Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural

Yushan Range The Yushan Range, formerly the and also known as the JadeMountain Range, is a mountain range in the central-southern region of Taiwan Island. It spans Chiayi County, Kaohsiung City, and Nantou County. It faces the Central Mountain Range on the ...

with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million people as of October 2023 and is Taiwan's third most populous city and largest city in

southern Taiwan The regions of Taiwan are based on 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. :* ' ...

. Founded in the

17th century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCI), to December 31, 1700 (MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized ...

as a small trading village named Takau, the city has since grown into the political and economic center of

, with key industries such as manufacturing,

steel-making Steelmaking is the process of producing steel from iron ore and/or scrap. Steel has been made for millennia, and was commercialized on a massive scale in the 1850s and 1860s, using the Bessemer and Siemens-Martin processes. Currently, two majo ...

oil refining An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processes, industrial process Factory, plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refining, refined into products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, Bitumen, asphalt base, ...

freight transport Freight transport, also referred to as freight forwarding, is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea but in American English, it has been exte ...

and

shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...

. It is classified as a "Gamma −" level

global city A global city (also known as a power city, world city, alpha city, or world center) is a city that serves as a primary node in the global economic network. The concept originates from geography and urban studies, based on the thesis that glo ...

by the

Globalization and World Cities Research Network The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) is a British think tank that studies the relationships between world cities in the context of globalization. It is based in the geography department of Loughborough University in Leic ...

, with some of the most prominent infrastructures in Taiwan. Kaohsiung is of strategic importance to the nation as the city is the main port city of Taiwan; the

Port of Kaohsiung The Port of Kaohsiung (POK; ) is the largest harbor in Taiwan, handling approximately 10.26 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) worth of cargo in 2015. The port is located in southern Taiwan, adjacent to Kaohsiung City, and surrounded by ...

is the largest and busiest harbor in Taiwan and more than 67% of the nation's exports and imports container throughput goes through Kaohsiung.

Kaohsiung International Airport Kaohsiung International Airport ( zh, t=高雄國際機場, labels=no.) is a medium-sized international airport in Siaogang District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, also known as Siaogang Airport ( zh, t=小港機場, labels=no). With 4.2 million pass ...

is the second busiest airport in number of passengers in Taiwan. The city is well-connected to other major cities by high speed and conventional rail, as well as several national freeways. It also hosts the

Republic of China Navy The Republic of China Navy (ROCN, Chinese, 中華民國海軍) , colloquially known as the Taiwanese Navy ( Chinese, 台湾海军) by Western or mainland Chinese media, or commonly referred as the National Military Navy ( Chinese, 國軍海軍) ...

fleet headquarters and its

naval academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. List of naval academies See also

* Military academy {{Authority control Naval academies, Naval lists ...

. More recent public works such as

Pier-2 Art Center The Pier-2 Art Center () is an art center in Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The arts center was originally an abandoned warehouse site due to Kaohsiung's shift from industrial city to service city. The warehouses were built in 1 ...

National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, also known as Weiwuying, (), is located in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the largest cultural facility in Taiwan, the world's largest performing art theater under one roof, and the first nat ...

and

Kaohsiung Music Center The Kaohsiung Music Center (KMC; ) is a music hall in Yancheng District and Lingya District in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History In 2009, the Executive Yuan recognized the need to establish a music center in Kaohsiung. The Council for Cultural Aff ...

have been aimed at growing the tourism and

cultural industries The term culture industry () was coined by the critical theory, critical theorists Theodor Adorno (1903–1969) and Max Horkheimer (1895–1973), and was presented as critical vocabulary in the chapter "The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mas ...

of the city.

Etymology

Hoklo The Hoklo people () are a Han Chinese subgroup who speak Hokkien, a Southern Min language, or trace their ancestry to southeastern Fujian in China, and known by various related terms such as Banlam people (), Minnan people, Fujianese people or ...

immigrants to the area during the 16th and 17th centuries called the region ''Takau'' (). The surface meaning of the associated

Chinese characters Chinese characters are logographs used Written Chinese, to write the Chinese languages and others from regions historically influenced by Chinese culture. Of the four independently invented writing systems accepted by scholars, they represe ...

was "beat the dog". According to one theory, the name Takau originates from the aboriginal

Siraya language Siraya is a Formosan languages, Formosan language spoken until the end of the 19th century by the indigenous Siraya people of Taiwan, derived from Proto-Siraya language, Proto-Siraya. Some scholars believe Taivoan language, Taivoan and Makatao la ...

and translates as "bamboo forest". According to another theory, the name evolved via metathesis from the name of the Makatao tribe, who inhabited the area at the time of European and Hoklo settlement. The Makatao is considered by some to be part of the Siraya tribe. During the

Dutch colonization The Dutch colonial empire () comprised overseas territories and trading posts under some form of Dutch control from the early 17th to late 20th centuries, including those initially administered by Dutch chartered companies—primarily the Du ...

of southern Taiwan, the area was known as ''Tancoia'' to Europeans for a period of about three decades. In 1662, the Dutch were expelled by the

Kingdom of Tungning The Kingdom of Tungning, also known as Tywan, was a dynastic maritime state that ruled part of southwestern Taiwan and the Penghu islands between 1661 and 1683. It is the first predominantly ethnic Han state in Taiwanese history. At its z ...

, founded by Ming loyalists of

Koxinga Zheng Chenggong (; 27 August 1624 – 23 June 1662), born Zheng Sen () and better known internationally by his honorific title Koxinga (, from Taiwanese: ''kok sèⁿ iâ''), was a Southern Ming general who resisted the Qing conquest of Chin ...

. His son,

Zheng Jing Zheng Jing, Prince of Yanping (; 25 October 1642 – 17 March 1681), courtesy names Xianzhi () and Yuanzhi (), Art name, pseudonym Shitian (), was initially a Southern Ming military general who later became the second ruler of the Tungning King ...

, renamed the village ''Banlian-chiu'' () in 1664. The name of "Takau" was restored in the late 1670s, when the town expanded drastically with immigrants from

mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...

and was kept through Taiwan's cession to the Japanese Empire in 1895. In his 1903 general history of Taiwan, US Consul to Formosa

James W. Davidson James Wheeler Davidson (14 June 1872 – 18 July 1933) was an American-born Canadian businessman, diplomat, explorer, journalist, and philanthropist. He is remembered for writing ''The Island of Formosa, Past and Present'' (1903), a book on th ...

relates that "Takow" was already a well-known name in English. In 1920, the name was changed to and administered the area under

Takao Prefecture was one of the administrative divisions of Taiwan during the Taiwan under Japanese rule, Japanese rule. The prefecture consisted of modern-day Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County. Population Administrative divisions Cities and district ...

. While the new name had quite a different surface meaning, its pronunciation in Japanese sounded more or less the same as the old name spoken in

Hokkien Hokkien ( , ) is a Varieties of Chinese, variety of the Southern Min group of Chinese language, Chinese languages. Native to and originating from the Minnan region in the southeastern part of Fujian in southeastern China, it is also referred ...

