Country Taiwan Seat Pingtung City Area rank 5 of 22 Population 839,001 (2016) | Region Southern Taiwan Largest city Pingtung City Area 2,776 km² Province Taiwan Province | |
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Boroughs 1 cities, 32 (3 urban, 29 rural) townships Flower Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea brasiliensis) Colleges and Universities National Pingtung University of Science and Technology Points of interest Kenting National Park, Cape Eluanbi, National Museum of Marine Bi, South Bay, Wanchin Church Destinations Kenting National Park, Xiaoliuqiu, Hengchun, Donggang - Pingtung, Pingtung City | ||
Pingtung County (Chinese: 屏東縣; pinyin: Píngdōng Xiàn) is a county in Southern Taiwan known for its agriculture and tourism. In recent years, it promotes specialties such as tuna and wax apples. Pingtung is where Kenting National Park, the oldest and the largest national park in Taiwan established in 1984, is located. The capital of the county is Pingtung City.
Contents
- Map of Pingtung County Taiwan
- Name
- History
- Empire of Japan
- Republic of China
- Geography
- Climate
- Administrative divisions
- Politics
- Demographics
- Religion
- Economy
- Universities and colleges
- High schools
- Energy
- Air
- Rail
- References
Map of Pingtung County, Taiwan
Name
The name Pingtung refers to a former nearby mountain known as Half-Screen Mountain (Chinese: 半屏山; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pòaⁿ-pêng-soaⁿ). Pingtung means "East of Half-Screen Mountain."
History
Modern-day Pingtung County and Kaohsiung City were part of Banlian-chiu (萬年州; Bān-liân-chiu) during the Kingdom of Tungning (1661–1683) and Fongshan Prefecture (鳳山縣; Hōng-soaⁿ-koān) during Qing dynasty rule (1683–1895). Pingtung County is a recently developed county. Its largest city is Pingtung City.
Until the seventeenth century this area of Taiwan was a place of exile for Chinese criminals and occasional landing point for international mariners. Only the settlements near present-day Checheng Township existed. In 1664, the Hakka settlers arrived from mainland China and farmed under a homesteading system introduced by Zheng Jing.
Pingtung City, the biggest city in Pingtung County, also known as "A-Kau" (阿猴; A-kâu), was the home of Taiwanese Plains Aborigines. In their language, "A-kau" means "the forest".
The first settlements by Han Chinese people were not established until 1684 with the creation of villages near Pingtung by people from China's southern Fujian region. By 1734 most of the Pingtung Plain was cultivated and in 1764 Pingtung was expanded. In 1836 the government and locals worked together to build the four walls of the city (the North gate, the East gate, the West gate and the South gate), and the roads were also properly finished.
Empire of Japan
Under Japanese rule (1895–1945), Hōzan Subprefecture (Japanese: 鳳山支廳) was initially under Tainan Ken (臺南縣), but political divisions changed frequently between 1895 and 1901. In 1901, Akō Chō (阿猴廳) was established. In 1909, the name was modified to Akō Chō (阿緱廳). In 1920, the name was changed to Heitō City (屏東市) and was administered under Takao Prefecture, which consisted of modern-day Pingtung County and Kaohsiung.
Republic of China
After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, the area of present-day Pingtung County was incorporated to Kaohsiung County on 25 December 1945. On 16 August 1950, Pingtung County was established after being separated from Kaohsiung County. On 1 December 1951, Pingtung City was downgraded from provincial city to county-controlled city and county seat of Pingtung County.
Pingtung was the site of an 7.1 magnitude earthquake on 26 December 2006. In 2009, Pingtung received rainfall in excess of 2,500 millimetres (98 in); breaking all rainfall records of any single place in Taiwan induced by a single typhoon.
Geography
With a land area of over 2775 km², Pingtung is the 5th largest county in Taiwan, the 2nd largest of Southern Taiwan after Kaohsiung City. Geographically it borders Kaohsiung City to the north, Taitung County to the east, the Taiwan Strait to the west and the Bashi Channel to the south.
