Key Facts about the Taiwan Strait

About Taiwan Strait:

• Taiwan Strait, also called Formosa Strait, is a 180-kilometre-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia.
• The strait extends from southwest to northeast between the South and East China Seas.
• The narrowest part is 130 km wide.
• It reaches a depth of about 230 feet (70 m) and contains the Pescadores Islands (which are controlled by the government of Taiwan). 
• The chief ports are Amoy in mainland China and Kaohsiung in Taiwan. 
• The median line of the Taiwan Strait:
  • It is the informal dividing line in the Taiwan Strait between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. 
  • It came about during the Cold War as a way to try and delineate the two opposing sides and reduce the risk of clashes.
  • No agreement or treaty ever solidified its status. But over the decades, it helped keep Taiwan and China's militaries apart.

Key Facts about Taiwan:

• It is an island territory in East Asia, between the East China Sea in the north and the South China Sea in the south.
• The Republic of China (ROC) is the official name of the territory and government of Taiwan.
• Taiwan's main island is located east off the southeastern coast of the People's Republic of China, separated by the Taiwan Strait and 370 km (230 mi) north of Luzon Island (Philippines).
• It shares maritime borders with China, Japan and the Philippines.
• Capital: Taipei
• Languages: Spoken languages are Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua; official) and Taiwanese (Taiwanese Hokkien); regional languages are Hakka and Formosan languages.
• Religion: The main religions are Buddhism (35%) and Taoism (33%).