. After Taiwan was ceded to the Republic of China, the Chinese characters did not change, but adapted to Mandarin pronunciation, thus the official romanization became Kaohsiung (), derived from the

Wade–Giles Wade–Giles ( ) is a romanization system for Mandarin Chinese. It developed from the system produced by Thomas Francis Wade during the mid-19th century, and was given completed form with Herbert Giles's '' A Chinese–English Dictionary'' ...

romanization of the

Mandarin Chinese Mandarin ( ; zh, s=, t=, p=Guānhuà, l=Mandarin (bureaucrat), officials' speech) is the largest branch of the Sinitic languages. Mandarin varieties are spoken by 70 percent of all Chinese speakers over a large geographical area that stretch ...

pronunciation for . The name ''Takau'' remains the official name of the city in

Austronesian languages The Austronesian languages ( ) are a language family widely spoken throughout Maritime Southeast Asia, parts of Mainland Southeast Asia, Madagascar, the islands of the Pacific Ocean and Taiwan (by Taiwanese indigenous peoples). They are spoken ...

of Taiwan such as Rukai, although these are not widely spoken in the city. The name also remains popular locally in the naming of businesses, associations, and events.

History

The written history of Kaohsiung can be traced back to the early 17th century, through archaeological studies have found signs of human activity in the region from as long as 7,000 years ago. Prior to the 17th century, the region was inhabited by the Makatao people of the Siraya tribe, who settled on what they named Takau Isle (translated to 打狗嶼 by Ming Chinese explorers); "Takau" meaning "bamboo forest" in the aboriginal language.

Early history

The earliest evidence of human activity in the Kaohsiung area dates back to roughly 4,700–5,200 years ago. Most of the discovered remnants were located in the hills surrounding

Kaohsiung Harbor The Port of Kaohsiung (POK; ) is the largest harbor in Taiwan, handling approximately 10.26 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) worth of cargo in 2015. The port is located in southern Taiwan, adjacent to Kaohsiung City, and surrounded by ...

. Artifacts were found at Shoushan, Longquan Temple, Taoziyuan,

Zuoying Zuoying may refer to: * Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan * Zuoying station (disambiguation) * Zuoying Township (左营乡), Juancheng County, Heze, Shandong Province, China * Prince Irgen Gioro Zuoying (伊尔根觉罗·佐鹰), a character in ...

, Houjing, Fudingjin and Fengbitou. The prehistoric Dapenkeng, Niuchouzi,

Dahu The dahu () is a legendary creature that resembles a mountain goat and is well known in France and francophone regions of Switzerland and Italy, including the Aosta Valley. The dahu, a Quadrupedalism, quadrupedal mammal, may have been inspired ...

, and

Niaosong Niaosong District () is a rural district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. History After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, Niaosong was organized as a rural township of Kaohsiung County. On 25 December 2010, Kaohsiun ...

civilizations were known to inhabit the region. Studies of the prehistoric ruins at Longquan Temple have shown that that civilization occurred at roughly the same times as the beginnings of the aboriginal Makatao civilization, suggesting a possible origin for the latter. Unlike some other archaeological sites in the area, the Longquan Temple ruins are relatively well preserved. Prehistoric artifacts discovered have suggested that the ancient Kaohsiung Harbor was originally a lagoon, with early civilizations functioning primarily as

Hunter-gatherer A hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living in a community, or according to an ancestrally derived Lifestyle, lifestyle, in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local naturally occurring sources, esp ...

societies. Some agricultural tools have also been discovered, suggesting that some agricultural activity was also present. The pronunciation of Kaohsiung (Takao) in Japanese is similar to Takau (Takau), so the local flavor of Takao was renamed Kaohsiung. The first Chinese records of the region were written in 1603 by

Chen Di Chen Di / Chʻen Ti () (1541–1617), courtesy name: Jili (), was a Chinese philologist, strategist, and traveler of the Ming dynasty. A native of Lianjiang County, Fuzhou, Fujian, China, he was versed in both pen and sword. As a strategist, he ...

, a member of

Ming The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, t ...

admiral Shen You-rong's expedition to rid the waters around Taiwan and

Penghu The Penghu ( , Hokkien Pe̍h-ōe-jī, POJ: ''Phîⁿ-ô͘'' or ''Phêⁿ-ô͘'' ) or Pescadores Islands are an archipelago of 90 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait, about west of the main island of Taiwan across the Penghu Ch ...

of pirates. In his report on the "Eastern Barbarian Lands" (Dong Fan Ji), Chen Di referred to a Ta-kau Isle:

Dutch Formosa

Taiwan became a

Dutch colony The Dutch colonial empire () comprised overseas territories and trading posts under some form of Dutch control from the early 17th to late 20th centuries, including those initially administered by Dutch chartered companies—primarily the Du ...

in 1624, after the

Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...

was ejected from

forces. At the time, Takau was already one of the most important fishing ports in southern Taiwan. The Dutch named the place ''Tankoya'', and the harbor ''Tancoia''. The Dutch missionary

François Valentijn François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter * François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; ...

named Takau Mountain "Ape Berg", a name that would find its way onto European navigational charts well into the 18th century. ''Tankoia'' was located north of Ape's Hill and a few hours south from Tayouan (modern-day

Anping, Tainan Anping District is a district of Tainan, Taiwan. In March 2012, it was named one of the ''Top 10 Small Tourist Towns'' by the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan. It is home to 64,408 people according to the 2020 census. Name The older place name ...

) by sail. At the time, a wide shallow bay existed there, sufficient for small vessels. However, constant

silting Siltation is water pollution caused by particulate Terrestrial ecoregion, terrestrial Clastic rock, clastic material, with a particle size dominated by silt or clay. It refers both to the increased concentration of suspended sediments and to the i ...

changed the coastline. During this time, Taiwan was divided into five administrative districts, with Takau belonging to the southernmost district. In 1630, the first large scale immigration of

Han Chinese The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...

to Taiwan began due to famine in

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern 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 capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

, with merchants and traders from China seeking to purchase hunting licenses from the Dutch or hide out in aboriginal villages to escape authorities in China.

Qing dynasty

In 1684, the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

annexed

and renamed the town Fongshan County (), considering it a part of

Taiwan Prefecture Taiwan Prefecture or Taiwanfu was a prefecture of Taiwan during the Qing dynasty. The prefecture was established by the Qing government in 1684, after the island came under Qing dynasty rule in 1683 following its conquest of the Kingdom of Tun ...

. It was first opened as a port during the 1680s and subsequently prospered fairly for generations.

Japanese rule

Kaohsiung Station and the city 2017-10-30

In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

as part of the

Treaty of Shimonoseki The , also known as the Treaty of Maguan () in China or the in Japan, was signed at the hotel in Shimonoseki, Japan, on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing China. It was a treaty that ended the First Sino-Japanese War, ...

. Administrative control of the city was moved from New Fongshan Castle to the Fongshan Sub-District of . In November 1901, twenty ''chō'' were established in total; was established nearby. In 1909, Hōzan Chō was abolished, and Takow was merged into Tainan Chō. In 1920, during the tenure of 8th Governor-General

Den Kenjirō Baron was a Japanese politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war government of the Empire of Japan. He was also the 8th Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan from October 1919 to September 1923, and the first civilian to hold that position. De ...

