Nantou County

Nantou County
南投縣
County
Top：Shuili Water Creek in Shuili Township, 2nd left:Mount Yu, 2nd right:Nantou County Museum of History in Nantou City, 3rd left:View of Sun Moon Lake, from Xuanzang Temple in Yuchi Township, 3rd right:Evergreen Glassland in Renci Township, Bottom left:Tou George Pond in Taiwan Educational University of Nature, Bottom right:Mount Hehuan

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 23°54′55.28″N 120°41′4.32″E / 23.9153556°N 120.6845333°E / 23.9153556; 120.6845333Coordinates: 23°54′55.28″N 120°41′4.32″E / 23.9153556°N 120.6845333°E / 23.9153556; 120.6845333
Country Republic of China (Taiwan)
Province Taiwan
Seat Nantou City
Largest city Nantou City
Boroughs 1 cities, 12 (4 urban, 8 rural) townships
Government
 • County Magistrate Lin Ming-chen (KMT)
Area
 • Total 4,106.436 km2 (1,585.504 sq mi)
Area rank 2 of 22
Population (Dec. 2014)
 • Total 514,315
 • Rank 15 of 22
 • Density 130/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+8 (National Standard Time)
Website www.nantou.gov.tw
Symbols
Flower Plum blossom (Prunus mume)
Tree Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)

Nantou County (Chinese: 南投縣; pinyin: Nántóu Xiàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lâm-tâu-kōan) is the second largest county of Taiwan.[1] It is also the only landlocked county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau. Nantou County is officially administered as a county of Taiwan.

Its mountainous area makes it a tourist destination; Sun Moon Lake is located in this county. Other well-known areas of the county are Hehuanshan and Sitou. Notable cities in Nantou are Nantou City and Puli Town. Nantou County butterfly is the broad-tailed swallowtail butterfly (Agehana maraho). Nantou's tung-ting tea is one of the most famous and high-quality oolong teas grown in Taiwan.[2]

History

Before the arrival of Han Chinese to Nantou, the Atayal, Bunun and Tsou tribes were distributed throughout the northern and central Nantou. These groups pioneered the early development of mountain regions in Nantou.[3]

Kingdom of Tungning

In 1677, Lin Yi (Chinese: 林圯), a general under the command of Koxinga, led soldiers to establish residence in Shalianbao (modern-day Zhushan). The Han Chinese began to enter Nantou via two main routes, the Zhuoshui River and Maoluo River.[3]

Empire of Japan

In 1901, during Japanese rule, Nanto Chō (Japanese: 南投廳) was one of twenty local administrative offices established. In 1909, part of Toroku Chō (斗六廳) was merged into Nanto Cho. A major reorganization occurred in 1920, in which the area was administered under Taichū Prefecture together with modern-day Changhua County and Taichung City.

Republic of China

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, the present day area of Nantou County was administered under Taichung County of Taiwan Province. On 16 August 1950, Nantou County was established by its separation from Taichung County, and Nantou Township was designed as the county seat. On 1 July 1957, the Zhongxing New Village in Nantou Township was designed to be the capital of Taiwan Province from the former Taipei City. In 1981, the county seat was upgraded from Nantou Township to Nantou City.

Geography

Hehuanshan is one of the higher mountains in Nantou County.

Nantou County has an area of 4,106.436 km2 (1,585.504 sq mi) with a width of 72 km (45 mi) and length of 95 km (59 mi). It is the second largest county in Taiwan after Hualien County.[4]

There are 41 mountains with peaks over 3,000 meters high, with Mount Yu in Xinyi Township is the highest peak in Nantou County and in Taiwan with a height of 3,952 meters. Around 83% of Nantou County area is covered by hills and mountains.

Rain that falls into the mountains area converge into the Dadu River and Zhuoshui River. There are inland ponds and lakes throughout the mountains in the county, such as the Sun Moon Lake, Bi Pond, Liyu Pond and Cilin Pond.

Climate

The annual average temperature in Nantou County is 23 °C on level ground and 20 °C on mountains. The annual average rainfall is less than 1,750 mm on level ground and 2,800 mm on mountains. The rainy season lasts from April to September and the summer lasts from October to March.[4]

Government

Lin Ming-chen, the incumbent Magistrate of Nantou County
Nantou City, the county seat of Nantou County
Nantou County Council

Nantou County consists of 1 city, 4 urban townships, 6 rural townships, 2 mountain indigenous townships, 128 villages and 133 neighborhoods.[5] Nantou City is the seat of the county which houses the Nantou County Government and Nantou County Council. The incumbent Magistrate of Nantou County is Lin Ming-chen of the Kuomintang.

Administrative divisions

TypeNameChineseTaiwaneseHakkaFormosan
City Nantou City南投市Lâm-tâuNàm-thèu
Urban
townships		 Caotun草屯鎮Chháu-tūnChhó-thùn
Jiji集集鎮Chi̍p-chi̍pSi̍p-si̍p
Puli埔里鎮Po͘-líPhû-lî
Zhushan竹山鎮Tek-sanTsuk-sân
Rural
townships		 Guoxing國姓鄉Kok-sèngKoet-siang
Lugu鹿谷鄉Lo̍k-kokLu̍k-kuk
Mingjian名間鄉Bêng-kanMiàng-kiên
Shuili水里鄉Chúi-líSúi-lî
Yuchi魚池鄉Hî-tîǸg-tshṳ̀Thao
Zhongliao中寮鄉Tiong-liâuChûng-liàu
Mountain
indigenous
townships		 Ren'ai仁愛鄉Jîn-àiYìn-oiAtayal, Bunun, Seediq
Xinyi信義鄉Sìn-gīSin-ngiBunun

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

Politics

Nantou County voted two Kuomintang legislators out of two seats to be in the Legislative Yuan during the 2016 Republic of China legislative election.[6]

Demographics and culture

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1985 535,572—    
1990 536,479+0.2%
1995 546,517+1.9%
2000 541,537−0.9%
2005 535,205−1.2%
2010 526,491−1.6%
2015 509,490−3.2%
Source:"Populations by city and country in Taiwan". Ministry of the Interior Population Census.

Population

Nantou County has a population of 517,037 people as of January 2014.

Language

The official language of the county is Mandarin. Taiwanese, Hakka, English and aboriginal languages are also spoken.

Education

National Chi Nan University

There are 2 colleges, 13 senior high and vocational schools, 30 junior high schools, 149 elementary schools, 106 kindergartens and 84 day care centers in the county.[7] Notable universities in the county are National Chi Nan University and Nan Kai University of Technology.

Energy

Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant

Nantou County houses Taiwan's first pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant, the Takuan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant commissioned in 1985 with an installed capacity of 1,008 MW. It also houses Taiwan's largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant, the Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant with an installed capacity of 1,602 MW. Both power plants are located in Shueili Township along the Shuili River.

Tourist attractions

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village

Transportation

Checheng Station

Rail

Nantou County is served by the Jiji Line of Taiwan Railways Administration which consists of Checheng, Jiji, Longquan, Shuili and Zhuoshui Station

See also

References

  1. ↑ See List of administrative divisions of Taiwan
  2. ↑ "Dong Ding Oolong Tea: Product Description". The Brixton Tea Party. 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Nantou of Yesterday". Nantou County Government. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Profile of Nantou County". Nantou County Government. 2015.
  5. ↑ "Organization". Nantou County Government. 2015.
  6. ↑ "2016 The 14th Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and The 9th Legislator Election".
  7. ↑ "About the Schools in Nantou County". Nantou County Government. 2007.
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