Taiwan will soon have a brand-new national park highlighting the rich marine life of the outlying islands of Penghu, also known as the Pescadores. The park is called the Four Islands of Southern Penghu National Park, and it will feature not only large stretches of ocean, but also the basalt-formed islands and a vibrant culture and history.
The park – Taiwan’s ninth national park – will be inaugurated on October 18.
As the name would suggest, the park includes four small islands that total about 370 hectares. But even more impressive are the waters surrounding the islands, which have an area of more than 35,473 hectares. That’s about 1.3 times the size of Taipei city. These are no ordinary waters, either, they are full of coral reefs and teeming with marine life.
In the last several decades, the population of the four islands in the area has dropped significantly due to limited access to the rest of Taiwan. In 1978, the government moved the citizens off one of the islands – Hsijiyu. Official figures put the total population of the remaining three islands at less than 50 people. But tourist visits have shown an increase. Last year the islands of Dongjiyu and Dongyupingyu saw a total of about 8,000 visitors. But already this year, that figure has more than doubled.