, districts were abolished in favor of prefectures. Thus the city was administered as under

. The Japanese developed Takao, especially the harbor that became the foundation of Kaohsiung to be a port city. Takao was then systematically modernized and connected to the end of North-South Railway. Forming a north–south regional economic corridor from Taipei to Kaohsiung in the 1930s, Japan's Southward Policy set Kaohsiung to become an industrial center.

was also developed starting from 1894. The city center was relocated several times during the period due to the government's development strategy. Development was initially centered on ''Ki-au'' () region but the government began laying railways, upgrading the harbor, and passing new urban plans. New industries such as refinery, machinery, shipbuilding and cementing were also introduced. Before and during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

it handled a growing share of Taiwan's agricultural exports to Japan, and was also a major base for Japan's campaigns in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Extremely ambitious plans for the construction of a massive modern port were drawn up. Toward the end of the war, the Japanese promoted some industrial development at Kaohsiung, establishing an aluminum industry based on the abundant

hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

produced by the

Sun Moon Lake Sun Moon Lake ( zh, t=, p=Rìyuè tán, poj= ; Thao language, Thao: ''Zintun'') is a lake in Yuchi, Nantou, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. It is the largest body of water in Taiwan. The area around the lake is home to the Thao people, o ...

project in the mountains. The city was heavily bombed by

Task Force 38 The Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38 when assigned to Third Fleet, TF 58 when assigned to Fifth Fleet) was a group of ships in World War II. It was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific War from January 1944 through th ...

and FEAF during World War II between 1944 and 1945.

Republic of China

After control of Taiwan was handed over from Japan to the government of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

on 25 October 1945, Kaohsiung City and

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 ...

were established as a provincial city and a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Taiwan Province Taiwan Province ( zh, t=臺灣省 , p=Táiwān Shěng , poj=Tâi-oân-séng; PFS: ''Thòi-vàn-sén'' or ''Thòi-vân-sén'') is a ''de jure'' administrative division of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Provinces remain a titular division as ...

respectively on 25 December 1945. The official romanization of the name came to be "Kaohsiung", based on the

romanization of the

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

reading of the

kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...

name. Kaohsiung City then consisted of 10

districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

, which were Gushan, Lianya (renamed "Lingya" in 1952), Nanzih, Cianjin, Cianjhen,

Cijin Cijin District () is a district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, covering Cijin Island () and islands in the South China Sea. It is the second smallest district in Kaohsiung City after Yancheng District, with an area of 1.4639 square kilometers, or 0.5 ...

, Sanmin,

Sinsing Sinsing District, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency () is a downtown District (Taiwan), district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Name Sinsing means ''new prosperity'' in Mandarin Chinese. H ...

Yancheng Yancheng (), formerly known as Yandu, is a prefecture-level city in the eastern coastal Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. As the city with the largest jurisdictional area in Jiangsu, Yancheng borders Lianyungang to the north, Huai' ...

, and

. During this time, Kaohsiung developed rapidly. The port, badly damaged in

, was restored. It also became a fishing port for boats sailing to Filipino and Indonesian waters. Largely because of its climate, Kaohsiung overtook

Keelung Keelung ( ; zh, p=Jīlóng, c=基隆, poj=Ke-lâng), Chilung or Jilong ( ; ), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city in northeastern Taiwan. The city is part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area with neighboring New Ta ...

as Taiwan's major port. Kaohsiung also surpassed Tainan to become the second largest city of Taiwan in the late 1970s and Kaohsiung City was upgraded from a provincial city to special municipality on 1 July 1979, by the

Executive Yuan The Executive Yuan () is the executive (government), executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Under the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China, amended constitution, the head of the Execut ...

with a total of 11 districts. The additional district is

Siaogang District Siaogang District, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ( lit: Small port District) is a district of Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. Before the merging of Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County in 2010, Siaogang was the southernmo ...

, which was annexed from Siaogang Township of

. The

Kaohsiung Incident The Kaohsiung Incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident, or the ''Formosa Magazine'' incident,tang was a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 10 December 1979 during Taiwa ...

, where the government suppressed a commemoration of International

Human Rights Day Human Rights Day (HRD) is list of minor secular observances#December, celebrated annually around the world on 10 December every year. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December ...

, occurred on 10 December 1979. Since then, Kaohsiung gradually grew into a political center of the

Pan-Green The Pan-Green coalition, Pan-Green force or Pan-Green groups is a nationalist political coalition in Taiwan (Republic of China), consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan Statebuilding Party (TSP), Social Democratic Party ( ...

population of Taiwan, in opposition to

Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...

where the majority population is

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...

supporters. Kaohsiung-Tainan before and after 2010

On 25 December 2010, Kaohsiung City merged with

to form a larger special municipality with administrative centers in

Lingya District Lingya District () is a District (Taiwan), district of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The 85 Sky Tower and the Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung City Hall are located here. Lingya District is the administrative center of Kaohsiung City along with Fongs ...

and

Fongshan District Fongshan District, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency () is a District (Taiwan), district located in southern Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Fongshan is one of the administrative centers of Kaohsi ...

. On 31 July 2014, a series of

gas explosions Gas is a state of matter that has neither a fixed volume nor a fixed shape and is a compressible fluid. A ''pure gas'' is made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon) or molecules of either a single type of atom ( elements such as ...

occurred in the Cianjhen and

s of the city, killing 31 and injuring more than 300. Five roads were destroyed in an area of nearly near the city center. It was the largest gas explosion in Taiwan's modern history.

Geography

The city sits on the southwestern coast of Taiwan facing the

Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. Names Former names of the Tai ...

, bordering

Tainan City Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a special municipality in southern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and commonly called the " prefectural capital" for its over 260-year histo ...

to the northwest,

Chiayi Chiayi (,), officially known as Chiayi City, is a Provincial city (Taiwan), city located in Chianan Plain in Regions of Taiwan, southwestern Taiwan, surrounded by Chiayi County with a population of 263,188 inhabitants as of January 2023. The H ...

and

Nantou County Nantou is the second largest County (Taiwan), county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya people, Hoanya Taiwanese aborigines, Taiwanese ...

to the north,

Taitung County Taitung () is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island's southeastern coast and also including Green Island, Orchid Island and Lesser Orchid Island. The seat is located in Taitung City. Name While its name means "East ...

to its east and

Pingtung County Pingtung () is a County (Taiwan), county located in southern Taiwan. It has a warm tropical monsoon climate and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting National Park, Taiwan's oldest national park, is located in the county. The county ...

to the south and southeast. The downtown areas are centered on Kaohsiung Harbor with Cijin Island on the other side of the harbor acting as a natural

breakwater Breakwater may refer to: * Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour Places * Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia * Breakwater Island, Antarctica * Breakwater Islands, Nunavut, Canada * ...

. The

Love River The Love River or Ai River () is a river (canal) in southern Taiwan. It originates in Renwu District, Kaohsiung City, and flows through Kaohsiung to Kaohsiung Harbor. Love River is the spine of Kaohsiung, playing a similar role to the River Thame ...

(Ai River) flows into the harbor through the Old City and downtown. Zuoying Military Harbor lies to the north of Kaohsiung Harbor and the city center. Kaohsiung's natural landmarks include Ape Hill and

Mount Banping Mount Banping () is a mountain in Nanzih District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Name The name ''Banping'' means half screen, named so because of the mountain steep side resembles a painted screen. History During the Qing Dynasty rule of Taiwan, the mo ...

