Pingtung County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in

southern Taiwan The regions of Taiwan are based on the historical administrative divisions. However, most of the definitions are not precise. Division into two regions * Eastern and Western Taiwan: the Central Mountain Range separates Taiwan into east and west. : ...

. It has a warm

tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...

and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting National Park, Taiwan's oldest national park, is located in the county. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Pingtung City.

Name

The name ''Pingtung'' means "east of Banping mountain", referring to a nearby

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

known as Banping mountain ().

History

Early history

Aboriginal inhabitants of Liuqiu Island (13 km misouthwest of Taiwan, and now part of Pingtung County) killed Dutch sailors on two occasions. In response, in the spring of 1636, Dutch sailors carried out a punitive campaign that became known as the Lamey Island Massacre. Modern-day Pingtung County and

Kaohsiung City Kaohsiung City ( Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Ka ...

were part of Banlian-chiu (萬年州; ''Bān-liân-chiu'') during the

Kingdom of Tungning The Kingdom of Tungning (), also known as Tywan by the British at the time, was a dynastic maritime state that ruled part of southwestern Taiwan and the Penghu islands between 1661 and 1683. It is the first predominantly Han Chinese state in ...

(1661–1683) and Fongshan Prefecture (鳳山縣; ''Hōng-soaⁿ-koān'') during Qing dynasty rule (1683–1895). Until the seventeenth century, this area of Taiwan was a place of exile for Chinese criminals and the occasional landing point for international mariners. Only the settlements near present-day Checheng Township existed. In 1664, the

Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...

settlers arrived from

mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the China, People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming Island, Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territorie ...

and farmed under a homesteading system introduced by

Zheng Jing Zheng Jing, Prince of Yanping (; 25 October 1642 – 17 March 1681), courtesy names Xianzhi () and Yuanzhi (), pseudonym Shitian (), was a 17th-century Chinese warlord, Ming dynasty loyalist and ruler of the Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan. Bi ...

. Pingtung City, the biggest city in Pingtung County, also known as "A-Kau" (阿猴; ''A-kâu'', English: the forest), was the home of Taiwanese Plains Aborigines. In 1684, settlers from China's southern

Fujian Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its ...

region created the first Han Chinese villages near Pingtung. By 1734, most of the

Pingtung Plain Pingtung Plain () is a plain area including parts of Pingtung County and Kaohsiung City in Taiwan. It includes the alluvial fan of Kaoping River, which forms the largest drainage area of rivers in Taiwan, and also passed by other shorter rivers ...

was cultivated, and Pingtung was expanded in 1764. In 1836, the government and locals worked together to build the city's four walls (the North Gate, the East Gate, the West Gate, and the South gate), and the roads were completed. In March 1867, fourteen American sailors were killed near

Kenting Kenting National Park (), commonly known as Kenting (), is a national park located on the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County, Taiwan, covering Hengchun, Checheng, and Manzhou Townships. Established on 1 January 1984, it is Taiwan's oldes ...

by local aborigines in the ''Rover'' incident, which lead to the failed American

Formosa Expedition The Formosa Expedition (), or the Taiwan Expedition of 1867, was a punitive expedition launched by the United States against the Paiwan, an indigenous Taiwanese tribe. The expedition was undertaken in retaliation for the ''Rover'' incident ...

three months later. In 1871, local aborigines killed 54 sailors from Ryukyu in the Mudan Incident. The Japanese carried out a punitive campaign against the local aborigines in the 1874 Japanese invasion of Taiwan.

Empire of Japan

Under Japanese rule (1895–1945), ; was initially under ; , but political divisions frequently changed between 1895 and 1901. In 1901, ; was established. In 1909, the name changed to ; . In 1920, the name was changed to ; and was under Takao Prefecture administration, which consisted of modern-day Pingtung County and

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City ( Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Ka ...

