Taitung County

Taitung County
臺東縣
County

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 22°56′N 120°56′E / 22.933°N 120.933°E / 22.933; 120.933Coordinates: 22°56′N 120°56′E / 22.933°N 120.933°E / 22.933; 120.933
Country Taiwan
Province Taiwan Province
Seat Taitung City
Largest city Taitung City
Boroughs 1 cities, 15 (2 urban, 13 rural) townships
Government
 • County Magistrate Justin Huang (KMT)
Area
 • Total 3,515.2526 km2 (1,357.2466 sq mi)
Area rank 3 of 22
Population (December 2014)
 • Total 224,470
 • Rank 22 of 22
 • Density 64/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone National Standard Time (UTC+8)
Website

www.taitung.gov.tw

Symbols
Flower Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis)
Tree Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Taitung County
Traditional Chinese 台東縣 or 臺東縣
Simplified Chinese 台东县

Taitung County (Chinese: 臺東縣; pinyin: Táidōng Xiàn) is the third largest county in Taiwan, located in the eastern coast.

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

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

Taitung runs along the south east coast of Taiwan. Taitung county, possessing 3,515 km2 is the 3rd largest county in Taiwan after Hualien County and Nantou County. Mainland Taitung County's coastline is 166 km 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

Justin Huang, incumbent Magistrate of Taitung County.
Taitung County Government
Taitung County Council

Administrative divisions

Taitung County is divided into 1 city, 2 urban townships, 8 rural townships and 5 mountain indigenous townships. 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 Justin Huang of the Kuomintang.

City

  1. Taitung City (臺東市)

Townships

Urban townships
  1. Chenggong Township (成功鎮)
  2. Guanshan Township (關山鎮)
Rural townships
  1. Beinan Township (卑南鄉)
  2. Changbin Township (長濱鄉)
  3. Chishang Township (池上鄉)
  4. Dawu Township (大武鄉)
  5. Donghe Township (東河鄉)
  6. Luye Township (鹿野鄉)
  7. Lüdao Township (Green Island) (綠島鄉)
  8. Taimali Township (太麻里鄉)
Mountain indigenous townships
  1. Daren Township (達仁鄉)
  2. Haiduan Township (海端鄉)
  3. Jinfeng Township (金峰鄉)
  4. Lanyu Township (Orchid Island) (蘭嶼鄉)
  5. Yanping Township (延平鄉)

Politics

Taitung County elected one Democratic Progressive Party legislator to the Legislative Yuan during the 2016 Republic of China legislative election.[3]

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 Bunun, Paiwan, Rukai, Amis, Puyuma, Tao and Kavalan.[4] Taitung County has the largest aboriginal to overall population of a county or city in Taiwan, at 35.5%.[5]

Education

Education in Taitung County is administered under the Education Department of the Taitung County Government.[6]

Culture

Taitung County possesses a very diverse collection of aboriginal cultures.[7] Because Taitung is probably one of the least affected counties by the colonization 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

Buildings

Lyudao Lighthouse.

Harbors

Fugang Fishery Harbor.

Historical sites

Beinan Cultural Park, Dulan Site, Green Island Human Rights Culture Park and Taitung Chinese Association.

Museums

Lanyu Flying Fish Cultural Museum, National Museum of Prehistory, Taitung Art Museum, Taitung County Museum of Natural History, Taitung Story Museum, Wu Tao Chishang Lunch Box Cultural History Museum.

Natures

Bashian Caves, Chu Lu Ranch, Dapo Pond, Dulan Mountain, East Coast National Scenic Area, East Rift Valley National Scenic Area, Green Island, Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area, Orchid Island, Sanxiantai, Taitung Forest Park.

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 Lyudao 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.

Notable natives

Relative location

 Hualien County
Kaohsiung City
Pingtung County		 Philippines Sea (Pacific Ocean)
   Taitung County  
Pingtung County

See also

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.
  2. ↑ http://www.taitung.gov.tw/en/cp.aspx?n=79388C7B350E8CE9&themesite=BAA86C8F16BADDE6
  3. ↑ "2016 The 14th Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and The 9th Legislator Election".
  4. ↑ "Taitung County Government English".
  5. ↑ "Amis remains Taiwan's biggest aboriginal tribe at 37.1% of total".
  6. ↑ http://www.boe.ttct.edu.tw/home.php
  7. ↑ http://www.taitung.gov.tw/en/CP/1328/population1-1.aspx
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