．Geographical
Environment
The Penghu islands are a group of large flat-topped
basalt cuestas rising out of the Taiwan Straits. Hills
are gentle, and the average elevation is only 20 meters
above sea level. From a distance the islands look like
wooden plates floating upside-down in the sea. The topographical
relief gradually slopes down from south to north.
The highest hill on the main island of Penghu is Mt.
Tacheng, which rises to 48 meters above sea level. The
urban area of Makung is sheltered by the slopes of Mt.
Tacheng in Hsingjen Li, by Lion Hill and Taan Hill to
the west, and by Hsiaoan Hill by Makung Harbor, and
these hills divide Makung Harbor into northern and southern
bays. A range of hills extends southwest from Mt. Tacheng
to Chimuwu Hill, Kuanyin Hill, and Shamao Hill, which
rises to 45 meters above sea level.
The city's urban areas includes the western half of
the main island of Penghu plus inhabited Huching, Tungpan,
and Tsetien islands and uninhabited Chiaoyu, Chilungyu,
Niumupingyu, Tayangyu, and Haikanyu (Shihkung reef).
．Climate
Penghu has a year-round average temperature of 23.4°C.
The coolest month of January has an average temperature
of 16.7°C, while the hottest month of July has an average
temperature of 28.7°C. Although Penghu is surrounded
by the sea, the islands lack much vegetation and the
sun heats up the land rapidly in the summertime. As
a result, even the gentle south wind doesn’t relieve
the parching summer heat much. While winter temperatures
in Penghu are similarly to those in the Chiayi area
at the same latitude on Taiwan, but the powerful northeast
monsoon winds create a wind chill that makes the air
feel around 7°C cooler than the actual temperature.
Since the Tropic of Cancer passes through Makung's Huching
Li, most of the city is in the subtropical zone, but
the part of the city to the south of Huching Li is in
the tropics. |
