Which of the following countries was formerly known as Formosa?

The correct answer is Taiwan.

Key Points:

• Taiwan, earlier known as Formosa, a tiny island off the east coast of China, is where Chinese republicans of the Kuomintang government retreated after the 1949 victory of the communists — and it has since continued as the Republic of China (RoC). Hence, Taiwan is the correct answer.
• Since its founding in 1949, the PRC has believed that Taiwan must be reunified with the mainland, while the RoC has held out as an “independent” country.
• Taiwan observes October 10 — “double 10” — as its national day.
• It was on this day in 1911 that sections of the Manchu army rose in rebellion, leading ultimately to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the end of 4,000 years of the monarchy.
• The RoC was declared on December 29, 1911.

Taiwan Strait

• The Taiwan Strait, also known as the Formosa Strait, is a 180-kilometer-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia.
• The strait is currently part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north.
• The narrowest part is 130 km wide.