Matsu Islands
Lienchiang County
連江縣 Matsu Islands, Ma-tsu | |
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Top: Magan Tianhou Temple in Nangan, Bottom right: Matsu display monument in Nangan, Bottom upper left: Lin Moniang Tomb in Mazu Temple, Bottom lower left: Dongyong Lighthouse | |
| Coordinates: 26°09′04″N 119°55′38″E / 26.15111°N 119.92722°E | |
| Country | Republic of China (Taiwan) |
| Province | Fukien (nominal subdivision) |
| County | Lienchiang County |
| Seat | Nangan Township (Nankan) |
| Divisions | 4 rural townships 22 rural villages |
| Government | |
| • Body | |
| • County Magistrate | Wang Chung-ming (KMT) |
| Area | |
• Total | 29.60 km2 (11.43 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 22 of 22 |
| Population (June 2016) | |
• Total | 12,716 |
| • Rank | 22 of 22 |
| • Density | 430/km2 (1,100/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Matsunese |
| Time zone | UTC+08:00 (NST) |
| ISO 3166 code | TW-LIE |
| Website | Matsu.gov.tw |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Chinese crested tern (Sterna bernsteini) |
| Flower | Hairy bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) |
| Tree | Australian laurel (Pittosporum tobira) |
| Coastline | 133 km (82.6 mi) |
| Matsu Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 馬祖列島 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 马祖列岛 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Matsu Islands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Lienchiang County | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 連江縣 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 连江县 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Postal | Lienkong Hsien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Matsu Islands (UK: /ˌmætˈsuː/ or US: /ˌmɑːtˈsuː/), officially Lienchiang County (/ljɛnˈdʒjɑːŋ/), are an archipelago of 36 islands and islets in the East China Sea governed by the Republic of China (Taiwan), situated alongside the southeastern coast of mainland China. The archipelago forms the smallest county in the ROC-controlled territories by area and population, as well as one of two counties that is a part of the nominal Fuchien Province.
The current Lienchiang County of the ROC was once part of an intact Lienchiang County of Fujian before its effective partition in 1949 following the Chinese Civil War, which resulted in the mainland portion of the county being controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC), while the offshore islands of Matsu remained under ROC control. The circumstance has made the county the only former geographical unit with the same name that is now divided between the administrations of the ROC and the PRC.