Climate

Located about a degree south of the

Tropic of Cancer The Tropic of Cancer, also known as the Northern Tropic, is the Earth's northernmost circle of latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun ...

, Kaohsiung has a

tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Aw''), near to a

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 subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...

(

''Am'') with monthly mean temperatures between and relative humidity ranging between 71 and 81%. Kaohsiung's warm climate is very much dictated by its low latitude and its exposure to warm sea temperatures year-round, with the

Kuroshio Current The , also known as the Black Current or is a north-flowing, warm ocean current on the west side of the North Pacific Ocean basin. It was named for the deep blue appearance of its waters. Similar to the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic, the Ku ...

passing by the coast of southern Taiwan, and the

Central Mountain Range The Central Mountain Range is the principal mountain range on the island of Taiwan. It runs from the north of the island to the south. It acts as a barrier between the east and west coasts, hindering travel. The tallest peak of the range is ...

on the northeast blocking out the cool northeastern winds during the winter. The city, therefore, has a noticeably warmer climate than nearby cities located at similar latitudes such as

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...

as well as various cities further south in northern

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, such as

Hanoi Hanoi ( ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Vietnam, second-most populous city of Vietnam. The name "Hanoi" translates to "inside the river" (Hanoi is bordered by the Red River (Asia), Red and Black River (Asia), Black Riv ...

. Although the climate is classified as tropical, Kaohsiung has a defined cooler season unlike most other cities in Asia classified with this climate but located closer to the equator such as

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

. Daily maximum temperature typically exceeds during the warmer season (April to November) and during the cooler season (December to March), with the exception when cold fronts strike during the winter months, when the daily mean temperature of the city can drop between 10 and 12 °C depending on the strength of the cold front. Also, besides the high temperatures occurring during the usual summer months, daytime temperatures of inland districts of the city can often exceed from mid-March to late April before the onset of the

monsoon season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...

, with clear skies and southwesterly airflows. Average annual rainfall is around , focused primarily from June to August. At more than 2,210 hours of bright sunshine, the city is one of the sunniest areas in Taiwan. The sea temperature of

remains above year-round, the second highest of Southern Taiwan after

Liuqiu Island Liuqiu ( zh, t=琉球嶼; also known by 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 12,200 residents, the vast majority of whom share only 10 surnam ...

. According to recent records, the average temperature of the city has risen around 1 degree Celsius over the past three decades, from about in 1983 to around by 2012.

Cityscape

Demographics

As of December 2018, Kaohsiung city has a population of 2,773,533 people, making it the third-largest city after

New Taipei New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...

and

Taichung Taichung (, Wade–Giles: '), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in central Taiwan. Taichung is Taiwan's second-largest city, with more than 2.85 million residents, making it the largest city in Ce ...

, and a population density of 939.59 people per square kilometer. Within the city,

is the most populated district with a population of 359,519 people, while

Sinsing District Sinsing District, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency () is a downtown district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Name Sinsing means ''new prosperity'' in Mandarin Chinese. History Sinsing used to be called Tāi-káng-po͘ () in earl ...

is the most densely populated district with a population density of 25,820 people per square kilometer.

Ethnic composition

Han Chinese

As in most Taiwanese cities or counties, the majority of the population are

. The Chinese are divided into 3 subgroups:

Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...

, and

Waishengren ''Waishengren'', sometimes called mainlanders, are a group of migrants who arrived in Taiwan from mainland China between the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 and sometime following the Kuomintang retreat at the end of the ...

. The Hoklo and Waishengren mostly live in flatland townships and the city centre, while the majority of the Hakka population lives in the suburbs or rural townships of the northeastern hills.

Indigenous peoples

The

indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

of Kaohsiung, who belong to various ethnic groups that speak languages belonging to the

Austronesian Austronesian may refer to: *The Austronesian languages *The historical Austronesian peoples The Austronesian people, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples who have settled in Taiwan, maritime Sout ...

language family, live mostly in the mountain indigenous district such as Taoyuan or

Namasia Namasia District (Kanakanavu language, Bunun language: ''Namasia''; ), formerly Sanmin Township (), is a mountain indigenous district located in the northeastern part of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the second largest district in Kaohsiung after Tao ...

. The main indigenous groups in the city include the Bunun, Rukai, Saaroa and the Kanakanavu.

Other ethnicities

As of December 2010, Kaohsiung hosts around 21,000 foreign spouses. Around 12,353 are Mainland Chinese, 4,244 are Vietnamese, around 800 are Japanese and Indonesians, and around 4,000 are other Asians or foreigners from Europe or America. As of April 2013, Kaohsiung hosts 35,074

foreign workers Foreign workers or guest workers are people who work in a country other than one of which they are a citizen. Some foreign workers use a guest worker program in a country with more preferred job prospects than in their home country. Guest worke ...

who mainly work as factory workers or foreign maids (not including foreign specialists such as teachers and other professionals). About half of them are

Indonesians Indonesians (Indonesian language, Indonesian: ''orang Indonesia'') are citizens or people who are identified with the country of Indonesia, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. There are more than Ethnic groups in Indonesia, 1,300 ...

, with the other half being workers from other

Southeast Asian Southeast Asia is the geographical southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Australian mainland, which is part of Oceania. Southeast Asia is ...

countries, mainly from

, the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Economy

Kaohsiung is a major international port and industrial city in the southwest of Taiwan. As an exporting center, Kaohsiung serves the agricultural interior of southern Taiwan, as well as the mountains of the southeast. Major

raw material A raw material, also known as a feedstock, unprocessed material, or primary commodity, is a basic material that is used to produce goods, finished goods, energy, or intermediate materials/Intermediate goods that are feedstock for future finished ...

exports include rice, sugar, bananas,

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been culti ...

s, peanuts (groundnuts) and

citrus fruit ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Mandarin orange, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, ...

s. The Linhai Industrial Park, on the waterfront, was completed in the mid-1970s and includes a

steel mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-fini ...

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are shipbuilding, built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Compared to shipyards, which are sometimes m ...

petrochemical Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable s ...

complex, and other industries. The city has an

oil refinery An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processes, industrial process Factory, plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refining, refined into products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, Bitumen, asphalt base, ...

, aluminum and cement works,

fertilizer A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Man ...

factories, sugar refineries, brick and tile works, canning factories, salt-manufacturing factories, and

papermaking Papermaking is the manufacture of paper and cardboard, which are used widely for printing, writing, and packaging, among many other purposes. Today almost all paper is Pulp and paper industry, made using industrial machinery, while handmade pape ...

plants. Designated an export-processing zone in the late 1970s, Kaohsiung also attracted foreign investment to process locally purchased raw materials for export. In 2020, Kaohsiung's

land reclamation Land reclamation, often known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new Terrestrial ecoregion, land from oceans, list of seas, seas, Stream bed, riverbeds or lake ...

project in the Port of Kaohsiung was completed, equivalent to 16 of Taipei's Daan Forest Parks. The Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau plans to buy 49 hectares of the reclaimed land to establish a solar energy industrial district that would be in the harbor's free trade zone. The gross domestic product (GDP) in nominal terms of Kaohsiung City is estimated to be around US$45 billion, and US$90 billion for the metropolitan region. , the GDP per capita in nominal terms was approximately US$24,000. Despite early success and heavy governmental investment, the city suffers from the economic

North–South divide in Taiwan In Taiwan, the North–South divide () refers to the claimed uneven distribution of resources in regard to political, wealth, medical, economic development, education, and other aspects across Taiwan over past decades that has drawn the social a ...

