Orchid Island

Orchid Island

Native name: Pongso no Tao
Orchid Island Orchid Island in Taiwan
Geography
Location	Philippine Sea
Coordinates	22°03′N 121°32′E / 22.050°N 121.533°E / 22.050; 121.533
Area	45 km2 (17 sq mi)
Highest elevation	552 m (1811 ft)
Highest point	Mount Hongtou
Administration
Republic of China
Township	Lanyu
County	Taitung
Province	Taiwan (streamlined, government dissolved)
Demographics
Population	5,255 (February 2023)
Ethnic groups	Tao, Han

Orchid Island
The shore of Orchid Island from an imperial Japanese publication (c. 1931)
Traditional Chinese	蘭嶼
Literal meaning	Orchid Islet(s)
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lányǔ Lán Yǔ Bopomofo ㄌㄢˊ ㄩˇ Wade–Giles Lan2-yü3 Lan2 Yü3 Tongyong Pinyin Lán-yǔ Lán Yǔ IPA [lǎn.ỳ] [lǎn ỳ] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Lân-sū Lân Sū

Former names
"Botel Tobago" and "Klein Botel Tobago" on a 1905 German map[1]
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	紅頭嶼
Literal meaning	Redhead Islet(s) Red Cape Islet(s)
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hóngtóuyǔ Hóngtóu Yǔ Bopomofo ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄊㄡˊ ㄩˇ Wade–Giles Hung2-tʻou2-yü3 Hung2-tʻou2 Yü3 Tongyong Pinyin Hóng-tóu-yǔ Hóng-tóu Yǔ IPA [xʊ̌ŋ.tʰǒʊ.ỳ] [xʊ̌ŋ.tʰǒʊ ỳ] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Âng-thâu-sū Âng-thâu Sū
Japanese name
Kanji	紅頭嶼
Hiragana	こうとうしょ
Katakana	コウトウショ
Transcriptions Romanization Kōtōsho Kunrei-shiki Koutousyo

Lesser Orchid Island
Lesser Orchid Island
Traditional Chinese	小蘭嶼
Literal meaning	Little Orchid Islet
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiǎolányǔ Xiǎo Lányǔ Xiǎo Lán Yǔ Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄌㄢˊ ㄩˇ Wade–Giles Hsiao3-lan2-yü3 Hsiao3 Lan2-yü3 Hsiao3 Lan2 Yü3 Tongyong Pinyin Syǎo-lán-yǔ Syǎo Lán-yǔ Syǎo Lán Yǔ IPA [ɕjàʊ.lǎn.ỳ] [ɕjàʊ lǎn.ỳ] [ɕjàʊ lǎn ỳ]

Orchid Island,^[2] also known by other names, is a 45 km² (17 sq mi) volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, which Orchid Island is part of. It is separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. The island and the nearby Lesser Orchid Island are governed as Lanyu Township in Taitung County, which is one of the county's two insular townships (the other being Lyudao Township).