Republic of China

Following the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeas ...

on 25 October 1945, the area of present-day Pingtung County was incorporated into

Kaohsiung County Kaohsiung County was a county in southern Taiwan between 1945 and 2010. The county seat was located in Fongshan City. History Kaohsiung County was established on 6 December 1945 on the territory of Takao Prefecture () shortly after the end of ...

on 25 December 1945. On 16 August 1950, Pingtung County was established after being separated from Kaohsiung County. a On 1 December 1951, Pingtung City was downgraded from provincial city to county-administered city and made the

of Pingtung County. Pingtung was the site of a 7.1 magnitude earthquake on 26 December 2006. In 2009, due to Typhoon Morakot, Pingtung received over of rainfall, breaking records for any place in Taiwan struck by a single typhoon.

Geography

With a land area of over , Pingtung is the fifth-largest county in Taiwan, and the second-largest of

Southern Taiwan The regions of Taiwan are based on the historical administrative divisions. However, most of the definitions are not precise. Division into two regions * Eastern and Western Taiwan: the Central Mountain Range separates Taiwan into east and west. : ...

after

. Geographically, it borders Kaohsiung City to the north, Taitung County to the east, the

Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a -wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. The Taiwan Strait is itself a ...

to the west and the Bashi Channel to the south. Islands administered by the county include

Hsiao Liuchiu Liuqiu, also known by several other names, is a coral island in the Taiwan Strait about southwest of the main island of Taiwan. It has an area of and approximately 13,000 residents, the vast majority of whom share only 10 surnames. It ...

(Lamay Islet; 琉球嶼) and Qixingyan (Seven Star Reefs; ).

Climate

Located in the southernmost part of Taiwan, Pingtung County is known for one of the warmest climates within the country. It has a

bordering on a tropical wet and dry climate (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

s: Am bordering on Aw). The climate differs across the large county due to its varying geography. Northern Pingtung, where Pingtung City is located, is characterized by high daytime temperatures year-round with average daytime highs of 30–40 °C (86–104 °F) from April to November, and 25–28 °C (77–82 °F) from December to March. The lowest nighttime temperatures are around 16 °C (61 °F), due to distance from the sea. Central Pingtung, such as the coastal Fangliao Township, has a lower daytime temperatures and warmer nights due to the regulating effect of the ocean, which is especially noticeable during winter. The mildest climate of Pingtung is at its southern tip, the Hengchun Peninsula, which is nearly surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Daily highs reach 29–32 °C (84–90 °F) during summer and 23–26 °C (73–79 °F) during winter. Nighttime temperatures remain warm throughout the year with lows of around 25 °C (77 °F) during summer and 19 °C (66 °F) during the winter.

Government

Administrative divisions

Pingtung County is divided into 1

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

, 3 urban townships, 21 rural townships, and 8 indigenous mountain townships. Pingtung County has the largest number of rural townships and mountain indigenous townships among the counties of Taiwan. Colors indicate the statutory language status of

and Formosan languages in the respective subdivisions. 屏東縣政府

Politics

Pingtung City is the county seat of Pingtung County which houses the Pingtung County Government and Pingtung County Council. The county head is Magistrate

Pan Men-an Pan Men-an (; born 15 August 1963) is a Taiwanese politician. He has been the Magistrate of Pingtung County since 25 December 2014. Early life Pan was born to a fishermen's family. Education Pan graduated from the graduate institute of continu ...

of the

Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majorit ...

. Pingtung County elected three

legislators to the Legislative Yuan during the 2016 legislative election.

Demographics

Pingtung is home to the indigenous Rukai and Paiwan tribes, which makes up 7% of the population. the total population of Pingtung County was 835,792. The county has been experiencing population decline for 15 consecutive years due to emigration to other cities.