, which continues to be the center of political debate. There has been public aims to shift the local economy towards tourism and

, with projects such as

and

Agriculture

The main agricultural crops in Kaohsiung are vegetables, fruits and rice with a total

arable land Arable land (from the , "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for the purposes of a ...

of 473 km², which accounts to 16% of the total area of the municipality. Kaohsiung has the highest production of

guava Guava ( ), also known as the 'guava-pear', is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava '' Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), nativ ...

jujube Jujube (UK ; US or ), sometimes jujuba, scientific name ''Ziziphus jujuba'', and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus '' Ziziphus'' in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused wit ...

and

lychee Lychee ( , ; ''Litchi chinensis''; ) is a monotypic taxon and the sole member in the genus ''Litchi'' in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. There are three distinct subspecies of lychee. The most common is the Indochinese lychee found in So ...

in Taiwan. The main

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

are chicken,

dairy cattle Dairy cattle (also called dairy cows) are cattle bred with the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species '' Bos taurus''. Historically, little distinction was ...

deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...

, duck, goose, pigs and sheep. The total annual agricultural income in Kaohsiung is NT$24.15 billion.

Future investment

Culture

Tourism

Main landmarks of Kaohsiung city include the

85 Sky Tower 85 Sky Tower (), formerly known as the T & C Tower or Tuntex Sky Tower, is an 85-story skyscraper in Lingya District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The structure is high. An antenna increases the pinnacle height to . Constructed from 1994 to 1997 by the n ...

, the

Ferris wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a big wheel, giant wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondola ...

of the Kaohsiung

Dream Mall Dream Mall (), located in Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is the largest shopping mall in Taiwan and the 15th largest in East Asia (formerly the largest). It is built and operated by Tungcheng Development Corporation (), a subsidiary of Un ...

, the

Kaohsiung Arena The Kaohsiung Arena () is an indoor sporting arena located in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is used to host indoor sporting events. It was used as a host to some of the indoor sporting events during the 2009 World Games. Name Loca ...

and

. The newly developed city is also known for having a large number of shopping streets, organized

night markets Night markets or night bazaars ( zh, 夜市) are street markets which operate at night and are generally dedicated to more leisurely strolling, shopping, and eating than more businesslike day markets. The culture of night markets originates from C ...

and newly developed leisure parks such as the

E-DA Theme Park The E-DA Theme Park () is a theme park with Greek styling located in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It claims to be south Taiwan's largest theme park. Architecture The theme park features the integration of Greek-style environment and prist ...

, Metropolitan Park, the

Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (KMFA; ) is located in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was founded by the Kaohsiung City Government and has been administrated by the Kaohsiung Bureau of Cultural Affairs since 2003. It occupies about ...

, the

, and

Taroko Park The SKM Park is an amusement park and outlet in Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is owned by Shin Kong Mitsukoshi. SKM Park is positioned as an "international lifestyle complex" with restaurants, lifestyle theme stores, and entertainme ...

. Natural attractions of the city include Shoushan (Monkey mountain), the

, Cijin Island,

Sizihwan Sizihwan () is a community and sightseeing spot in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, named for the adjacent bay of the Taiwan Strait, also called Sizihwan. Names The name ''Sizih'' () can also refer to Xi Shi, an alternative name used by the ...

, the Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden and

Yushan National Park Yushan National Park () is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the summit Yushan, the highest peak of the park.Old City of Zuoying, a historical town built during the early 17th century, the

Former British Consulate at Takao The British Consulate at Takao (or Ta-kau; ) is a former British consulate built in 1865 in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It has been designated a historic site by the Ministry of Culture. It lies on the peak of Shaochuantou (哨船頭) a ...

built during the late 19th century, and various sugar and crop factories built under Japanese rule.

Natural attractions

Kaohsiung city includes a wide range of different natural attractions due to its large size and geographical variation, as it is bordered by the

in the northeast and the warm

South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...

to the west and southwest. The year-round warm climate allows

coral reefs A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. ...

to grow along the coasts around

, with Shoushan Mountain being a small mountain completely made up of coral reefs and

calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a common substance found in Rock (geology), rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite, most notably in chalk and limestone, eggshells, gastropod shells, shellfish skel ...

, while the mountainous districts in the northeast include Taiwan's highest mountain, Yushan. Other notable natural attractions include the

, Lotus Pond, and

Dongsha Atoll National Park The Dongsha Atoll National Park () is the seventh national park of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The marine park is located at Pratas Island (Dongsha Island) in the north of the South China Sea, and includes the Dongsha Atoll (Pratas Atoll), ...

, which is currently inaccessible by the public due to military occupation.

Historical sites

A large number of historical sites and monuments were left in the city after the colonization of the Dutch in the 17th century, the Qing dynasty during the 18th and 19th century and the Japanese empire from the late 19th century to the mid 20th century. The city government has protected various sites and monuments from further damage and many have been opened to the public since the early 1980s. Notable historical sites include the

Cemetery of Zhenghaijun Cemetery of Zheng-Hai-Jun (; literally means "the corps of coast guard") is a cemetery in Siaolin Village, Kaohsiung, Siaolin Village, Jiasian District, Jiaxian District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the monument the class of County (Taiwan), county ...

Fengshan Longshan Temple The Fengshan Longshan Temple () is a Chinese temple in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The temple is predicted to be constructed in the early years of Qianlong Emperor of Qing Dynasty. It is the second oldest among Taiwan's five L ...

, Former Dinglinzihbian Police Station,

Meinong Cultural and Creative Center The Meinong Cultural and Creative Center () is a multi-purpose park in Meinong District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The area used to be a police station building which was built in 1902 at the political and economical center of Meinong. The are ...

, Former Sanhe Bank, and the

Kaohsiung Lighthouse The Kaohsiung Lighthouse ( zh, t=, s=高雄灯塔, first=t, w=Kao¹-hsiung² Têng¹-tʻa³, p=Gāoxióng Dēngtǎ), also called Cihou Lighthouse ( zh, c=旗後燈塔, tp=Cíhòu Dengtǎ, p=Qíhòu Dēngtǎ) or Cijin Lighthouse ( zh, c=, tp=Cíji ...

, one of the oldest lighthouses of the city.

Museums

Kaohsiung is home to many museums, including the Chung Li-he Museum, Cijin Shell Museum,

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (), formerly known as the Buddha Memorial Center, is a Mahāyāna Buddhist cultural, religious, and educational museum located in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The museum is affiliated with Fo Guang Shan, o ...

Jiasian Petrified Fossil Museum The Jiasian Petrified Fossil Museum () is a museum in He'an Village, Jiasian District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The museum was established in February 1991. It was built by Jiasian Township Government. Architecture The museum was built nearb ...

