Nantou is the second largest county of Taiwan by area. Located in the central part of the island, and containing its geographic center, it is the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its landscape is mountainous, with the east containing parts of the Central Mountain Range, including Taiwan's highest mountain, Yu Shan. The diverse landscape supports rare species such as the Taiwanese pangolin and leopard cat, and the county remains home to some of the Taiwanese Indigenous peoples.