Religion

Pingtung County had 1,101 registered temples, the third highest amongst Taiwan's counties after Tainan and

Donglong Temple The Donglong Temple () is one of the most prominent temple in Donggang Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to "Lord Wen" (溫王爺; Wēn wángyé, the word Wen is pronounced the same as "plague" in Chinese). History The ...

and

Checheng Fu'an Temple The Checheng Fu'an Temple () is a temple in Checheng Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The temple was originally built as the Jinsheng Pavilion in 1662 to worship Tudigong during the Qing Dynasty under Kangxi Emperor to accommodate ...

are some of the most prominent temples in the county. Indigenous tribes like

Makatao people The Makatao people (), also written Makatau or Makattau, are an indigenous people in Taiwan. The Makatao originally settled around lowland Kaohsiung in Southern Taiwan, later largely migrating to Pingtung and even further to Taitung in the early ...

also have their own places of worship like

Jiaruipu Temple The Jiaruipu Temple (), also known as the Kanapo Temple, is a Makatao temple in Gaoshu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The temple is in the northeast of Taishan Village, Gaoshu Township, located in a rural region. It is the relig ...

Economy

The agriculture and fishing industries dominate the county's economy. In recent years, the county has also promoted the tourism sector, which constituted 30% of Taiwan's tourism industry in 2015. In February 2014, the county government announced a plan to develop an industrial center that consists of a service center, workshop, and performance venue. The aim is to promote the development of industries that leverage the unique cultural attributes of the Linali tribe. On 22 September 2015, the National Development Council revealed a three-year large-scale development plan to boost the economy of the county by transforming

Dapeng Bay Dapeng Bay or Dapeng Wan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is a lagoon in Donggang Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. It is the largest lagoon on the southwest coastline of Taiwan Island. Scenic Area The Dapeng Bay Nati ...

Donggang Township Donggang Township or Tungkang Township () is an urban township in west-central Pingtung County, Taiwan. Located on Taiwan's western coastline, along the Taiwan Strait, it has one of Taiwan's largest fishing harbors. Dapeng Bay with its nationa ...

, and Lamay Island into a fishery, recreational, and tourism hub.

Education

Universities and colleges

* Meiho University * National Pingtung University (amalgamation of National Pingtung University of Education and National Pingtung Institute of Commerce) * National Pingtung University of Science and Technology * Tajen University * Tzu Hui Institute of Technology

High schools

* Pingtung Senior High School * Pingtung Girl's Senior High School * Da-Tong Senior High School * Chao-Chou Senior High School Hengchun Taiwan Maanshan-Nuclear-Power-Plant-02

Hengchun Taiwan Maanshan-Nuclear-Power-Plant-02

Energy

Pingtung County houses Taiwan's third nuclear power plant, the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant. The power plant is located in Hengchun Township. It is Taiwan's second-largest nuclear power plant in terms of its capacity at

Transportation

Rail

The

Pingtung Line The Pingtung Line () is a line of the Taiwan Railway Administration West Coast line in Taiwan. It is long, of which is double track. The section between Nanzhou and Linbian railway stations will be upgraded from a single-track railway ...

and South-Link Line of the

Taiwan Railways Administration Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is a railway operator in Taiwan. It is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, responsible for managing, maintaining, and running conventional passenger and freight railway services ...

cross Pingtung County. These lines service Central Signal, Chaozhou, Donghai, Fangliao, Fangshan, Fangye Signal, Guilai, Jiadong, Jialu, Kanding, Linbian, Linluo, Liukuaicuo, Nanzhou, Neishi, Pingtung, Xishi, Zhen'an and Zhutian Station. The Pingtung Line links Pingtung County with

, while the South-Link Line links Pingtung County with Taitung County.

Ferries

Ferry service operates between

and

Baisha Port The Baisha Port is a port in Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. It is the main port for people to get in and out from Liuqiu Island. Architecture The port is designed with a sail-shaped building with rainbow colors. The port features ti ...

and

Dafu Port Dafu Port () is a port on Liuqiu Island in Pingtung County, Taiwan. It is a home port for fishing vessels that operate from the island. It is the second largest port on the island after Baisha Port. Destination The port serves ferries to Do ...

on the offshore Lamay Island.