, Kaohsiung Astronomical Museum,

Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum The Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum () is a cultural museum in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History In 1995, Kaohsiung Mayor Wu Den-yih proposed the construction of the museum to preserve the Hakka culture. The construction of museum bu ...

Kaohsiung Harbor Museum The Kaohsiung Harbor Museum () is a museum in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan dedicated to the preservation of artifacts on the development of Port of Kaohsiung. History The museum building was built in 1916 and completed in 1917 to be used ...

Kaohsiung Museum of History The Kaohsiung Museum of History () is a museum located in Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''For ...

Kaohsiung Museum of Labor The Kaohsiung Museum of Labor () is a museum about labor in Cianjin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as '' ...

Kaohsiung Vision Museum The old Kaohsiung Station building () is in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The building was constructed in 1941 in the Imperial Crown Style by Shimizu Corporation and served as the Kaohsiung Main Station building until 2002. In 20 ...

, Meinong Hakka Culture Museum,

National Science and Technology Museum The National Science and Technology Museum (NSTM; ) is a museum of applied science and technology in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The museum was established in November 1997. Architecture The museum covers an area of 19 hectares ...

Republic of China Air Force Museum A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a state in which political power rests with the public (people), typically through their representatives—in contrast to a monarchy. Although a ...

Soya-Mixed Meat Museum The Soya-Mixed Meat Museum () is a food museum in Benjhou Industrial Park, Gangshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Exhibitions The museum offers detailed information to the history and culture of marinated food, sea food and agriculture produces ...

, Taiwan Pineapple Museum, Taiwan Sugar Museum,

Takao Railway Museum The Takao Railway Museum () is a museum in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The museum was formerly the Kaohsiung Harbor Station, built during the Japanese period. Then called the , the station was the first railway station in Ka ...

, Xiaolin Pingpu Cultural Museum and

YM Museum of Marine Exploration Kaohsiung The YM Museum of Marine Exploration Kaohsiung (MOME; ) is a museum about marine exploration in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History After its rental tenure was approved by the Marine Bureau of the Kaohsiung City Government on 18 January ...

Parks and zoos

As the largest municipality in Taiwan, Kaohsiung has a number of newly built leisure areas and parks. Notable parks or pavilions in the city include the

Central Park Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...

Siaogangshan Skywalk Park The Siaogangshan Skywalk Park () is a park in Gangshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The park is owned by Kaohsiung City Government. History The park was constructed with a budget of almost NT$100 million. It was opened on a trial basis on 4 Feb ...

, Fo Guang Shan Monastery, the

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas () is a temple located at Lotus Lake in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The temple was built in 1976. One of the towers is the ''Tiger'' Tower, the other one being the ''Dragon'' Tower. Both towers are seven ...

Spring and Autumn Pavilions The Spring and Autumn Pavilions () are a Taoist temple complex located on Lotus Lake in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Like the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, the temple is special and unique. It was built in 1953 by Chi Ming palace, were two C ...

, the

Love Pier The Love Pier () is a pier along Love River in Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The pier area used to be the No. 12 dock of the Republic of China Armed Forces. Features Love Pier is famous for the Kaohsiung Music Center building. ...

, Singuang Ferry Wharf and

Kaohsiung Fisherman's Wharf The Kaohsiung Fisherman's Wharf (also Fishermen's Wharf, ) was a wharf in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Today it is Kaohsiung Port Warehouse No. 2 (KW2), a multi-functional space combining cultural creative industries, exhibitions and dinin ...

. Notable zoo in the city includes the Kaohsiung City Shousan Zoo.

Other

Kaohsiung is home to many

, such as

Jin-Zuan Night Market The Jin-Zuan Night Market () is a night market in Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Together with the adjacent Kaisyuan Night Market, they form the largest night market in Taiwan. History The night market was opened in July 2013. Feature ...

, Liuhe Night Market, Ruifeng Night Market, Zhonghua Street Night Market, and the Kaisyuan Night Market. Other attractions include the Cijin Tianhou Temple, Formosa Boulevard metro station, Dome of Light of Kaohsiung MRT's Formosa Boulevard Station, the Kaohsiung Mosque and the Tower of Light of Sanmin District. Wet market, Traditional "wet" markets have long been the source of meat, fish, and produce for many residents. With the arrival of Western-style supermarkets in the 1980s and 1990s, such markets have encountered fierce competition. In 1989, the global leader in hypermarkets, Carrefour, entered Asia, opening its first store in Kaohsiung. Due to the success of its Taiwan operation, the French retailer expanded throughout the country and Asia. Jean-Luc Chéreau, the general manager in Taiwan from 1993 to 1999, used this newfound understanding of Chinese culture and ways of doing business with Chinese customers to lead its China expansion starting in 1999. As of February 2020, Carrefour has opened 137 hypermarkets and supermarkets in Taiwan. Despite the fierce competition from "Westernized" supermarkets, Taiwan's traditional markets and mom-and-pop stores remain "one of the most popular retail formats for many Asian families when they purchase daily food items and basic household goods." Coffee cafes have become famous and numerous in the city. With the arrival of Western-style chains many new local cafes have opened in the recent years.

Languages

The majority of those living in Kaohsiung can communicate in both Taiwanese Hokkien and Standard Chinese, Mandarin. Some of the elderly who grew up during the Japanese colonization of Taiwan can communicate in Japanese, while most of the younger population have basic English skills. Since the spread of Standard Chinese after the Chinese Civil War, Nationalist Government retreated to Taiwan in 1949, Hakka Chinese and various Formosan languages are gradually no longer spoken with the new generation and many Formosan languages are therefore classified as Moribund language, moribund or endangered languages by the United Nations. Nowadays, only elder Hakka people mostly living in Meinong District, Meinong, Liouguei District, Liouguei, Shanlin District, Shanlin and Jiasian District, Jiasian districts can communicate in Hakka and elder Taiwanese aborigines living mostly in the rural districts of Namasia District, Namasia and Taoyuan can communicate with the aboriginal languages. The Taiwanese government has established special affairs committees for both the Aboriginals and the Hakkas to protect their language, culture, and minority rights.

Arts

The "Dome of Light" in the concourse of Formosa Boulevard Station of Kaohsiung MRT is one of the world's largest public glass works of art. The city also has the Urban Spotlight Arcade spanning along the street in Cianjin District. Acknowledged as the largest performance arts center under one roof in the world Weiwuying (National_Kaohsiung_Center_for_the_Arts, the National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts), opened in 2018. The center was designed by Mecanoo.

Religion

The religious population of Kaohsiung is mainly divided into five main religious groups: Buddhists, Taoists, Muslim and Christians (Catholics and Protestants). , Kaohsiung City has 1,481 temples, the second highest in Taiwan after Tainan. Kaohsiung also has 306 churches.

Buddhism

Buddhism is one of the major religions in Taiwan, with over 35% of Taiwan's population identifying as Buddhists. The same applies to Kaohsiung city. Kaohsiung also hosts the largest Buddhist temple in Taiwan, the Fo Guang Shan Monastery with its

. There are also other famous Buddhist temples such as

and Hong Fa Temple.

