Regions of Taiwan

The regions of Taiwan are based on the historical administrative divisions. However, most of the definitions are controversial.

Dichotomy

• Eastern and Western Taiwan: the Central Mountain Range separates Taiwan into east and west.

• Eastern Taiwan: Yilan, Hualien and Taitung.
• Western Taiwan: other divisions from Taipei to Pingtung.

• Northern and Southern Taiwan: Zhuoshui River, the longest river of Taiwan, flows through about the middle of the island.

• Northern Taiwan: Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu (City/County), Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou.
• Southern Taiwan: Yunlin, Chiayi (City/County), Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung.

Quadchotomy

The most widely used definition is from the Council for Economic Planning and Development, Executive Yuan. The quadchotomy scheme corresponds to the prefectures under Qing Dynasty rule.

No.	1	2	3	4	–
Name	Northern Taiwan	Central Taiwan	Southern Taiwan	Eastern Taiwan	Outer islands
	北臺灣	中臺灣	南臺灣	東臺灣	外島
Map
Present divisions	Taipei New Taipei Keelung Taoyuan Hsinchu City/County Yilan	Miaoli Taichung Changhua Nantou Yunlin	Chiayi City/County Tainan Kaohsiung Pingtung Penghu	Hualien Taitung	Kinmen Matsu (Lienchiang)
Historical Prefectures	Taipeh (臺北府)	Taiwan (臺灣府)	Tainan (臺南府)	Taitung (臺東直隸州)

Hexchotomy

The hexchotomy scheme corresponds to the prefectures under Japanese rule.

No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	–
Name	Pei–Pei–Kee(–Yi)	Tao–Chu–Miao	Chung–Chang–Tou	Yun–Chia–Nan	Kao–Ping(–Peng)	(Yi–)Hua–Tung	(Peng–)Kin–Ma
	北北基(宜)	桃竹苗	中彰投	雲嘉南	高屏(澎)	(宜)花東	(澎)金馬
Present divisions	Taipei New Taipei Keelung (Yilan)	Taoyuan Hsinchu City/County Miaoli	Taichung Changhua Nantou	Yunlin Chiayi City/County Tainan	Kaohsiung Pingtung (Penghu)	(Yilan) Hualien Taitung	(Penghu) Kinmen Matsu (Lienchiang)
Historical Prefectures	Taihoku (臺北州)	Shinchiku (新竹州)	Taichū (臺中州)	Tainan (臺南州)	Takao (高雄州) Hōko (澎湖廳)	Karenkō (花蓮港廳) Taitō (臺東廳)

See also

• Geography of Taiwan
• Political divisions of Taiwan (1895–1945)