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Pingtung County

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Pingtung County is a significant administrative region located in southern Taiwan.

Akau - Pîntong - (Pingtung County) location map
Akau - Pîntong - (Pingtung County) location map

It serves as a vital hub for agriculture, fishing, and tourism. The county is the fifth-largest in Taiwan. It is also the second-largest county in Southern Taiwan, following Kaohsiung City. The name Pingtung translates to "east of Banping mountain." This name refers to the nearby Banping mountain. The administrative center, or county seat, is Pingtung City.

屏東縣政府
屏東縣政府

The geography of Pingtung is defined by its many borders. To the north, it meets Kaohsiung City. To the east, it borders Taitung County. The Taiwan Strait lies to the west. The Bashi Channel sits to the south. The county also manages several islands. These include Hsiao Liuchiu, also known as Lamay Islet, and Qixingyan. The land area covers over 2,000 square kilometers. This large size creates different environments across the region.

Pingtung features a tropical monsoon climate. This means the weather is generally warm and wet. The climate varies depending on the local geography. Northern Pingtung, including Pingtung City, stays hot during the day. Daytime highs reach 30 to 33 degrees Celsius from April to November. From December to March, highs are 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. The nighttime temperatures in the north can drop to 15 degrees Celsius. Central Pingtung, like Fangliao Township, has a different feel. The ocean regulates the temperature there. This makes daytime temperatures lower and nights warmer. The southern tip is the mildest area. The Hengchun Peninsula is nearly surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Summer highs there reach 33 to 35 degrees Celsius. Winter highs are 23 to 25 degrees Celsius. Nighttime temperatures stay warm throughout the year.

The history of Pingtung is complex and involves many different groups. Early history includes the inhabitants of Liuqiu Island. In 1636, a punitive campaign by Dutch sailors occurred after sailors were killed. During the Kingdom of Tungning, the area was part of Banlian-chiu. Under the Qing dynasty, it was known as Fongshan Prefecture. Until the seventeenth century, the area served as a place of exile. It was also a landing point for international mariners. In 1664, Hakka settlers arrived from mainland China. They used a homesteading system introduced by Zheng Jing. In 1684, settlers from Fujian created the first Han Chinese villages. Pingtung City was once known as "A-Kau," meaning "the forest." In 1836, the government and locals built four city gates. These were the North, East, West, and South gates.

Conflict shaped much of the nineteenth century. In 1867, the Rover incident involved the deaths of fourteen American sailors. This led to the failed American Formosa Expedition. In 1871, the Mudan Incident occurred when 54 Ryukyu sailors were killed. This resulted in a Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1874. Later, the Empire of Japan ruled from 1895 to 1945. During this time, administrative names changed several times. In 1901, Pingtung was established. In 1909, the name changed again. By 1920, it was under Takao Prefecture. After 1945, the Republic of China took control. Pingtung was separated from Kaohsiung County on 16 August 1950.

Pingtung County flag
Pingtung County flag

Today, Pingtung has a diverse population of 798,940 people. The indigenous Rukai and Paiwan tribes make up 7% of this total. The county has many rural and mountain townships. In fact, it has the most of these types in Taiwan. The economy relies heavily on farming and fishing. Tourism is also a major force. In 2015, tourism made up 30% of Taiwan's total tourism industry. The government is working to develop new hubs. These plans involve Dapeng Bay, Donggang Township, and Lamay Island.

Religion is also very visible. There are 1,101 registered temples in the county. This is the third-highest number in Taiwan.

Many landmarks draw visitors to the county. Kenting National Park is Taiwan's oldest national park.

Kenting Hengchun-Township Taiwan Sail-Rock-01
Kenting Hengchun-Township Taiwan Sail-Rock-01

The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium is another major site.

ROC-NMMBA Open Ocean Aquarium 20160515c
ROC-NMMBA Open Ocean Aquarium 20160515c

For energy production, the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant is located in Hengchun. It is Taiwan's second-largest nuclear power plant by capacity.

Hengchun Taiwan Maanshan-Nuclear-Power-Plant-02
Hengchun Taiwan Maanshan-Nuclear-Power-Plant-02

Transportation is supported by the railway system. The Pingtung Line and South-Link Line cross the county.

These lines connect Pingtung to Kaohsiung and Taitung. Ferries also connect the mainland to Lamay Island. This connectivity helps the local economy and tourism thrive.

710 words

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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Akau - Pîntong - (Pingtung County) location map.svg
Akau - Pîntong - (Pingtung County)...
File:屏東縣政府.JPG
屏東縣政府.JPG
File:周春米 (cropped).jpg
周春米 (cropped).jpg
File:Cocoblud.jpg
Cocoblud.jpg
File:Hengchun Taiwan Maanshan-Nuclear-Power-Plant-02.jpg
Hengchun Taiwan...
File:Pingtung Railway Station New20150901.jpg
Pingtung Railway Station New20150901.jpg
File:Kenting Hengchun-Township Taiwan Sail-Rock-01.jpg
Kenting Hengchun-Township Taiwan Sail-Rock-01.jpg
File:ROC-NMMBA Open Ocean Aquarium 20160515c.jpg
ROC-NMMBA Open Ocean Aquarium 20160515c.jpg
File:Kaohsiung flag.svg
Kaohsiung flag.svg
File:Pingtung County flag.svg
Pingtung County flag.svg
File:Flag of Taitung County.svg
Flag of Taitung County.svg
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