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Taitung County

Coordinates: 22°56′N 120°56′E / 22.933°N 120.933°E / 22.933; 120.933
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Taitung County
臺東縣
Taitō, Tâi-tang
County
Top: View of Orchid Island, from Ji-teiwan, Second left: Zhiben Spa area, Second right: A view of downtown Taitung, Third left: View of White Sand Bay in Taimali Township, Third right: A memorial for Yami people's boat in Orchid Island, Bottom: A coast of Xiaoyeliu
Top: View of Orchid Island, from Ji-teiwan, Second left: Zhiben Spa area, Second right: A view of downtown Taitung, Third left: View of White Sand Bay in Taimali Township, Third right: A memorial for Yami people's boat in Orchid Island, Bottom: A coast of Xiaoyeliu
Flag of Taitung County
Flag
Official seal of Taitung County
Logo
Map
Coordinates: 22°56′N 120°56′E / 22.933°N 120.933°E / 22.933; 120.933
Country Taiwan
RegionEastern Taiwan
SeatTaitung City
Largest cityTaitung City
Boroughs1 cities, 15 (2 urban, 13 rural) townships
Government
 • County MagistrateApril Yao (KMT)
Area
 • Total
3,515.2526 km2 (1,357.2466 sq mi)
 • Rank3 of 22
Population
 (September 2023)
 • Total
211,681
 • Rank22 of 22
 • Density60/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (National Standard Time)
ISO 3166 codeTW-TTT
Websitewww.taitung.gov.tw
Symbols
FlowerMoth orchid (Phalaenopsis)
TreeCamphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Taitung County
Traditional Chinese臺東縣 or 台東縣
Simplified Chinese台东县
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTáidōng Xiàn
Bopomofoㄊㄞˊ   ㄉㄨㄥ   ㄒㄧㄢˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhTairdong Shiann
Wade–GilesTʻai2-tung1 Hsien4
Tongyong PinyinTáidong Siàn
Yale RomanizationTáidūng Syàn
MPS2Táidūng Shiàn
IPA[tʰǎɪ.tʊ́ŋ ɕjɛ̂n]
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳThòi-tûng-yen
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTâi-tang-koān
Tâi-lôTâi-tang-kuān

Taitung County[I] (Wade–Giles: Tʻai2-tung1 Hsien4; lit. 'Eastern part of Taiwan'; Paiwan: Valangaw) is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island's southeastern coast and also including Green Island, Orchid Island and Lesser Orchid Island. The seat is located in Taitung City.

Name

While its name means "Eastern Taiwan", it is also known as "Houshan" (Chinese: 後山; pinyin: hòushān; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: āu-soaⁿ) by many of the locals, meaning behind the mountains or the back mountains.

History

Taitō Prefecture government building

Qing dynasty

In 1887, the new Fujian-Taiwan Province included Taitung Prefecture as one of four prefectures.[1]

Empire of Japan

Main article: Taitō Prefecture

During the Japanese rule of Taiwan, Taitung County was administered as Taitō Prefecture.

Republic of China

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, Taitung was established as a county of Taiwan Province on 25 December the same year.

Geography

T'ai-tung (Taitō) 臺東 (1951)

Taitung runs along the southeastern coast of Taiwan. Taitung County, controlling 3,515 km2 (1,357 sq mi) is the 3rd largest county in Taiwan after Hualien County and Nantou County. Mainland Taitung County's coastline is 166 km (103 mi) long. The Huatung Valley runs along the northern half of the county. Taitung currently has a population of 234,123.[2]

Due in part to its remote location and isolation by mountains from Taiwan's main population centers, Taitung was the last part of the island to be colonized by Han Chinese immigrants (late 19th century). Throughout the 20th century Taitung remained an economic backwater. Sparsely populated even today, this isolation may have been a blessing in disguise, as Taitung mostly escaped the urbanization and pollution that have come to plague much of the island's lowland areas.

