The islands comprising the Taiwan Area under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China (ROC) are classified into various island groups. The island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa, is the largest island and the main component of the ROC-controlled territories. Islands that are claimed by the ROC but not administered, including those administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC), and those disputed with other countries such as the Tiaoyutai Islands (Senkaku Islands) and most of the South China Sea Islands, are excluded from this list.
At the adoption of Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China in the 1990s, these islands collectively form the "Free area of the Republic of China" or known alternatively as "Taiwan Area", which legally defines the territorial extent under the actual control of the ROC government.
Some Taiwanese islands have various translations in English due to different systems of romanization in Chinese language in use, or derivation of differing linguistic origins from Mandarin, Hokkien, indigenous languages or other foreign languages. Some islands also have different names derived from particular historical periods which remain in use to this day. (Note: On pages 154 and 158, Baiyan is colored light green as is the rest of Kinmen County, excluding the Dadeng (Tateng) Islands. The islet is found in several other maps of Kinmen County (excluding the Dadeng Islands) included in the book.)
Archipelagos of Taiwan There are in total of 168 islands which can be classified into the following geographical units:
NameChineseMandarin(Pinyin)Taiwanese(Pe̍h-ōe-jī)Hakka(Pha̍k-fa-sṳ)Other nameNo. islandsMajor islandsProvincial-level divisionTaiwanTáiwānTâi-oânThòi-vànFormosa22Taiwan, Orchid, Green, Lamay, GuishanTaiwan Province, Taipei Municipality, Taichung Municipality, Kaohsiung Municipality, New Taipei Municipality, Tainan Municipality, Taoyuan MunicipalityPenghuPénghúPhêⁿ-ôPhàng-fùPescadores90Penghu, Xiyu, Baisha, Cimei, Wang'anTaiwan ProvinceKinmenJīnménKim-mn̂gKîm-mùnQuemoynumerousKinmen, Lieyu, Dadan, ErdanFuchien ProvinceMatsuMǎzǔMá-chó͘Mâ-chú 36Nangan, Beigan, Dongyin, Xiyin, Dongju, XijuFuchien ProvinceWuqiuWūqiūO͘-khiuVû-hiuOckseu2Daqiu, XiaoqiuFuchien ProvinceTungsha/DongshaDōngshāTang-soaTûng-sâPratas1Pratas IslandKaohsiung MunicipalityNanshaNánshāLâm-soaNàm-sâSpratly2Taiping Island, Zhongzhou ReefKaohsiung Municipality
List of major islands by area List of Taiwanese islands with over 5 km2 of area. OrderNameChineseTaiwaneseHakkaGeographical unitAdministrative DivisionArea (km²)1Taiwan Main Island (Formosa)Tâi-oân pún-tóThòi-vàn pún-tóTaiwanmultiple35,807.822Kinmen Main IslandKim-mn̂g pún-tóKîm-mùn pún-tóKinmen4 townshipsKinmen134.253Penghu Main IslandPhêⁿ-ô pún-tóPhàng-fù pún-tóPenghuMagong, HuxiPenghu65.414Orchid IslandLân-sūLàn-yíTaiwanLanyuTaitung46.825Xiyu IslandSai-sūSî-yíPenghuXiyuPenghu17.84–Waisanding ShoalGōa-sòaⁿ-téng-chiuNgoi-san táng-chûTaiwanKouhuYunlin17.226Green IslandLe̍k-tóLiu̍k-tóTaiwanLyudaoTaitung15.097Lesser Kinmen IslandSió-kim-mn̂g-tóSéu-kîm-mùn-tóKinmenLieyuKinmen14.858Baisha IslandPe̍h-soa-tóPha̍k-sâ-tóPenghuBaishaPenghu13.889Nangan IslandLâm-kan-tóNàm-kôn-tóMatsuNanganLienchiang10.4310Cimei IslandChhit-bí-tóChhit-mî-yíPenghuCimeiPenghu7.5911Liuqiu IslandLiû-khiû-sūLiù-khiù-yíTaiwanLiuqiuPingtung6.8012Wang'an IslandBāng-oaⁿ-tóMong-ôn-tóPenghuWang'anPenghu6.7413Beigan IslandPak-kan-tóPet-kôn-tóMatsuBeiganLienchiang6.44
List of islands by geographical unit Taiwan proper
