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Taipei

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Taipei is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan.

Taipei Skyline 2023-03-19
Taipei Skyline 2023-03-19

It serves as the primary political, economic, educational, and cultural center of the island. The city is located in Northern Taiwan within the Taipei Basin. This basin was once an ancient lakebed.

Most of the city rests on this low-lying terrain. The basin is bounded by the narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers. These two rivers join to form the Tamsui River along the western border of the city.

Aerial panorama of Taipei's west from the perspective of Tamsui River
Aerial panorama of Taipei's west from the perspective of Tamsui River

The geography of the region includes significant natural elevations. To the north, the land rises toward the Tatun Volcanic Group. This area includes Yangmingshan National Park. The highest peak in the basin is Qixing Mountain. It is a dormant volcano that reaches a height of 1,120 meters.

2014-02-23 台北 Taipei from 貓空 01
2014-02-23 台北 Taipei from 貓空 01

Another prominent peak is Mt. Datun, which stands at 1,122 meters. The northern districts of Shilin and Beitou extend north of the Keelung River. These areas are bordered by the volcanic park. The city also features natural hot springs and the Maokong area.

Taipei has a complex and layered history involving many different groups. Before Han Chinese colonists arrived, the Taipei Basin was inhabited by the Ketagalan. They were a Plains Indigenous people. In the early 18th century, Han Chinese colonists began to settle the area under Qing dynasty rule. By 1875, the northern part of the island became the Taipeh Prefecture. In 1887, Taipei was designated as the seat of Taiwan Province.

North Gate of Taipei City, 2023 (01)
North Gate of Taipei City, 2023 (01)

During the Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945, the city was known as Taihoku. The Japanese implemented advanced urban planning and built many railroad links. The Presidential Office Building was constructed during this time as the Office of the Governor-General.

大島久滿次
大島久滿次

The political status of the city changed significantly after World War II. In 1945, the Republic of China (ROC) assumed control of Taiwan. In December 1949, the ROC government relocated to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital. Taipei was upgraded from a provincial city to a special municipality on 1 July 1967. This upgrade allowed the city to expand its administration. In 1968, the city annexed several outlying towns and villages. This expansion increased the city's total area fourfold.

台北市議會
台北市議會

In 1990, the Wild Lily student rallies took place in the plaza near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. These rallies helped move the society toward multi-party democracy by 1996.

Taipei is a massive urban center with a very high population density. As of March 2023, the municipality had an estimated population of 2,494,813 people. It forms the core of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, also called "Greater Taipei." This metropolitan area includes the cities of New Taipei and Keelung. The total population of this metro area is 7,047,559.

2014-02-23 台北 Taipei from 貓空 01
2014-02-23 台北 Taipei from 貓空 01

This makes it the 40th most-populous urban area in the world. Roughly one-third of all Taiwanese citizens live in these metropolitan areas.

Visitors to Taipei can experience many famous architectural and cultural landmarks. Taipei 101 was formerly the tallest building in the world.

Taipei 2012 3 amk
Taipei 2012 3 amk

Other major sites include the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the National Palace Museum.

National Palace Museum Taipei1
National Palace Museum Taipei1

The city is also known for its lively shopping and food scenes. The Ximending district is a popular shopping area.

Ximending at night
Ximending at night

Throughout the city, there are several dispersed night markets, such as the Shilin Night Market.

Shilin night market alley
Shilin night market alley

Religious sites like the Lungshan Temple of Manka and the Dalongdong Baoan Temple are also significant.

Today, Taipei is a vital part of a global high-tech industrial area. It is rated as an "Alpha − City" by the GaWC. The city is highly connected to the rest of the island through many transport systems. These include railways, highways, and various bus lines. The city is served by two different airports: Songshan and Taoyuan.

Taipei Songshan Airport 1st Terminal Building 20090926
Taipei Songshan Airport 1st Terminal Building 20090926

Because of its political importance, the name Taipei is often used to refer to the central government. In international contexts, the term "Chinese Taipei" is often used for the country. This occurs during international sporting events like the Olympics.

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🖼️ Images & Media (34)
File:North Gate of Taipei City, 2023 (01).jpg
North Gate of Taipei City, 2023 (01).jpg
File:Txu-pclmaps-oclc-6550514-taihoku-east-2422-iii.jpg
Txu-pclmaps-oclc-6550514-taihoku-east-2422-iii.jpg
File:大島久滿次.jpg
大島久滿次.jpg
File:Taipei_2012_3_amk.jpg
Taipei_2012_3_amk.jpg
File:Chiang Kai-shek memorial amk.jpg
Chiang Kai-shek memorial amk.jpg
File:美國總統艾森豪於1960年6月訪問臺灣台北時與蔣中正總統-2.jpg
美國總統艾森豪於1960年6月訪問臺灣台北時與蔣中正總統-2.jpg
File:Aerial panorama of Taipei's west from the perspective of Tamsui River.jpg
Aerial panorama of Taipei's west from the...
File:2014-02-23 台北 Taipei from 貓空 01.jpg
2014-02-23 台北 Taipei from 貓空 01.jpg
File:Taipei Skyline 2023-03-19.jpg
Taipei Skyline 2023-03-19.jpg
File:Shilin night market alley.jpg
Shilin night market alley.jpg
File:Aerial panorama of Taipei City's west.jpg
Aerial panorama of Taipei City's west.jpg
File:Bellavita and CPCCT head office 20100907.jpg
Bellavita and CPCCT head office 20100907.jpg

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