Formosa is a place name which comes from Portuguese (*from Latin formosus, meaning “beautiful”).

The following places bear the name:

• The island of Taiwan is historically known as Formosa, the name given by Portuguese sailors due to the beauty of its coasts.
• Formosa Strait (Taiwan Strait)
• Formosa Province, Argentina.
  • Formosa, Argentina, the capital of its namesake province
• Formosa, Goiás, Brazil (near Brasília in Goiás State)
• Formosa, Ontario, Canada
• Formosa, Arkansas, USA
• Formosa, Virginia, USA
• Formosa, Portalegre, Portugal
• Formosa, Santarém, Portugal
• Bioko island was named “Formosa” by Fernão do Pó.
• Formosa (Guinea-Bissau), an island in the Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau
• a fort built by the Portuguese in Malacca in the 16th century.
• A fictional eastern city of Formosa is the home of Madame Tang and her dragon in the video game Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow based on the hugely popular Disney films.
• A township on the Northern outskirts of Plettenberg Bay, South Africa.

other uses

• Formosan languages, the languages belonging to the Austronesian family of languages spoken by the indigenous people of the island of Formosa or Taiwan
• Formosa may also refer to a fictional country located on the island of Taiwan, but whose culture was invented by George Psalmanazar as a hoax.
• a surname found in the Maltese Islands
• Formosa Magazine
• Formosa Television, a major television network in Taiwan.
• Formosa Plastics, a company in Taiwan.
• Republic of Formosa, a short-lived republic in 1895 on the island of Formosa
• Formosa (film) a 2005 comedy.
• Formosa's law - "The truly insane have enough on their plates without us adding to it."
• Diocese of Formosa, Argentina, Roman Catholic Diocese in Argentina
• Diocese of Formosa, Brazil, Roman Catholic Diocese in Brazil
• Formosa Cafe a famous restaurant in Hollywood, California
• Formosan Mountain Dog, a breed of dog indigenous to Taiwan, commonly referred to as Formosan.
• Formosa sailing yacht, model name of ketch rigged sailing yachts of approx.45'-55' in length constructed of GRP.

See also

• Formoso

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Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Formosa". Image Credit.

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