Former Name of Taiwan: Formosa

From the 16th century until the mid-20th century, Taiwan was internationally known as Formosa (Portuguese Ilha Formosa – "Beautiful Island"). Portuguese sailors named it in 1544; the name persisted on European maps and in trade through Dutch (1624–1662), Qing (1683–1895), and Japanese (1895–1945) periods. After WWII, the Republic of China adopted "Taiwan" (from indigenous Tayovan) as the common name, though "Republic of China" remains the official state title.