Geographical Position

Taipei, located in Taiwan’s north, has an area of 271.8 sq. km, and is situated in a basin. Rich in leisure and recreation, cultural arts, heritage sites, and other attractions, it enjoys a superb geographical position and traffic environment.

Climate

Situated near the 25th parallel north, the city has a subtropical island climate influenced by its basin location. The Taipei summers and autumns are hot and humid, the springs and winters cool and mild, and there is clear differentiation between the four seasons. March to May generally marks the spring season, June ~ August summer, September ~ November autumn, and December ~ February winter.

History

In the 1500s Portuguese maritimers, the first Westerners to espy Taiwan, christened it Ilha Formosa, the “beautiful island.” It were Inhabited by numerous indigenous tribal peoples, then Han Chinese in great number from China’s Fujian and Hakka from Guangdong provinces began to open land at the start of the 18th century. In the late 19th century Taipei was declared a prefectural capital and a walled city was built. Taipei became the island’s leading center. Liu Ming-chuan was declared Taiwan’s first Governor, and commenced a building program. This period was followed by the Japanese era and early Republican period, after the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan. Now over 130 years old, the city has a population of 2.7 million.

Transportation

Taipei has a comprehensive transportation network. The convenient MRT has five main lines and two branch lines, with 117 stations, and there are over 300 public-bus routes. It has four Taiwan Railways stations, and the railway network reaches all cities and counties. If you require rapid shuttling between Taiwan’s north and south, the Taiwan High Speed Rail network provides a lightning-quick option. Songshan Airport, located in the city’s heart, provides both domestic and international route services, giving visitors from around the world quick access to the city’s core.