Taoism

Around 33% of the Taiwanese population are Taoists, making it the second largest religion of Taiwan. Most people who believe in Taoism also ascribe to Buddhism at the same time, as the differences and boundaries between the two religions are not always clear. Many residents of the area also worship the sea goddess known as Tian Shang Sheng Mu () or Mazu, who is variously syncretized as a Taoist immortal or embodiment of the bodhisattva Guanyin. Her temple on Cijin Island, Chi Jin Mazu Temple, is the oldest in the city, with its original bamboo-and-thatch structure first opened in 1673. The area surrounding it formed the center of the city's early settlement.. & There are also other prominent Taoist temples such as Fengshan Tiangong Temple, dedicated to the Jade Emperor, Cih Ji Palace, dedicated to Baosheng Dadi, Bao Sheng Da Di, Zhouzi Qingshui Temple, Qing Shui Temple, dedicated to Qingshui (monk), Qing Shui Zu Shi and Gushan Daitian Temple dedicated to Wang Ye worship.

Christianity

Christianity is a minority religion in Taiwan. It was first brought onto the island when the Dutch and Spanish colonized Taiwan during the 17th century, mostly to the aboriginals. Kaohsiung currently hosts around 56,000 Christians.

Islam

Besides the majority population of Buddhists and Taoists, Kaohsiung also includes a rather tiny population of Muslims. During the Chinese Civil War, some 20,000 Muslims, mostly soldiers and civil servants, fled

with the

government to Taiwan. During the 1980s, another few thousand Muslims from Myanmar and

, who are mostly descendants of Nationalist Chinese, Nationalist soldiers who fled Yunnan as a result of the communist takeover, migrated to Taiwan in search of a better life, resulting in an increase of Muslim population within the country. More recently, with the rise of Indonesian workers working in Taiwan, an estimated number of 88,000 Indonesian Muslims currently live in the country, in addition to the existing 53,000 Taiwanese Muslims. Combining all demographics, Taiwan hosts around 140,000 Muslims, with around 25,000 living in Kaohsiung. Kaohsiung Mosque is the largest mosque in Kaohsiung and the main gathering site of Muslims within the city. Fo Guang Shan.jpg, Foguangshan Temple 旗後天后宮.jpg, Cijing Tianhou Temple 玫瑰聖母主教座堂.JPG, Holy Rosary Cathedral, Kaohsiung, Holy Rosary Cathedral Kaohsiung Mosque.JPG, Kaohsiung Mosque

Politics

Government

Sometimes Kaohsiung used to be seen as the political opposite of Taipei. While northern Taiwan leans towards the Pan-Blue Coalition in the state-level elections, southern Taiwan, including Kaohsiung, leaned towards the Pan-Green Coalition since the late 1990s. Frank Hsieh of the Democratic Progressive Party was reelected twice as Mayor of Kaohsiung, where he was widely credited for transforming the city from an industrial sprawl into an attractive modern metropolis. Hsieh resigned from the office of mayor to take up the office of Premier of the Republic of China in 2005. The 2005–06 Taiwanese local elections, municipal election, held on 9 December 2006, resulted in a victory for the Democratic Progressive Party's candidate Chen Chu, the first elected female mayor of Special municipality of Taiwan, special municipality in Taiwan, defeating her

rival and former deputy mayor, Huang Jun-ying. As of 12 June 2020, the mayor of Kaohsiung City is Chen Chi-mai. File:Kaohsiung City Hall (Dec 2010).JPG, alt=Kaohsiung City Hall, Kaohsiung City Government – Sihwei Administration Center File:Fongshan Administration Center, Kaohsiung City Government 20140720.jpg, alt=Kaohsiung City Hall, Kaohsiung City Government – Fongshan Administration Center File:Hall of Kaohsiung City Council.JPG, Kaohsiung City Council File:高雄地方法院.JPG, Kaohsiung District Courts (Republic of China), District Court

Subdivisions

Kaohsiung is divided into 38

, three of which are mountain indigenous districts. There are a total of 651 Village (Taiwan), villages in which each village is subdivided into neighborhoods (鄰). There are 18,584 neighborhoods in Kaohsiung City. Lingya District, Lingya and Fongshan District, Fongshan districts are the administrative centers of the city while Lingya and Sinsing Districts are the two most densely populated districts of the city. Kaohsiung has the most numbers of districts among other Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipalities in Taiwan. :Note: There are several Romanization of Chinese in Taiwan, romanization systems used in Taiwan. This table contains both Hanyu Pinyin (the official standard of the Government of the Republic of China, central government), and Tongyong Pinyin (the official standard of the Kaohsiung City Government). The major order of districts referred to the code of administrative area.

Notable people

*Joe Alexander (1986–), Taiwanese-born American-Israeli basketball player *Eddy Chen (1992–), Taiwanese-Australian violinist and Member of TwoSet Violin *Lu Chen (magician), Lu Chen (1976), Taiwanese magician *Tony Sun (Chinese Name: 孫協志) Born: 20 February 1978 in Fengshan District - (leader of Taiwanese group, 5566) *Chen Yi-wei, Yi-wei Chen (1987–), Taiwanese soccer player *Wei-Yin Chen (1985–), Taiwanese baseball player *George Chou (1975–), Taiwanese racing driver *Tony Hwang (1964–), Taiwanese-American politician *Tzu-Wei Lin (1994–), Taiwanese baseball player *Yoshikazu Sunako (1932–2020), Japanese motorcycle racer and racing driver *Tai Tzu-ying, Tzu-ying Tai (1994–), Taiwanese badminton player *Wu Kuo-chu, Kuo-chu Wu (1970–2006), Taiwanese choreographer

Transportation

Port of Kaohsiung

A major port, through which pass most of Taiwan's marine imports and exports, is located in the city but is not managed by the city government. Instead, it is administered by Kaohsiung Port Authority, under the Ministry of Transportation. There is a push for Kaohsiung City to annex the Port of Kaohsiung to facilitate better regional planning. Also known as the "Harbour Capital" of Taiwan, Kaohsiung has always had a strong link with the ocean and maritime transportation. Ferries play a key role in everyday transportation, especially for transportation across the harbor. With five terminals and 23 berths, the ''Port of Kaohsiung'' is Taiwan's largest container port and the 13th largest in the world. In 2007 the port reached its handling capacity with a record trade volume of . A new container terminal is under construction, increasing future handling capacity by by 2013. Kaohsiung is one of the biggest ports in the world for importing Shark finning, shark fins, sold at high prices in the restaurants and shops of Taiwan and China. They are brought in from overseas and are placed out to dry in the sun on residential rooftops near the port.

Kaohsiung International Airport

Kaohsiung City is also home to Taiwan's second-largest international airport, the

, located in

near the city's center. It is one of the three major international airports of Taiwan, serving passengers of the entire southern and southeastern part of the country. However, the size of the airport is relatively small, with short runways compared to other major airports of Taiwan due to its age and its location near the city center, making it impossible for large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 to land at the airport. As a result, plans for work to begin on a new terminal is expected to start in 2023, and could handle up to 16.5 million passengers once complete.

Rapid transit

Kaohsiung MRT Train at World Games Station

Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit opened for service in March 2008. The MRT is made up of two lines with 37 stations covering a distance of . Two of Kaohsiung's MRT stations, Formosa Boulevard Station and Central Park metro station (Taiwan), Central Park Station, were ranked among the top 50 most beautiful subway systems in the world by Metrobits.org in 2011. In 2012, the two stations respectively are ranked as the 2nd and the 4th among the top 15 most beautiful subway stops in the world by BootsnAll.

