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Miaoli County

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Miaoli County is a diverse region located in western Taiwan.

Miaoli County Map
Miaoli County Map

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.

苗栗市市街 - panoramio
苗栗市市街 - panoramio

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.

Miaoli County flag
Miaoli County flag

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.

Miaoli County Government Building
Miaoli County Government Building
Miaoli County Council Building
Miaoli County Council Building

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.

Chung Tung-chin
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.

longtengbridge
longtengbridge

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

通霄發電廠
通霄發電廠

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.

THSR-Miaoli Station 20160312
THSR-Miaoli Station 20160312

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.

Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall
Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall
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🖼️ Images & Media (15)
File:Chung Tung-chin.jpg
Chung Tung-chin.jpg
File:苗栗市市街 - panoramio.jpg
苗栗市市街 - panoramio.jpg
File:Miaoli County Government Building.jpg
Miaoli County Government Building.jpg
File:Miaoli County Council Building.jpg
Miaoli County Council Building.jpg
File:Miaoli County Map.png
Miaoli County Map.png
File:National United University in Taiwan.jpg
National United University in Taiwan.jpg
File:通霄發電廠.png
通霄發電廠.png
File:longtengbridge.jpg
longtengbridge.jpg
File:Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall.jpg
Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall.jpg
File:THSR-Miaoli Station 20160312.jpg
THSR-Miaoli Station 20160312.jpg
File:Miaoli Station east 20150426.jpg
Miaoli Station east 20150426.jpg
File:苗栗總站(新竹客運) - panoramio.jpg
苗栗總站(新竹客運) - panoramio.jpg

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