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Taitung County

Taitung County
臺東縣
County
Top:View of Orchild Island, from Ji-teiwan, Second left:Jiben Spa area, Second right:A view of downtown Taitung, Third left:View of White Sand Bay in Taimali Township, Third right:A memorial for Yami people's boat in Orchild Island, Bottom:A coast of Siaoyeliou
Top:View of Orchild Island, from Ji-teiwan, Second left:Jiben Spa area, Second right:A view of downtown Taitung, Third left:View of White Sand Bay in Taimali Township, Third right:A memorial for Yami people's boat in Orchild Island, Bottom:A coast of Siaoyeliou
Flag of Taitung County
Flag
Coat of arms of Taitung County
Coat of arms
Taiwan ROC political division map Taitung County.svg
Coordinates: 22°56′N 120°56′E / 22.933°N 120.933°E / 22.933; 120.933Coordinates: 22°56′N 120°56′E / 22.933°N 120.933°E / 22.933; 120.933
Country Taiwan
Province Taiwan Province
Seat Taitung City
Largest city Taitung City
Boroughs 1 cities, 15 (2 urban, 13 rural) townships
Government
 • County Magistrate Justin Huang (KMT)
Area
 • Total 3,515.2526 km2 (1,357.2466 sq mi)
Area rank 3 of 22
Population (December 2014)
 • Total 224,470
 • Rank 22 of 22
 • Density 64/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone National Standard Time (UTC+8)
Website www.taitung.gov.tw
Symbols
Flower Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis)
Tree Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Taitung County
Traditional Chinese 縣 / 台東縣
Simplified Chinese 台东县

Taitung County (Chinese: 臺東縣; pinyin: Táidōng Xiàn) is the third largest county in Taiwan, located in the eastern coast.

While its name means "Eastern Taiwan", it is also known as "Houshan" (Chinese: 後山; pinyin: hòushān; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: āu-soaⁿ) by many of the locals, meaning behind the mountains or the back mountains.

In 1887, the new Fujian-Taiwan Province included Taitung Prefecture as one of four prefectures.

During the Japanese rule of Taiwan, Taitung County was administered as Taitō Prefecture.

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, Taitung was established as a county of Taiwan Province on 25 December the same year.

Taitung runs along the south east coast of Taiwan. Taitung county, possessing 3,515 km2 is the 3rd largest county in Taiwan after Hualien County and Nantou County. Mainland Taitung County's coastline is 166 km long. The Huatung Valley runs along the northern half of the county. Taitung currently has a population of 234,123.

Due in part to its remote location and isolation by mountains from Taiwan's main population centers, Taitung was the last part of the island to be colonized by Han Chinese immigrants (late 19th century). Throughout the 20th century Taitung remained an economic backwater. Sparsely populated even today, this isolation may have been a blessing in disguise, as Taitung mostly escaped the urbanization and pollution that have come to plague much of the island's lowland areas.


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