. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ "Nangan". Matsu National Scenic Area. http://www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw/User/Article.aspx?a=29&lang=2. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ "Beigan". Matsu National Scenic Area. http://www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw/User/Article.aspx?a=28&lang=2. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ "Climate, Flora and fauna". Matsu National Scenic Area. http://www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw/User/Article.aspx?a=25&l=2. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ "History and customs". Matsu National Scenic Area. http://www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw/User/Article.aspx?a=22&l=2. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
External links[link]
| Find more about Matsu Islands on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
 |
Definitions and translations from Wiktionary |
 |
Images and media from Commons |
 |
Learning resources from Wikiversity |
 |
News stories from Wikinews |
 |
Quotations from Wikiquote |
 |
Source texts from Wikisource |
 |
Textbooks from Wikibooks |
- Matsu travel guide from Wikitravel
- Lienchiang County Government Official Website
- Military importance from www.globalsecurity.org
- Smaller map (from CNN)
- Name change: Taipei Times article
- Matzu Scenic Area
- Satellite image of the Nangan and Beigan islands by Google Maps
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg)
|
|||||
Coordinates: 26°09′04″N 119°55′38″E / 26.15111°N 119.92722°E / 26.15111; 119.92722
http://wn.com/Matsu_Islands
Related pages:
http://ru.wn.com/Мацзу (острова)
http://fr.wn.com/Îles Matsu
http://de.wn.com/Matsu-Inseln
http://nl.wn.com/Matsu-archipel
http://pt.wn.com/Ilhas Matsu
http://it.wn.com/Isole Matsu
http://pl.wn.com/Mazu Liedao
http://cs.wn.com/Souostroví Ma-cu
http://es.wn.com/Islas Matsu
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsu_Islands
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
More Videos
Wiki Summary
The Matsu Islands (simplified Chinese: 马祖列岛; traditional Chinese: 馬祖列島; pinyin: Mǎzǔ Lièdǎo; Fuzhou dialect: Mā-cū liĕk-dō̤ or less frequently, simplified Chinese: 马祖群岛; traditional Chinese: 馬祖群島; pinyin: Mǎzǔ Qúndǎo; Fuzhou dialect: 馬祖島 Mā-cū-dō̤) are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County (連江縣; Lièng-gŏng-gâing) under Fujian Province of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC. The People's Republic of China (AKA "China") controls the part of the county on mainland China and has a separate administration for that jurisdiction, Lianjiang County, which claims the entire archipelago to be its Mazu Township (馬祖鄉; Mā-cū-hiŏng).
They are named after the goddess Mazu. Kinmen is the other archipelago on the Fujian coast controlled by the ROC.
Fujianese Mainlanders started migrating to the islands during the Yuan Dynasty. Most people on Matsu came from Houguan (侯官) (today Changle County (長樂縣 Diòng-lŏ̤h-gâing), Fujian).
