Taiwan Strait

About Taiwan Strait:

• It is also called Formosa Strait which separates the island of Taiwan and continental Asia.
• Ports: The chief ports are Amoy in mainland China and Kao-hsiung in Taiwan. 
• Rivers: Several rivers including the Jiulong and Min rivers from China’s Fujian Province drain into the Taiwan Strait. 
• The biggest islands along the Taiwan side include Penghu (or Pescadores), Xiamen, and Pingtan.
• The Taiwan Strait constitutes a critical corridor connecting the South China Sea to the East China Sea and also serves as a busy navigational waterway, on which millions of tons of cargo are ferried annually. 
• The strait is also one of the most important fishing grounds in China and more than a hundred economically important fish species are found here. 

What is a strait?

• A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water.
• A strait is similar to a canal cutting through an isthmus (a narrow strip of land), but a strait is formed naturally and canals are built by people.
• Significance: Straits are often important transportation routes since they allow ships to pass from one body of water to another.