Pescadores (pĕskədôr'əz, -rəs), Mandarin Penghu or P'eng-hu, group of 64 small islands, area c.50 sq mi (130 sq km), in Taiwan Strait, c.25 to 30 mi (40-50 km) off the west coast of Taiwan. They comprise a county of Taiwan. The largest islands are Penghu, Yuweng, and Paisha; Ma Kung, on Penghu island, is the chief population center. Fishing is the main occupation, and peanuts and sweet potatoes are grown; coral is an important product. The group was named the Pescadores, or fishermen's islands, by the Portuguese in the 16th cent. China ceded them (1895) to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, and they were returned to China after World War II. A bridge (completed 1970) linking Paisha and Hsiyu islands has 76 spans. The Pescadores are subject to frequent typhoons.
