Miaoli County

Miaoli is in Taiwan.

It sits near the sea. It is also near other cities.

Miaoli has many big mountains. This makes it a good place for hiking.

The land has many rivers. It also gets a lot of rain.

Many different people live here. Some groups have lived there for a long time.

You can find tasty food there too. People grow sweet fruit and strawberries.

Miaoli is a county in western Taiwan.

It sits near the Taiwan Strait. To the north is Hsinchu. To the south is Taichung.

Miaoli has a diamond shape. It is about 50 kilometers from north to south. It is about 64 kilometers from east to west. The land is very mountainous. The Xueshan Range sits on the border with Taichung. Because of the mountains, there is not much flat land. The area gets a lot of rain and has many rivers.

Miaoli City is the capital. People call it Mountain Town. This is because many mountains are nearby. It is a great place for hiking.

Many groups of people live here. The Hakka and Hoklo people are there. Indigenous groups like the Atayal and Saisiat also live in the area.

You can find many tasty foods here. People grow strawberries in Dahu. They also grow pears in Sanwan. You can see wood art in Sanyi.

There are many ways to travel. You can take a bus or a train. There is even a high speed rail station.

Miaoli County is a special place in western Taiwan.

It sits in a spot that people call central or northern Taiwan. To its north are Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County. To the south lies Taichung City. The Taiwan Strait sits along its western edge. The county has a shape that looks like a diamond. It is about 50 kilometers wide from north to south. It is about 64 kilometers wide from east to west.

The land in Miaoli is very beautiful and rugged. It has very little flat land because of the Xueshan Range. This mountain range sits right on the border with Taichung. Because of these mountains, the area gets plenty of rain. This rain feeds many abundant rivers throughout the county. The coastline stretches for about 50 kilometers. You can find many interesting places to visit here. People enjoy seeing the Longteng Bridge in Sanyi Township.

People have lived in Miaoli for a very long time. Evidence shows people lived there during the prehistoric era. They lived near river terraces and hunted for food. About a thousand years ago, the Taokas people settled there. Later, Han Chinese people began to move into the area. This changed the land as they built permanent homes. Over many years, many different groups joined together. These include the Hakka, Hoklo, Atayal, and Saisiat peoples.

Today, Miaoli is a busy place with many different parts. It is divided into two cities and many townships. Miaoli City is the capital and the county seat. It is often called Mountain Town because of the nearby peaks. The county has many unique foods to try. You can eat strawberries from Dahu Township or pears from Sanwan. Sanyi is famous for its beautiful wood sculptures.

The area even has the Tunghsiao Power Plant. This is the second largest gas plant in Taiwan.

Getting around Miaoli is quite easy for visitors. You can travel by road using two big freeways. There are also many ways to use trains. The Taiwan High Speed Rail has a station in Houlong.

You can also use the regular Taiwan Railway lines. These lines stop at many places like Zhunan and Miaoli. There are even bus stations to help you travel.

This makes it simple to explore the mountains and the coast.

Miaoli County is a diverse region located in western Taiwan.

It occupies a central-northern position on the island. The county shares borders with Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City to the north. To the south, it meets Taichung City. The western edge of the county is bounded by the Taiwan Strait. Because of its location, different organizations classify it differently. The National Development Council calls it central Taiwan. However, the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau classifies it as northern Taiwan.

The physical landscape of Miaoli is defined by its rugged terrain. It has very little flat land, or plateau, due to the presence of the Xueshan Range. This mountain range forms the border between Miaoli and Taichung City. Because of these mountains, the region experiences rich rainfall and has many abundant rivers. The county has a roughly diamond-shaped appearance. It averages about 50 kilometers from north to south. It averages about 64 kilometers from east to west. The coastline extends for approximately 50 kilometers.

Human history in Miaoli stretches back over a thousand years. Archaeological artifacts show that prehistoric people lived on river terraces. These early inhabitants practiced agriculture and hunted or fished for food. Around one thousand years ago, the indigenous Taokas people settled in the area. In the mid-17th century, Han Chinese migrants began arriving. This migration led to deforestation and the creation of permanent settlements. Over time, many inhabitants assimilated into the Han population. Others moved deeper into the mountains. Today, Miaoli is home to Hakka, Hoklo, Atayal, and Saisiat peoples.

The name "Miaoli" has an interesting linguistic origin. It was created by matching Hakka Chinese sounds to the Taokas language. The specific characters used are 貓貍. The resulting word is a non-orthodox variant referring to the Viverridae family. During the Qing Dynasty, the area saw significant changes. After the Tungning Kingdom surrendered, the area was part of Zhuluo County. In 1889, Miaoli was established as an independent county. By the end of the 19th century, thousands of acres of fertile fields were reclaimed in Nanzhuang, Shitan, Dahu, and Zhuolan.

Administratively, Miaoli is divided into several distinct parts. It consists of 2 cities, 5 urban townships, 10 rural townships, and 1 mountain indigenous township. Miaoli City serves as the county seat. It houses the Miaoli County Government and the Miaoli County Council.

The city is often called "Mountain Town" because of the nearby peaks. Miaoli County has the second highest number of urban townships in Taiwan, following Changhua County. The current Magistrate of the county is Chung Tung-chin.

The economy and culture of the county are deeply tied to its geography. Many areas are famous for specific agricultural products. For example, Dahu Township produces strawberries. Sanwan is known for Chinese pears, and Touwu is known for daikons. Sanyi is famous for its wood sculptures.

The county also manages significant energy and water resources. The Tunghsiao Power Plant in Tongxiao is the second largest gas-fired plant in Taiwan.

Additionally, the Mingde Dam in Touwu Township holds 17.1 million cubic meters of water for irrigation and supply.

Transportation in Miaoli connects the mountains to the coast and the rest of Taiwan. The county is served by two major freeways, National Freeway 1 and National Freeway 3. For rail travel, the Taiwan High Speed Rail has a station in Houlong.

The Taiwan Railway also serves the area through the Western Trunk Line and the Taichung Line. These lines include stations at Zhunan, Miaoli, and Sanyi. Bus travel is also available through the Miaoli Bus Station. This network allows people to reach museums, such as the Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall, or natural sites like Shei-Pa National Park.