In addition to the area on Taiwan proper, the county includes two major islands, Green Island or Isla Verde and Orchid Island. Green Island was home to an infamous penal colony used for political prisoners during the "White Terror" period of Chinese Nationalist (KMT) rule (from 1947 until the end of martial law in 1987). Orchid Island, home of the Tao people (Taiwanese aborigines closely related to the people of the northern Philippines), has become a major tourist attraction despite the government-operated Taiwan Power Company's controversial use of part of the island as a nuclear waste dump.

Government

Taitung County Government
Taitung County Council
April Yao, the incumbent Magistrate of Taitung County.

Administrative divisions

Taitung County is divided into 1 city, 2 urban townships, 8 rural townships and 5 mountain indigenous townships.[3][4][5] Taitung County has the second highest number of mountain indigenous townships in Taiwan after Pingtung County. The seat of the county is located at Taitung City, where it houses the Taitung County Government and Taitung County Council. The current Magistrate of Taitung County is April Yao of the Kuomintang. After streamlining of Taiwan Province in 1998, the county has since directly governed by the Executive Yuan.

Type Name Chinese Taiwanese Hakka Formosan Japanese and other
City Taitung City 臺東市 Tâi-tang Thòi-tûng PusungAmis, Paiwan, Puyuma
Urban
townships 		Chenggong 成功鎮 Sêng-kong Sṳ̀n-kûng MadawdawAmis
Guanshan 關山鎮 Koan-san Kûan-sân KinalaunganBunun
Rural
townships 		Beinan 卑南鄉 Pi-lâm Pî-nàm PuyumaAmis, Puyuma, PinangRukai
Changbin 長濱鄉 Tn̂g-pin Tshòng-pîn KakacawanAmis Nagahama (長浜)
Chishang (Chishang) 池上鄉 Tî-siōng Tshṳ̀-song Ikegami (池上)
Dawu 大武鄉 Tāi-bú Thai-vú PalangoePaiwan
Donghe 東河鄉 Tong-hô Tûng-hò FafukodAmis
Ludao[3][4] 綠島鄉 Le̍k-tó Liu̍k-tó SanasayAmis, JitanaseyYami Green Island
Luye 鹿野鄉 Lo̍k-iá Lu̍k-yâ Shikano (鹿野)
Taimali 太麻里鄉 Thài-mâ-lí Thai-mà-lî TjavualjiAmis, Paiwan
Mountain
indigenous
townships 		Daren 達仁鄉 Ta̍t-jîn Tha̍t-yìn TadrenPaiwan
Haiduan 海端鄉 Hái-toaⁿ Hói-tôn HaitutuanBunun
Jinfeng (Jinfong) 金峰鄉 Kim-hong Kîm-fûng KinzangPaiwan
Lanyu 蘭嶼鄉 Lân-sū Làn-yí Ponso no TaoYami Orchid Island
Yanping 延平鄉 Iân-pêng Yèn-phìn InpiingBunun

Colors indicates the common languages status of Hakka and Formosan languages within each division.

Politics

Taitung County elected one Democratic Progressive Party legislator to the Legislative Yuan during the 2016 Republic of China legislative election.[6]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1985 276,389—    
1990 256,803−7.1%
1995 254,375−0.9%
2000 245,312−3.6%
2005 235,957−3.8%
2010 230,673−2.2%
2015 222,452−3.6%
Source:"Populations by city and country in Taiwan". Ministry of the Interior Population Census.

Taitung County is home to seven aboriginal ethnics, including Amis, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai and Yami.[7] Taitung County has the largest aboriginal to overall population of a county or city in Taiwan, at 35.5%.[8]

Education

Education in Taitung County is administered under the Education Department of the Taitung County Government.[9]

Culture

Taitung County possesses a very diverse collection of aboriginal cultures.[10] Because Taitung is probably one of the least affected counties by the settlement of the Han Chinese, most of the aboriginal cultures are still very much a part of everyday society.

Energy

Taitung County houses the Lanyu Power Plant, a 6.5 MW fuel-fired power plant located in Orchid Island.

Tourist attractions

Taitung Art Museum
Luye Jinja

Buildings

Duoliang Station, Kunci Temple, Green Island Lighthouse, Moving Castle and Taitung Chinese Association.

Historical sites

Beinan Cultural Park, Dulan Site and Green Island White Terror Memorial Park.

Museums and galleries

Lanyu Flying Fish Cultural Museum, National Museum of Prehistory, Rice Village Museum, Taitung Aboriginal Gallery, Taitung Art Museum, Taitung County Museum of Natural History, Taitung Performing Art Center, Taitung Story Museum, Wu Tao Chishang Lunch Box Cultural History Museum.

Nature

Baxian Caves, Chulu Ranch, Dapo Pond, Dulan Mountain, East Coast National Scenic Area [zh], East Rift Valley National Scenic Area [zh], Green Island, Zhiben National Forest Recreation Area, Orchid Island, Sanxiantai, Sika Deer Ecological Park, Taitung Forest Park, Xiangyang National Forest Recreation Area and Zhaori Hot Spring.

Theme parks

Bunun Tribal Leisure Farm

Transportation

Taitung Airport

Air

Taitung County houses the international Taitung Airport in the mainland Taitung County of Taitung City and another two airports at the outlying islands, which are Green Island Airport in Green Island and Lanyu Airport in Orchid Island.

Rail

Taitung County is crossed by two Taiwan Railways Administration lines of South-Link Line and Hualien–Taitung Line. The stations consist of Chishang, Dawu, Guanshan, Guzhuang, Haiduan, Jinlun, Kangle, Longxi, Luye, Ruihe, Ruiyuan, Shanli, Taimali, Taitung and Zhiben Station.

Water

Chenggong Fish Harbor, Fugang Fishery Harbor and Green Island Nanliao Harbor.

Notable natives

Relative location

Notes

  1. ^

References

  1. ^ Davidson, James W. (1903). The Island of Formosa, Past and Present : history, people, resources, and commercial prospects : tea, camphor, sugar, gold, coal, sulphur, economical plants, and other productions. London and New York: Macmillan & co. p. 244. OL 6931635M. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Taitung County Government English-About Taitung". Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b "About Taitung". Taitung County Government English. Retrieved 14 April 2019. Population 234,123, Taitung has 16 townships, categorized as the following: County-Municipal City Taitung City Townships (Jheng) Chenggong Town Guanshan Town Townships (Siang) Beinan Township Luye Township Chishang Township Taimali Township Dawu Township Donghe Township Changbin Township Jinfeng Township Yanping Township Haiduan Township Daren Township Lanyu Township Ludao Township{...}Ludao (Green Island), {...}Ludao (Green Island)
  4. ^ a b "Township (City) Offices". Taitung County Government English. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2019. Ludao Township Office
  5. ^ 1.7-鄉鎮市區戶口數 [Population for Township and District]. Ministry of the Interior (in Chinese (Taiwan) and English). August 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020. 臺東縣 Taitung County臺東市 Taitung City成功鎮 Chenggong Township關山鎮 Guanshan Township卑南鄉 Beinan Township大武鄉 Dawu Township太麻里鄉 Taimali Township東河鄉 Donghe Township長濱鄉 Changbin Township鹿野鄉 Luye Township池上鄉 Chishang Township綠島鄉 Ludao Township延平鄉 Yanping Township海端鄉 Haiduan Township達仁鄉 Daren Township金峰鄉 Jinfong Township蘭嶼鄉 Lanyu Township
  6. ^ "2016 The 14th Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and The 9th Legislator Election". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Taitung County Government English". Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Amis remains Taiwan's biggest aboriginal tribe at 37.1% of total". Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  9. ^ 臺東縣政府教育處. www.boe.ttct.edu.tw. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  10. ^ "The Ethnics". Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  11. ^ "Yu Chang #2". Yu Chang Stats, Fantasy & News. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Taitung County.
Look up Taitung in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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