Island of Taiwan (Formosa; ) Kaohsiung Cijin (); formerly a longshore bar connected to the island of Taiwan at the southern tip, this link was severed in 1975 due to Kaohsiung Port construction. Keelung City Keelung Islet () Hoping Island () The Three Northern Islands () Huaping Islet () Mianhua Islet (), the easternmost island under the actual control of the Republic of China記者盧賢秀,"北方三島小檔案", Liberty Times,2010-8-30. Pengjia Islet () Nantou County Lalu (); a lake island within the Sun Moon Lake New Taipei Twin Candlestick Islets (Zhútái Shuāng Yǔ; ) Pingtung County Hsiao Liuchiu (Lamay Islet; ) Qixingyan (Seven star reefs; ) Taitung County Green Island (Lyudao, Samasana; ) Orchid Island (Lanyu, Ponso no Tao, Botel Tobago; ) Lesser Orchid Island (Hsiao Lanyu, Jimagaod; ) Sansiantai () Yilan County Guishan Island / Gueishan Island (Turtle Mount; ) Guiluan Island (Kuei-luan Tao, Kiran-to; , ) Hualien County Ciporan Island
Penghu/Pescadores Penghu Islands (Pescadores Islands; ) (Penghu County) Penghu () Hujing Island (Hujing Islet, Huching Island; ) Tongpan Island () Baisha () Baisha Main Island (白沙島) Jibei Island () Chungtun (Zhongtun) Island (中屯嶼) Yuanbei Island () Tiejhen (Tiezhen) Island (鐵砧嶼) Gupo Island () Xianjiao Island () Bird Island (鳥嶼) Mudou Island () Siyu (Yuwong, Yü-weng Tao, Gyoō-tō; ) Xiaomen Yu (Siaomen Islet, Hsiao-men hsü, Shō-mon-sho; 小門嶼) Haiqian Reef (海墘礁) Cimei (Qimei;) Wang-an () Hua Islet () Mau Islets (貓嶼) Cau Islet (草嶼) Nan Yun (南塭/南𥔋) Maanshan Islet () Jiangjyunao Islet (Chiang-chün-ao hsü, Shōgunō-sho; ) Chuanfanyu Reef () Toujin () Tiejhen () West Islet (Hsi-hsü-p'ing, Sei-sūpin; ) East Islet (Tung-hsü-p'ing, Tō-sūpin; ) Siji Islet (Hsi-chi hsü, Saikichi-sho; ) Chutou Islet () Dongji Island (Dongji Islet, Tung-chi hsü, Tō-kichi-sho; )
Kinmen/Quemoy
Kinmen (Kinmen, Quemoy, Main island; ) (main island, divided into four townships) Jinhu Township Dongding Island (, ) (approximately to the southwest) Beiding Island (北碇島) (approximately to the east) Mu Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency () etc. Jinsha Township Cao Islet () Hou Islet/Xishanyu () Baiyan Island ()(Note: The County/City Boundary () as shown in this map includes Dabo Reef, Siaobo Reef and Baiyan Island within Kinmen County.) Dabo Reef () Xiaobo Reef (Siaobo Reef; ) Dongge, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Tung-ko; ) Guan'ao Jiao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Kuan-ao Chiao; ) Xiyuan Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Hsi-yüan Yü; ) Gou Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (狗嶼) Yangshanyu (洋山嶼) etc. Jinning Township Daqian (大墘) Jincheng Township Jiangong Islet (建功嶼) Hei Yan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Hei Yen; ) Dayan Islet, Dayan Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Ta-yen Hsü, Ta-lu-tung; ) etc. Lieyu Township Lesser Kinmen (Hsiao Kinmen, Lieyu; ) (second largest island of Kinmen County) Dadan Island Erdan Island (二膽島) Fuxing Islet (Fuhsing Islet; Phaktia) () Menghu Islet () Shi Islet (Lion Islet) () Binlang Islet () Hsiao Kinmen Island (小金門島) Houtouyu (後頭嶼) Wu Jiao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Wu Chiao; ) Guizijiao (桂子礁) Huangyu (黃嶼) Sanjiaojiao/Yanyu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (三腳礁/三角礁/煙嶼) Niuxinjiao (牛心礁) Chijiaojiao (赤角礁) Xiaodan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Hsiao-tan, Siaodan; ) Menkou Jiao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (門口礁) Tu Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ('Rabbit Islet', Tuyu, T'u Hsü; ) Dananjiao (大南礁) Shishan (石山) Sandan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/Sandandao (San-tan 三膽/三擔島) Sidan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/Sidandao (Ssu-tan, Tao-sao Hsü 四膽/四擔島) Wudan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Wu-tan 五膽/五擔) Muyu (目嶼) etc.
