Hsinchu County

Hsinchu County
新竹縣
County

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 24°50′0″N 121°0′53″E / 24.83333°N 121.01472°E / 24.83333; 121.01472Coordinates: 24°50′0″N 121°0′53″E / 24.83333°N 121.01472°E / 24.83333; 121.01472
Country Republic of China (Taiwan)
Region Northwestern Taiwan
Seat Zhubei City
Largest city Zhubei City
Boroughs 1 cities, 12 (3 urban, 9 rural) townships
Government
 • County Magistrate Chiu Ching-chun (KMT)
Area
 • Total 1,427.59 km2 (551.20 sq mi)
Area rank 12 of 22
Population (January 2017)
 • Total 547,794
 • Rank 11 of 22
 • Density 380/km2 (990/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+8 (National Standard Time)
Website www.hsinchu.gov.tw
Symbols
Bird Muller's barbet (Megalaima oorti)
Flower Camellia
Tree Broad-leaved podocarpus (Nageia nagi)
Hsinchu County
Traditional Chinese 新竹縣

Hsinchu County (Chinese: 新竹縣; pinyin: Xīnzhú Xiàn; Wade–Giles: Hsin1-chu2 Hsien4) is a county in north-western Taiwan. The population of the county is mainly Hakka; there is a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the county capital, where the government office and county office is located. A portion of the Hsinchu Science Park is located in Hsinchu County.

History

Before the arrival of Han people, the Hsinchu area was the homeland of Taokas Pingpu, Saisiyat, and Atayal tribes. In 1626, after Spain occupied northern Taiwan, Spanish missionaries arrived at Teckcham (Chinese: 竹塹; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tek-khàm). Fukienese (Hoklo) and Hakka people came during the Ming Dynasty era (1368-1644) and began to cultivate the land from the plains near the sea towards the river valleys and hills. After the ousting of the Dutch is 1662, the Kingdom of Tungning ruled part of southwestern Taiwan until 1683.

Qing Dynasty

In 1684, Zhuluo County was established during Qing Dynasty rule, and Han people again cultivated the Teckcham area. Teckcham was first settled by Han Chinese in 1711 and renamed Hsinchu in 1875.[1] Hsinchu was a part of Taipeh Prefecture. In the late 19th century, Hoklo people dominated the coastal plain area, forcing the Saisiyat and Atayal tribes to move to Jianshi and Wufeng area, while the Hakka and Taokas plains tribes settled together in the river valleys and hills area.

Empire of Japan

In 1920, during the Japanese rule of Taiwan, Shinchiku Prefecture covered the areas of modern-day Hsinchu County, in addition to Hsinchu City, Miaoli County and Taoyuan City.

Republic of China

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, Hsinchu County was established to be part of Taiwan Province on 25 December 1945. At that time, more and more people moved with the Republic of China Armed Forces from Mainland China to Taiwan for work, marriage and to stay out of the Chinese Civil War, in which they formed a new social group in the society.[2] On 1 July 1982, Xiangshan Township of the county was taken out from Hsinchu County and incorporated to Hsinchu City and became a district.

Geography

Hsinchu County is located at the northwest part of Taiwan Island. It borders Taoyuan City to the north, Miaoli County to the south, Taiwan Strait to the west and Xueshan and Dabajian Mountain to the east. With an area spanning up to 1,427.59 km2 (551.20 sq mi), Hsinchu County area composed mainly of uplands, tablelands and mountains, except for the alluvial plains of the Fengshan River and Touqian River mouth area and partial ancient river land.[2]

Climate

Average Temperature of Hsinchu

The average climate in Hsinchu County is mild.[3]

Administration

Hsinchu County Government
Hsinchu County Council

Hsinchu County controls 1 city, 3 urban townships, 6 rural townships and 2 mountain indigenous townships.[4] Zhubei City is the seat of Hsinchu County which houses the Hsinchu County Government and Hsinchu County Council. The incumbent Magistrate of Hsinchu County is Chiu Ching-chun of the Kuomintang. The administrative division of the county are:

TypeNameChineseHokkienHakkaFormosan
City Zhubei City竹北市Tek-pakTsuk-pet
Urban
townships		 Guanxi關西鎮Koan-seKûan-sî Atayal
Xinpu新埔鎮Sin-po͘Sîn-phû
Zhudong竹東鎮Tek-tangTsuk-tûng
Rural
townships		 Baoshan寶山鄉Pó-sanPó-sân
Beipu北埔鄉Pak-po͘Pet-phû
Emei峨眉鄉Gô-bîNgô-mì
Hengshan橫山鄉Hoâiⁿ-sanVàng-sân
Hukou湖口鄉Ô͘-kháuFù-khiéu
Qionglin芎林鄉Khiông-nâKhiûng-lìm
Xinfeng新豐鄉Sin-hongSîn-fûng
Mountain
indigenous
townships		 Jianshi尖石鄉Chiam-chio̍hTsiâm-sa̍k Atayal
Wufeng五峰鄉Ngó͘-hongŃg-fûng Atayal, Saisiyat

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

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1985 366,566—    
1990 374,492+2.2%
1995 408,577+9.1%
2000 439,713+7.6%
2005 487,692+10.9%
2010 513,015+5.2%
2015 542,042+5.7%
Source:"Populations by city and country in Taiwan". Ministry of the Interior Population Census.

The population of the county consists of Hakka, Hoklo, aborigines and new immigrants. The Hakka people constituted around 84% of the total population in 2014, while the aborigines consisted mainly of Atayal and Saisiyat people.[5] As of January 2017, the total population was 547,794, with 267,599 females and 280,195 males in 187,644 households.[6]

Economy

High tech industry

After the founding of Hsinchu Science Park in 1980, a high number of high-tech industries began to grow and expand outside the park, attracting workers coming to work and settle in the county.

Education

Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology

Education in Hsinchu County is administered by the Education Department of Hsinchu County Government. The county is home to the Minghsin University of Science and Technology and Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology.

Energy

Power generations

Hsinchu County is home to the gas-fired Hsintao Power Plant with a capacity of 600 MW located in Guanxi Township.

Water supply

Hsinchu County houses the Baoshan Dam, supplying cooling water for factories in the Hsinchu Science Park and neighboring Hsinchu City. The dam can contain water up to 5,470,000 m3 with a catchment area of 3.2 km2 (1.2 sq mi).

Tourist attractions

Leofoo Village Theme Park

Transportation

THSR Hsinchu Station

Rail

The Hsinchu Station of the Taiwan High Speed Rail is located in the county at Zhubei City. Hsinchu County is crossed by three Taiwan Railways Administration lines, which are the Liujia Line, Neiwan Line and Western Line.

Relative location

References

  1. ↑ Wang, Erika (25 October 2007). "Hsinchu owns rich history, culture and natural resources". The China Post. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Hsinchu County Government Hsinchu County Government". Hsinchu County Government.
  4. ↑ "Towns & Townships". hsinchu.gov.tw. Hsinchu County Gov't. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Population". hsinchu.gov.tw. Hsinchu County Government. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. ↑ 106年1月 新竹縣人口統計報表 [Table of Hsinchu County Population Statistics, January 2017]. hsinchu.gov.tw (in Chinese). Hsinchu County Government. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
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