Editing Geography of Taiwan (section)

== Terrain ==
{{see also|List of mountains in Taiwan|List of rivers of Taiwan}}
[[File:Taiwan map large.gif|thumb|right|A [[Cartographic relief depiction|relief map]] of Taiwan]]

The terrain in Taiwan is divided into two parts: the flat to gently rolling plains in the west, where 90% of the population lives, and the mostly rugged forest-covered mountains in the eastern two-thirds.

The eastern part of the island is dominated by five mountain ranges, each running from north-northeast to south-southwest, roughly parallel to the east coast of the island. As a group, they extend {{convert|330|km|mi|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} from north to south and average about {{convert|80|km|mi}} from east to west. They include more than two hundred peaks with elevations of over {{convert|3000|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}.{{sfnp|Exec. Yuan|2014|p=40}}

The [[Central Mountain Range]] extends from [[Su'ao]] in the northeast to [[Eluanbi]] at the southern tip of the island, forming a ridge of high mountains and serving as the island's principal watershed. The mountains are predominantly composed of hard rock formations resistant to weathering and erosion, although heavy rainfall has deeply scarred the sides with gorges and sharp valleys. The relative relief of the terrain is usually extensive, and the forest-clad mountains with their extreme ruggedness are almost impenetrable. The east side of the Central Mountain Range is the steepest mountain slope in Taiwan, with fault scarps ranging in height from {{convert|120|to|1200|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}. [[Taroko National Park]], on the steep eastern side of the range, has good examples of mountainous terrain, gorges and [[erosion]] caused by a swiftly flowing river.

The [[Haian Range|East Coast Mountain Range]] extends down the east coast of the island from the mouth of the [[Hualien River]] in the north to [[Taitung County]] in the south, and chiefly consist of sandstone and shale. It is separated from the Central Range by the narrow [[Huatung Valley]], at an altitude of {{convert|120|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}. Although Hsinkangshan (新港山), the highest peak, reaches an elevation of {{convert|1682|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, most of the range is composed of large hills. Small streams have developed on the flanks, but only one large river cuts across the range. Badlands are located at the western foot of the range, where the ground water level is the lowest and rock formations are the least resistant to weathering. Raised coral reefs along the east coast and the frequent occurrences of earthquakes in the rift valley indicate that the fault block is still rising.

The ranges to the west of the Central range are divided into two groups separated by the [[Sun Moon Lake]] Basin in the centre of the island. The [[Dadu River (Taiwan)|Dadu]] and [[Zhuoshui River]]s flow from the western slopes of the Central Range through the basin to the west coast of the island.

The [[Xueshan Range]] lies to the northwest of the Central Mountain Range, beginning at [[Sandiaojiao]], the northeast tip of the island, and gaining elevation as it extends southwest towards [[Nantou County]]. [[Xueshan]], the main peak, is {{convert|3886|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} high.

[[File:San Guang River, Fusing, Taoyuan, Taiwan - 20080601.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Sanguang River]] in northwestern Taiwan]]

The [[Yushan Range]] runs along the southwestern flank of the Central Range. It includes the island's tallest peak, the {{convert|3952|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} [[Yu Shan]] ('Jade Mountain'){{r|World Factbook}}{{sfnp|Exec. Yuan|2014|p=43}}<ref>Reported by Taiwan's National Geographic Information System Steering Committee ([http://www.land.moi.gov.tw/landdatabase/enhtml/index.asp NGISSC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121095400/http://www.land.moi.gov.tw/landdatabase/enhtml/index.asp |date=21 November 2008 }})</ref> which makes Taiwan the world's [[List of islands by highest point|fourth-highest island]], and is the highest point in the western Pacific region outside of the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]], [[New Guinea Highlands]] and [[Mount Kinabalu]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldislandinfo.com/TALLESTV1.htm |title=Tallest Islands of the World&nbsp;– World Island Info web site |publisher=Worldislandinfo.com |access-date=1 August 2010 |archive-date=1 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201042156/http://www.worldislandinfo.com/TALLESTV1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Alishan Range]] lies west of the Yushan Range, across the valley of the south-flowing [[Kaoping River]]. The range has major elevations between {{convert|1000|and|2000|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}. The main peak, Data Mountain (大塔山), towers {{convert|2663|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.

Below the western foothills of the ranges, such as the [[Hsinchu Hills]] and the [[Miaoli Hills]], lie raised [[terrace (geology)|terrace]]s formed of material eroded from the ranges.  These include the [[Linkou Plateau]], the [[Taoyuan Plateau]] and the [[Dadu Plateau]]. About 23% of Taiwan's land area consists of fertile [[alluvial plain]]s and [[sedimentary basin|basin]]s watered by rivers running from the eastern mountains. Over half of this land lies in the [[Chianan Plain]] in southwest Taiwan, with lesser areas in the [[Pingtung Plain]], [[Taichung Basin]] and [[Taipei Basin]]. The only sizable plain on the east coast is the [[Yilan Plain]] in the northeast.{{sfnp|Exec. Yuan|2014|pp=2, 43}}