Taitung County

Taitung is a large place in Taiwan.

It sits by the sea on the east side.

It has a long coast. There is also a wide valley.

Some people call it the place behind the mountains.

Two small islands are part of it. These are Green Island and Orchid Island.

Many different groups of people live there. They have many special ways of life.

It is a very special part of the island.

Taitung is a large county in Taiwan.

It sits on the southeast coast. It is the third largest county on the island.

Some local people call it "Houshan." This name means "behind the mountains."

Taitung has a long coastline. The Huatung Valley runs through the north. The county also includes two islands. These are Green Island and Orchid Island.

Many people visit these islands for trips.

Many groups of people live here. These groups are called aboriginal ethnicities. There are seven different groups in Taitung. They include the Amis and the Paiwan. They also include the Bunun and the Rukai. They also include the Puyuma, the Kavalan, and the Yami. These cultures are a big part of daily life.

Taitung has many museums and art centers. You can also find many beautiful nature parks there.

Taitung County is a large and beautiful place in Taiwan.

It sits mainly along the southeastern coast of the island. This county is the third largest in all of Taiwan.

Some local people call it "Houshan," which means "behind the mountains." The county also includes two special islands in the sea. These are Green Island and Orchid Island. Taitung is known for having a very different feel than the crowded cities elsewhere. Its remote location helps keep the air and land clean.

The land in Taitung has many different shapes and parts. A long area called the Huatung Valley runs through the northern half. The coastline is very long and meets the ocean.

There are many types of towns in the county. You will find one city and two urban townships. There are also eight rural townships and five mountain indigenous townships. Because of the mountains, Taitung has a lot of high land. It has the second highest number of mountain indigenous townships in Taiwan.

Taitung has a long and changing history. In 1887, it was part of the Fujian-Taiwan Province. Later, it was known as Taitō Prefecture during Japanese rule. On 25 October 1945, Taiwan was handed over to the Republic of China.

A few months later, on 25 December 1945, Taitung became a county. Because mountains made it hard to reach, it was one of the last places settled by Han Chinese immigrants. This happened in the late 19th century.

Many different groups of people call Taitung home. There are seven aboriginal ethnicities living there. These include the Amis, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, and Yami.

In fact, Taitung has the largest aboriginal population of any county in Taiwan. This group makes up 35.5% of the people. Because these cultures stayed strong, they are still part of daily life. You can visit many places to learn about them. The National Museum of Prehistory and the Taitung Aboriginal Gallery are great examples.

Visitors can find many fun things to do in Taitung. You can explore the Baxian Caves or visit the Zhiben National Forest Recreation Area.

For art lovers, the Taitung Art Museum is a wonderful stop. If you want to travel, you can use the Taitung Airport or the railway lines. There are two main train lines that cross the county. You can also visit harbors like Chenggong Fish Harbor. Whether you like nature or history, there is much to discover here.

Taitung County is a major administrative division located on the southeastern coast of Taiwan.

It is the third largest county in the country, following Hualien County and Nantou County. The county territory consists of the mainland area and two significant islands: Green Island and Orchid Island. While the name translates to "Eastern Taiwan," many local residents refer to the area as "Houshan." This term means "behind the mountains" or "the back mountains."

The county seat is Taitung City, which serves as the center for local government.

The geography of the region is defined by its varied terrain and coastal access. A long coastline borders the Pacific Ocean, providing many harbors such as Chenggong Fish Harbor. In the northern half of the county, the Huatung Valley runs through the landscape. The area is divided into several distinct administrative types. These include one city, two urban townships, eight rural townships, and five mountain indigenous townships. Because of the mountainous terrain, Taitung has the second highest number of mountain indigenous townships in Taiwan, surpassed only by Pingtung County.

Taitung has a complex political and administrative history spanning several eras. In 1887, the area was established as Taitung Prefecture under the Fujian-Taiwan Province of the Qing dynasty.

During the period of Japanese rule, the region was administered as Taitō Prefecture. Following the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, the area underwent a transition. On 25 December 1945, Taitung was officially established as a county of Taiwan Province. After the streamlining of Taiwan Province in 1998, the county began to be governed directly by the Executive Yuan.

The physical isolation of Taitung has shaped its demographic and economic development. Because mountains separated the region from Taiwan's main population centers, it was one of the last areas colonized by Han Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century. This remoteness meant that Taitung remained an economic backwater throughout much of the 20th century. However, this isolation also served as a protective factor. It allowed the county to mostly escape the intense urbanization and pollution seen in the lowland areas of the island. Today, the population stands at 234,123 people, making it a relatively sparsely populated region.

Taitung is a vital center for indigenous culture in Taiwan. The county is home to seven different aboriginal ethnicities: the Amis, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, and Yami.

Indigenous people make up 35.5% of the total population. This is the largest proportion of aboriginal residents of any county or city in Taiwan. Because these groups were less affected by Han Chinese settlement, their cultures remain deeply integrated into everyday society. Visitors can explore this heritage at the National Museum of Prehistory or the Taitung Aboriginal Gallery.

The islands within the county have their own unique and sometimes difficult histories. Green Island once served as an infamous penal colony for political prisoners during the "White Terror" period. This occurred under the Chinese Nationalist (KMT) rule between 1947 and the end of martial law in 1987. Orchid Island is the home of the Tao people, who are closely related to the indigenous people of the northern Philippines. While Orchid Island is a major tourist attraction, it has also been the site of controversy. The government-operated Taiwan Power Company uses part of the island as a nuclear waste dump. To provide power to the area, the Lanyu Power Plant operates on the island with a capacity of 6.5 MW.

Travel and infrastructure connect this remote region to the rest of Taiwan. The county is served by the Taitung Airport on the mainland, as well as airports on Green Island and Orchid Island.

For land travel, two major railway lines cross the county: the South-Link Line and the Hualien–Taitung Line. These lines include several stations such as Chishang, Taitung, and Zhiben. The region also offers many natural and cultural sites for exploration. These include the Baxian Caves, the Zhiben National Forest Recreation Area, and the Luye Jinja.

From the coast to the mountains, Taitung remains a diverse and culturally rich part of the island.