Circular Light Rail

THSR Zuoying Station and TRA New Zuoying Station 20080712

The Circular Line (KMRT), Circular Light Rail Line (also known as the Kaohsiung LRT, Kaohsiung Tram) for Kaohsiung City is a light rail line. Construction of Phase 1, known as the Waterside Light Rail began in June 2013 and is in full operation since September 2017. To combat air pollution, usage of the light rail, as well as buses, was made free of charge for electronic ticket holders from December to February, when air pollution is at its peak.

Railway

The city is served by the Taiwan Railways Administration's West Coast line (Taiwan), Western Line and Pingtung Line. Kaohsiung Main Station is an underground station, replacing the old ground level station.

High Speed Railway

Since 2007, Taiwan High Speed Rail has served Kaohsiung via Zuoying HSR station. On January 4, 2023, the Pingtung HSR extension was approved by Premier Su Zhenchang, and the High Speed Rail extension was confirmed to bypass central Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung Main Station.

Sports

Kaohsiung is home to Taiwan's largest international-class stadium, the National Stadium (Kaohsiung), National Stadium, with a maximum capacity of 55,000 seats, as well as

. The city hosted the 2009 World Games at the National Stadium. Nearly 6,000 athletes, officials, coaches, referees and others from 103 countries participated in the 2009 Kaohsiung World Games. Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League has a professional baseball team, TSG Hawks, based in Kaohsiung. Kaohsiung also has two professional basketball teams, the Kaohsiung Aquas of the T1 League and the Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers of the P. League+. Kaohsiung was also home to the Kaohsiung Truth of the ASEAN Basketball League. They were the first team in the history of the league that was based outside Southeast Asia. The team folded in 2017. Other recent major sporting events held by Kaohsiung include: *2001 Asian Cycling Championships *2005 WPA World Nine-ball Championship *2011 AFC President's Cup *2013 World Modern Pentathlon Championships *2016 Asian Men's U20 Volleyball Championship *WTA Taiwan Open (2016) *2019 U-19 Asia Rugby Championship *Kaohsiung Fubon Marathon (held annually)

Education

Kaohsiung has a number of colleges and junior colleges offering training in commerce, education, maritime technology, medicine, modern languages, nursing, and technology, as well as various international schools and eight national military schools, including the three major military academies of the country, the Republic of China Military Academy, Republic of China Naval Academy and Republic of China Air Force Academy. Universities *I-Shou University *Kaohsiung Medical University *National Kaohsiung Normal University *National Sun Yat-sen University *National University of Kaohsiung Technical and vocational universities *Cheng Shiu University *Fooyin University *National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism *National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology *Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages High schools and junior high schools *The Affiliated Hospitality Senior High School of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism *The Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University *Cheng Yi Senior High School *Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School *Chung Shan Industrial & Commercial School *Chung-Hwa School of Arts *FUHWA Senior High School *Guoguang Laboratory School, National Sun Yat-sen University *Kao-Feng Vocational High School *Kaohsiung Dah Yung Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Chung-Cheng Industrial High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Chungshan Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Cianjhen Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Fu Cheng High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Gushan Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Haiching Vocational High School of Technology and Commerce *Kaohsiung Municipal Jhong-Jheng Senior High School, Kaohsiung Municipal Jhongjheng Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Industrial High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Vocational High School of Commerce *Kaohsiung Municipal Lujhu Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Nanzih Comprehensive Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Renwu Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Rueisiang High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Sanmin Home Economics & Commerce Vocational High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Sanmin Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Sinsing Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Tsoying Senior High School *Kaohsiung Municipal Hsin Chuang Senior High School *Lichih Senior High School *National FengHsin Senior High School, National Feng-Hsin Senior High School *National Fengshan Senior High School, National Feng-Shan Senior High School *National FongShan Senior Commercial & Industrial Vocational School *National Kangshan Agricultural & Industrial Vocational Senior High School *National Kangshan Senior High School *Saint Dominic's Catholic High School *Sansin High School of Commerce And Home Economics Kaohsiung *Shu-Te Home economics & Commercial High School *Sin-Guang Senior High School *Taiwan Kaohsiung St. Paul's High School International schools *Dominican International School Kaohsiung *I-Shou International School *Kaohsiung American School *Kivam Junior High School *Morrison Academy Kaohsiung Military schools * *Republic of China Air Force Academy * * * *Republic of China Military Academy *Republic of China Naval Academy (Note: The lists above are not comprehensive.)

Conferences and events

The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, built by the Kaohsiung City Government, was opened on 14 April 2014. It includes an exhibition space for 1,500 booths, and a convention hall for 2,000 people. The center hosted the Taiwan International Boat Show in May 2014. Another conference and event-related venue is the newly renovated International Convention Center Kaohsiung in 2013.

Sister cities and twin towns

There are three Consulates in Kaohsiung. American Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch Office, Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch Office, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Kaohsiung Office, -Taiwan Exchange Association Kaohsiung Office, Philippine Representative Office Kaohsiung Branch in Taiwan, Representative Office Kaohsiung Branch in Taiwan. Kaohsiung is twinned with the following locations. * Atlanta, Georgia, United States * Baltimore, Maryland, United States * Barranquilla, Colombia * Belize City, Belize * Brisbane, Queensland, Australia * Brooklyn, Brooklyn (New York), New York (state), New York, United States * Blantyre, Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi * Busan, South Korea * Cartago, Costa Rica, Cartago, Costa Rica * Cebu City, Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines * Cincinnati, Ohio, United States * Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States * Da Nang, Vietnam * Dallas, Texas, United States * Daegu, South Korea * Denver, Colorado, United States * Detroit, Michigan, United States * Dipolog, Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines * Durban, South Africa * Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany * George Town, Penang, Malaysia * Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States * Fort Worth, Texas, United States * Edmonton, Alberta, Canada * Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan * Houston, Texas, United States * Honolulu, Hawaii, United States * Indianapolis, Indiana, United States * Jacksonville, Florida, United States * Kansas City, Missouri, United States * Knoxville, Tennessee, United States * Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan * Little Rock, Arkansas, United States * Los Angeles, California, United States * Macon, Georgia, United States * Malé, Maldives * Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan * Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia * Miami, Florida, United States * Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States * Mobile, Alabama, United States * Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico * Nagoya, Aichi, Japan * Nashville, Tennessee, United States * New Orleans, Louisiana, United States * Orlando, Florida, United States * Oakland, California, United States * Panama City, Panama * Pensacola, Florida, United States * Plains, Georgia, United States * Portland, Oregon, United States * Rio de Janeiro, Brazil * Sacramento, California, United States * Saint Petersburg, Russia * San Antonio, Texas, United States * San Diego, California, United States * San Francisco, California, United States * Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States * Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia * Sydney, New South Wales, Australia * Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico * Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States * Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States * Pristina, Kosovo * Queens, New York City, United States * Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Explanatory notes

Words in native languages

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Kaohsiung, 1620s establishments in the Dutch Empire 1662 establishments in Asia Municipalities of Taiwan Populated places established by the Dutch East India Company Populated places established in 1662 Port cities and towns in Taiwan