Climate
Due to being located at the southernmost part of Taiwan, Pingtung County is well known of having one of the warmest climate within the country. The whole county experiences a tropical wet and dry climate, but due to being such a large county with various geographical differences, climate differs in different areas of the county. Northern Pingtung, such as the Pingtung City, is characterized by having a high daytime temperature year round, averaging from 30-34 degrees Celsius during the warmer season of April–November to 25-28 degrees Celsius during the cooler season of December–March, while also having the lowest nighttime temperatures within the county with temperatures usually dropping below 16 degrees Celsius at night in January due to being located further away from the sea than any other flatland settlements within the county. Central Pingtung, such as the Fangliao Township, compared to northern Pingtung, has a relatively lower daytime temperature but has warmer nights due to the temperating affect of the ocean especially noticeable during winter. The southern tip of Pingtung, the Hengchun Peninsula, has the mildest climate within the county due to being nearly completely surrounded by the Pacific Ocean with the exception of the mountains on the north. Daily highs during the warmer season reach around 29-32 while daily highs during the cooler season vary around 23-26 degrees C, but, on the other hand, night time temperatures remain warm throughout the year from around 25 degrees Celsius during summer to around 19 degrees Celsius during the winter.
Administrative divisions
Pingtung County is divided into 1 city, 3 urban townships, 21 rural townships and 8 mountain indigenous townships. Pingtung County has the most number of rural townships and mountain indigenous townships among other counties in Taiwan. Pingtung City is the county seat of Pingtung County which houses the Pingtung County Government and Pingtung County Council. The county is headed by Magistrate Pan Men-an of the Democratic Progressive Party.
Politics
Pingtung County voted three Democratic Progressive Party legislators out of three seats to be in the Legislative Yuan during the 2016 Republic of China legislative election.
Demographics
Pingtung is home to aboriginal culture of Rukai and Paiwan tribes, which makes up 10% of all aborigines in Taiwan. There are also the Hoklo people which live in the coastal area and the northern plain. They are highly influenced by Fujian culture. As of December 2016, the total population of Pingtung County amounted 835,792 residents. The county has been experiencing population decline for 15 consecutive years due to emigration to other cities.
Religion
As of 2015, Pingtung County has the third most number of registered temples at 1,101 after Tainan and Kaohsiung.
Economy
The economy of Pingtung County has been traditionally dominated by agriculture and fishery industries. However, the Pingtung County Government has been greatly promoting the tourism sector of the county in recent years. Currently, tourism sector in the county contributes to 30% of the tourism industry in Taiwan.
In February 2014, the county government announced a plan to develop an industrial center which consists of a service center, workshop and performance venue. This was aimed to promote the development of industries that leverage the unique cultural attributes of the Linali tribe. On 22 September 2015, the National Development Council revealed a three-year large-scale development plan to boost the economy of the county by transforming Dapeng Bay, Donggang Township and Lamay Island into a fishery, recreational and tourism hub.
Universities and colleges
High schools
Energy
Pingtung County houses Taiwan's third nuclear power plant, the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant. The power plant is located in Hengchun Township and is Taiwan's second largest nuclear power plant in terms of its capacity at 2 X 890 MW.
Air
The county is served by two domestic airports, the Pingtung Airport in Pingtung City and the Hengchun Airport in Hengchun Township.
Rail
The Pingtung Line and South-Link Line of the Taiwan Railways Administration lines cross Pingtung County, consist of Central Signal, Chaozhou, Donghai, Fangliao, Fangshan, Fangye Signal, Guilai, Jiadong, Jialu, Kanding, Linbian, Linluo, Liukuaicuo, Nanzhou, Neishi, Pingtung, Xishi, Zhen'an and Zhutian Station. The Pingtung Line links Pingtung County with Kaohsiung City, while the South-Link Line links Pingtung County with Taitung County.