Matsu Islands }
Matsu Islands () Beigan (Peikan; ) Gaodeng Island (Kaoteng; 高登島) Daqiu Island () Xiaoqiu (Kiao Tse ) Wumingdao / Bluff Head (Wu-ming Tao; ) Qiaotou (Ch’iao-t’ou; ) Jinyu () Liang Island (亮島) Langyan () / Liang Reef (Liangjiao Reef; ) Sanlianyu / Trio Rocks () Zhongdao () Baimiao () Laoshu () Turtle Island (亀島)
Nankan (Nangan; ) Huangguanyu () Liuquanjiao () Xiejiao () Beiquanjiao () Dongyin (Tungyin; ) Xiyin (Hsiyin; ) Beigu Reef () *The northernmost island under the actual control of the Republic of China. Zhongzhu Island (Chung-chu Tao; ) Furong Reef (Furong Jiao; ) Shuangzijiao () Dongsha Dao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Tung-sha Tao; ) Chukuang (Jyuguang; ) Tungchu (Dongjyu, Dongquan; 東莒, 東犬) Hsichu (Xijyu, Xiquan; 西莒, 西犬) Xiniuyu (犀牛嶼) Sheshan (蛇山) Lintou'ao (林頭坳) Dayu (大嶼) Yongliou (永留嶼)
Wuqiu/Ockseu
Wuqiu (Ockseu, Wuchiu, Wuciou; ) Daqiu (Tachiu, Taciou; ) Xiaoqiu (Hsiaochiu; )
South China Sea Islands
South China Sea Islands () (Administration under Cijin District, Kaohsiung Municipality; only the following islands listed below are controlled by the ROC) Pratas Island (Tungsha, Dong-sha; ) Spratly Islands (Nansha, Nan-sha; ; disputed with several Southeast Asian countries and China) Taiping (Itu Aba; ) Zhongzhou Reef (Chung-Chou Reef; )
Disputed islands The highly controversial sovereignty disputes over both the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands and the South China Sea Islands (which are disputed and controlled by several countries) are complex with the disputed status of both Taiwan (the territories outlined in the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco) and the Republic of China (ROC) which controls Taiwan. As the ROC and the People's Republic of China (PRC) still compete their de jure claim as the sole legitimate government of the entire China, they effectively lay claim to the same extent of islands, including the South China Sea Islands and the Senkaku Islands, among others. This makes these disputes multi-layered and therefore virtually impossible to solve by following the guidelines of international law.
The ROC maintains its historical claims to all of the South China Sea Islands.http://www.asianresearch.org/articles/3115.html Taiwan's Spratly Initiative in the South China Sea They are also claimed by five other claimants, namely the PRC, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. The islands within the Pratas and Spratly Islands which remain under the control of the ROC are assigned to Cijin District, Kaohsiung City, thus technically defining these islands to be part of the "Taiwan Area". The United Nations considers the South China Sea to be "international waters" and does not acknowledge any of the South China Sea Islands as "true islands". The acknowledgement of these islands as "true islands" is crucial because the definition of "islands" would justify the creation of an exclusive economic zone around them, which can be used to cut off international shipping lanes and to acquire natural resources such as oil which lie beneath the ocean.
Meanwhile, the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands are claimed by the ROC as "Tiaoyutai Islands" within Toucheng Township, Yilan County and are considered to be part of geographic and provincial Taiwan by the ROC. The Senkaku Islands lie about 186 kilometres from the northeast of Taiwan Island, and situated roughly 330 kilometres from the east of mainland China. They form the westernmost extremity of the "Ryukyu Islands", which Japan administers as Okinawa Prefecture. The PRC also claims the Senkaku Islands as "Diaoyu Islands" as part of its claimed "Taiwan Province".