Hsinchu County

Hsinchu County is a significant administrative region in northwest Taiwan.

It sits along the Taiwan Strait to the west. The Xueshan and Dabajian mountains border the area to the east. The geography is quite diverse. It contains mountains and high tablelands. It also features alluvial plains near the mouths of the Fengshan and Touqian rivers.

The climate in this region is generally mild. The county is divided into several different types of administrative areas. These include one city and three urban townships. There are also six rural townships. Finally, there are two mountain indigenous townships. Zhubei City serves as the county seat. This is where the Hsinchu County Government and the Hsinchu County Council are located.

The history of Hsinchu involves many different groups of people. Before Han Chinese settlers arrived, the indigenous Taokas, Saisiyat, and Atayal lived here. In 1626, Catholic missionaries reached a place called Tek-kham. During the Qing dynasty, more Han settlers arrived. A Chinese city was established in 1711. This city was renamed Hsinchu in 1875. Later, Japan occupied Taiwan in 1895. During the Japanese period, the area was known as Shinchiku.

Administrative changes occurred frequently throughout the 20th century. Hsinchu County was officially established on 25 December 1945. In August 1950, Miaoli and Taoyuan were separated to form their own counties. Hsinchu City was briefly part of the county again in 1950. However, it was upgraded to a provincial city in 1982. This change removed it from the county's administration. Xiangshan Township was also moved into Hsinchu City during that same year. In 2021, plans began to merge the county and city into a special municipality.

The demographics of the county are quite distinct. The population was 588,535 as of October 2023. This total included 288,912 females and 299,623 males. The Hakka people make up the largest group. In 2014, they represented about 84% of the population. The indigenous population consists mainly of Atayal and Saisiyat people. Hoklo people and new immigrants also live in the county. Many people live in the river valleys and hills.

Modern Hsinchu is a major center for high-tech industry. The Hsinchu Science Park was founded in 1980. A large number of technology industries grew around this park. This growth attracted many workers to settle in the county. The region also supports important infrastructure. The Hsintao Power Plant uses gas to generate 600 MW of power. Water is managed by the Baoshan Dam and the Baoshan Second Dam. Higher education is also available at places like Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology.

Transportation and tourism make the county a busy place. The Taiwan High Speed Rail serves the area through Zhubei City.

Three Taiwan Railway lines also cross the county. These are the Liujia, Neiwan, and Western lines. For fun, visitors go to Leofoo Village Theme Park.

Other sites include the Beipu Old Street and the Emei Huge Buddha Statue. The county even has a professional basketball team called the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers.