Taiwan’s Tectonic Background

The island of Taiwan is located at the junction of the Eurasia Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate. The northwest-ward movement of the Philippine Sea Plate causes a tectonic collision and subduction with the Eurasia Plate, making the area one of the important orogenic belts in the World. Due to the combination of crustal extrusions, unique bedrocks and severe weathering processes at the subtropical area, erosive landforms are commonly found throughout the island. The transportation and sedimentation of erosion processes contribute to the diversity of the landscape of Taiwan.