Tourist attractions

Kenting Hengchun-Township Taiwan Sail-Rock-01

* Ahou City Gate *

Black Dwarf Cave Black Dwarf Cave. is a cave and tourist attraction in Tianfu Village on Liuqiu Island, off Pingtung County, Taiwan. Its scenic area includes paths around the surrounding coasts and its ticket includes access to some other nearby attractions such ...

* Black Pearl – Top Quality Wax Apple *

Checheng Fuan Temple The Checheng Fu'an Temple () is a temple in Checheng Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The temple was originally built as the Jinsheng Pavilion in 1662 to worship Tudigong during the Qing Dynasty under Kangxi Emperor to accommodate mi ...

Chaolin Temple Chaolin Temple () is a temple located in Silin Village, Chaozhou Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History Chaolin Temple traces its history to the 1850s, when a farmer surnamed Chen sought to donate his land and construct a temple to Nezha. A ...

* Danlin Suspension Bridge *

* Eluanbi Lighthouse * Fangliao F3 Art Venue"Art at the Crossroads: F3's Undetermined Future in Fangliao", by Eva Tang, 12 February 2009, Taiwan Culture Portal http://www.culture.tw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1114&Itemid=157 *

Fangshan Post Office The Fangshan Post Office () is a post office in Fangshan Township, Pingtung County Pingtung County is a county located in southern Taiwan. It has a warm tropical monsoon climate and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting Nation ...

* Hengchun Chuhuo Natural Fire * Indigenous Culture Hall * Jialeshuei *

* Jiuru Sanshan Guowang Temple * Kaoping Iron Railway Bridge * Kaoping Riverfront Park * Kapok Trees * Kenting National Park * Kentington Resort * Kuan Hai Shan Academy * Landscape of Manjhou * Linben Riverfront Park * Linhousilin Forest Park *

Liudui Hakka Cultural Park The Liudui Hakka Cultural Park () is a cultural center in Neipu Township, Pingtung County Pingtung County is a county located in southern Taiwan. It has a warm tropical monsoon climate and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting ...

* Loacijia Slate Houses * Longkeng Conservation Area *

Longluan Lake The Longluan Lake () is a lake in Kenting National Park, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History To solve the flooding problem around the lake area, the government built barriers on the eastern and northern sides of the lake where t ...

* Longpan Park * Mobitou * Mudan Dam * Museum of Traditional Theater *

National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

Old House of Siiao Family The Old House of Siiao Family () is a former residence in Jiadong Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The Siiao family came to Taiwan from Guangdong and worked as businessmen. They then decided to construct a house for their residential ...

Penbay International Circuit Penbay International Circuit (PIC; ) is a motor sport circuit in Donggang Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. The circuit is long with widths from 12m to 20m. It has five configurations. It officially opened on 9 October 2011. 記者顏瑞田� ...

* Pingtung Art Museum * Pingtung Hakka Cultural Museum *

Shuangliu Forest Recreation Area Shuangliu Forest Recreation Area () is a forest in Caopu Village, Shizi Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. Geology The forest spans an area of at an elevation of above sea level and annual mean temperature of . The highest point of the fores ...

* Sinpi Jian-gong Water Park * South Bay *

Taipower Exhibit Center in Southern Taiwan The Taipower Exhibit Center in Southern Taiwan () is a science center about Taiwan electricity sector in Hengchun Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. The center is owned by Taiwan Power Company. History The center was opened on 31 August 2005 ...

Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park The Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park () is a cultural park about Taiwanese aborigines in Beiye Village, Majia Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The cultural park was originally established in 1987 as Machia Aboriginal Cultural ...

* Tongkang Mosque * Wanchin Church *

Yang Family Ancestral Hall The Yang Family Ancestral Hall () is an ancestral shrine in Jiadong Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The shrine was built in 1923 with funds collected by members of the Yang family living in Pingtung. Architecture The building was c ...