Taitung County
Encyclopedia
Taitung County is a county in eastern Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The name means "Eastern Taiwan". Taitung County is also known as 後山(sounded "Hou Shan") by many of the locals, meaning behind the mountains or the back mountains. Taitung is officially administered as a county
County (Republic of China)
Counties , are one of administrative divisions within the Republic of China . They are officially found at the second level. However, the streamlining of Taiwan Province and Fukien Province has effectively promoted the county the first level below the Republic of China central government's rule...
of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
Taitung runs along the south east coast of Taiwan. Taitung county, possessing 3,515 sq. km is the 3rd largest county in Taiwan. Taitung County's coastline is 231 km long. Taitung currently has a population of 231,863. The country possess only one registered city, Taitung City. The rest of the county is composed of two towns and thirteen villages.
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
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
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
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
and pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
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
Green Island, Taiwan
Green Island is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, about off the eastern coast of Taiwan. In the 19th century it was known as Samasana Island and the Japanese called it Kasho-to . The island is 15.092 km² at high tide and 17.329 km² at low tide...
and Orchid Island
Orchid Island
Orchid Island is a 45-km² volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan island and separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is governed as Lanyu Township of Taitung County...
. Green Island was home to an infamous penal colony used for political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s during the "White Terror
White Terror
White Terror is the violence carried out by reactionary groups as part of a counter-revolution. In particular, during the 20th century, in several countries the term White Terror was applied to acts of violence against real or suspected socialists and communists.-Historical origin: the French...
" period of Chinese Nationalist
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT) rule (from 1947 until the end of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
in 1987). Orchid Island, home of the Tao people
Tao people
The Tao , originally recognized as Yami , are a Taiwanese aboriginal people, native to tiny outlying Orchid Island in Taiwan. The Tao are an Austronesian people linguistically and culturally closer to the Ivatan people of the Batanes islands in the Philippines than to other aboriginal peoples on...
(Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
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
Radioactive waste
Radioactive wastes are wastes that contain radioactive material. Radioactive wastes are usually by-products of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine...
dump.
Urban townships
- Chenggong TownshipChenggong, TaitungChenggong is a urban township in Taitung County, Taiwan. It is coastal town facing Pacific Ocean. Fishery Harbor is just west of downtown. Chenggong Township has 15,898 inhabitants which live in 144.9938 km² area.-Attraction:*...
(成功鎮) - Guanshan TownshipGuanshan, TaitungGuanshan is an urban township in northern Taitung County, Taiwan. It is located in the Huatung Valley South segment. Beinan River flows through. In the east it is bordered by the Haian Range and in the west by the Central Mountain Range. Guanshan has a Tropical Monsoon Climate...
(關山鎮)
Rural townships
- Beinan TownshipBeinan, Taitung-References:...
(卑南鄉) - Changbin TownshipChangbin, Taitung-References:...
(長濱鄉) - Chishang Township (池上鄉)
- Daren TownshipDaren, TaitungDaren is a township in Taitung County, Taiwan, taken a 306.4454 km2 as part of earth's surface, inhabiting with 3,726 people.Tai 26 line last 5 kilometers also at here branch out from Tai South-Link Highway also Tai 9.The South-Link Highway No...
(達仁鄉) - Dawu TownshipDawu, TaitungDawu is a township in Taitung County, Taiwan....
(大武鄉) - Donghe TownshipDonghe, TaitungDonghe , located in northeastern Taitung County, is a rural township close to the rural Fuli Township.-Geography:It is bounded on the northeast by Chenggong, east by Pacific Ocean, west by neighboring Chihshang Township, Guanshan Township, and Luye Township, and south by Beinan Township.This...
(東河鄉) - Haiduan TownshipHaiduan, TaitungHaiduan is a township in Taitung County, Taiwan. It has an area of 880.0382 sq km, with a population of 4,536 as of August 2009....
(海端鄉) - Jinfeng Township (金峰鄉)
- Luye TownshipLuye, TaitungLuye is a township in Taitung County, Taiwan, located on the Hua-dong Zonggu Plain....
(鹿野鄉) - Lüdao TownshipGreen Island, TaiwanGreen Island is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, about off the eastern coast of Taiwan. In the 19th century it was known as Samasana Island and the Japanese called it Kasho-to . The island is 15.092 km² at high tide and 17.329 km² at low tide...
(Green Island) (綠島鄉) - Lanyu TownshipOrchid IslandOrchid Island is a 45-km² volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan island and separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is governed as Lanyu Township of Taitung County...
(Orchid Island) (蘭嶼鄉) - Taimali TownshipTaimali, TaitungTaimali is a township in Taitung County, Taiwan, has a population of 12,116 in 96.6523km2 area. Taimali Township is located on the coastline and facing Pacific Ocean.-History:...
(太麻里鄉) - Yanping TownshipYanping, TaitungYanping is a township in Taitung County, Taiwan....
(延平鄉)
Education
Notable natives
- Yang Chuan-kwangYang Chuan-KwangYang Chuan-kwang, or C.K. Yang , was an Olympic decathlete from the Republic of China....
(楊傳廣), 1960 Summer Olympics1960 Summer OlympicsThe 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
decathlonDecathlonThe decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
medalist - TankTank (Taiwanese singer)Tank is the stage name of Taiwanese singer-songwriter Lǚ Jiàn Zhōng. Tank is currently signed to HIM International Music. Tank's debut album, Fighting 生存之道 was released on February 23, 2006. His latest album, "The 3rd Round", was released on May 31, 2009.-Biography:Tank was born in Taitung, Taiwan...
(吕建中) - A-meiA-MeiA-Mei , also known by her birth name Chang Hui-mei , is an aboriginal Taiwanese pop singer and occasional songwriter. She is also known by her aboriginal name Gulilai Amit . She was born in the rugged mountains of eastern Taiwan and is the third youngest of nine siblings. A-mei made her debut in...
(張惠妹) - David FreemanDavid FreemanDavid Freeman is the name of:*David Freeman , collector, historian, and authority on old-time and bluegrass music*David Freeman, musician, member of The Flys and The Lover Speaks, writer of "No More I Love You's"...
(費大衛)
Travel
- SansiantaiSansiantaiSansiantai is an area containing a beach and several islands located on the coast of Taitung County, Taiwan. The beach stretches for ten kilometers in length. It is situated at the 112-kilometer mark. A popular tourist attraction for its rocky coastal views, the area is well-known for its long...
- East Coast National Scenic Area
- East Rift Valley National Scenic Area
Culture
Taitung County possesses a very diverse collection of aboriginal cultures. Bunun, Paiwan, Rukai, Amis, Beinan, Yamis and Gamalan are the seven aboriginal cultures prevalent in the county today. 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.- National Museum of Prehistory