Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern
TaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, facing the
Taiwan StraitThe Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named
Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the
Republic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan). On December 25, 2010, it merged with
Kaohsiung CountyKaohsiung County was a county in southern Taiwan that enclosed but did not include Kaohsiung City. On December 25, 2010, the county merged with Kaohsiung City to form a single special municipality.- Administration :-External links:*...
to form a larger municipality.
Kaohsiung is the second largest city in Taiwan, with a population around 2.9 million. It is a center for manufacturing, refining, shipbuilding, and other light and heavy industries. A major port, through which pass most of Taiwan's marine imports and exports, is located at the city but is not managed by the city government.
Kaohsiung International AirportKaohsiung International Airport , also known as Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport for the Siaogang District where it is located, is a medium-sized commercial airport located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan...
serving the city is the second largest airport in Taiwan. The
Port of KaohsiungThe Port of Kaohsiung is the largest harbor in Taiwan, handling approximately 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units worth of cargo in 2007. The port is located in southern Taiwan, adjacent to Kaohsiung City, surrounded by the city districts of Gushan, Yancheng, Lingya, Cianjhen, Siaogang, and...
is the largest harbor in Taiwan. Kaohsiung is the terminal of the
Sun Yat-sen FreewayNational Highway No. 1 is the first freeway in Taiwan. It begins in Keelung City at the intersection of Ziao 2nd Road and Jhong 4th Road and ends in Kaohsiung City at the intersection of Jhongshan 4th Road and Yugang Road, giving it a total length of 372.8 km...
. The city is served by the railway stations of Western Line and
Pingtung LineThe Pingtung Line is a line of the Taiwan Railway Administration. It is 61.3 km long, of which 20.9 km is double track. -History:This railroad was completed in 1941.It is electrified with two tracks from Kaohsiung to Pingtung....
.
Taiwan High Speed RailTaiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
connects it with Taipei City. The
Kaohsiung Mass Rapid TransitThe Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit System is a rapid transit system covering metropolitan Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Construction of the KMRT started in October 2001. The Red Line and the Orange Line opened on March 9 and September 14, 2008, respectively...
, the city's subway system, was launched in early 2008. Kaohsiung was the host city of the 2009 World Games, a multisport event primarily composed of sports not featured in the
Olympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. The city is also home to the
Republic of China NavyThe Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
.
History
Founded near the end of the 17th century, the village was known as Takau in the Hoklo language spoken by most of the early immigrants. The name originates from the
Makatao language of the local
aboriginal tribeTaiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
and translates as "bamboo forest". The
DutchThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
established
Fort ZeelandiaFort Zeelandia was a fortress built over ten years from 1624–1634 by the Dutch Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, in the town of Anping on the island of Formosa, present day Taiwan, during their 38-year rule over the western part of it...
in 1624 and defeated the local tribes in 1635. They called the place Tancoia. The Dutch were later expelled by the
Kingdom of TungningThe Kingdom of Tungning was a government that ruled Taiwan between 1661 and 1683. A pro-Ming Dynasty state, it was founded by Koxinga after the Ming government in mainland China was replaced by the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty...
government founded by Ming Dynasty loyalists of
KoxingaKoxinga is the customary Western spelling of the popular appellation of Zheng Chenggong , a military leader who was born in 1624 in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife and died in 1662 on the island of Formosa .A Ming loyalist and the arch commander of...
in 1662.
Zheng JingZheng Jing was a seventeenth century Chinese warlord and Ming Dynasty loyalist. He was the eldest son of Koxinga and grandson of pirate-merchant Zheng Zhilong. After the conquest of Taiwan in 1662 by his father, Zheng Jing controlled the military forces in Xiamen and Quemoy on his father's behalf...
, the son of Koxinga, renamed the village Wannian Zhou in 1664. The name was restored to Takau in the late 1670s, when the town expanded dramatically with immigrants from
mainland ChinaMainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. In 1684 the
Qing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
annexed
TaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and renamed the town Fengshan County , considering it a part of Taiwan Prefecture. It was first opened as a port during the 1680s.
In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as part of the
Treaty of ShimonosekiThe Treaty of Shimonoseki , known as the Treaty of Maguan in China, was signed at the Shunpanrō hall on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing Empire of China, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The peace conference took place from March 20 to April 17, 1895...
. It was during this period that the city's name was changed from 打狗 (Taiwanese:
Táⁿ-káu) to 高雄 (romaji:
Takao). While the sound remained more or less the same when pronounced in Japanese, the literal meaning of the name changed from "Beating Dog" to "High Hero". The Japanese developed Takao, especially the harbour. An important military base and industry center, the city was heavily bombed by Task Force 38 and FEAF during 1944–1945.
After control of Taiwan was handed to the
Republic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
in 1945, the official romanization of the city name came to be "Kao-hsiung", based on the Wade–Giles romanization of the Mandarin reading of the
kanjiKanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
name. Kaohsiung was upgraded to a special municipality on July 1, 1979, by the
Executive YuanThe Executive Yuan is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China , commonly known as "Taiwan".-Organization and structure:...
, which approved this proposal on November 19, 1978. The
Kaohsiung IncidentThe Kaohsiung Incident also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident or the Formosa Magazine incident was the result of pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on December 10, 1979....
took place in Kaohsiung on December 10, 1979.
Geography
The city sits on the southwestern coast of Taiwan facing the
Taiwan StraitThe Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
. The downtown areas are centered around Kaohsiung Harbor with the island of Qijin on the other side of the harbor acting as a natural
breakwaterBreakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
. The
Love RiverThe Love River or Ai River is a river 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 Thames of London. It is of great cultural significance to the...
(or 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 the coral mountains
Ape HillShoushan is the name of two mountains in Greater China.Shoushan is located on the eastern side of Xingcheng, Liaoning, China. It is open to the public for recreation. Visitors can hike to its summit...
, Shoushan and Banpingshan.
Climate
Kaohsiung is located south of the
Tropic of CancerThe Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
. The climate is tropical, specifically a
tropical wet and dry climateTropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
(
KoppenThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Aw), with average temperatures ranging from between 18.6 and 28.7 degrees Celsius, and average
humidityHumidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
between 60 and 81%. Average annual rainfall is approximately 1785 mm, focused primarily from June to August.
Politics
Government
Kaohsiung is sometimes seen as the political mirror image of Taipei. While northern Taiwan leans towards the
Pan-Blue CoalitionThe Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
in the state-level elections, southern Taiwan leaned towards the
Pan-Green CoalitionThe Pan-Green Coalition or Pan-Green Camp, is an informal political alliance of the Republic of China, commonly known as "Taiwan", consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party , Taiwan Solidarity Union , and the minor Taiwan Independence Party...
since late 1990s, and Kaohsiung is no exception.
Frank HsiehFrank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Republic of China. He was the mayor of Kaohsiung City until his appointment as President of the Executive Yuan by president Chen Shui-bian on February 1, 2005. He announced his resignation from the post of...
of the
Democratic Progressive PartyThe Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
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 ChinaThe President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of the Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...
in 2005. The last municipal election, held on December 9, 2006, resulted in a victory for the
Democratic Progressive PartyThe Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
's candidate
Chen Chu Chen Chu is a Taiwanese politician who is the current mayor of Kaohsiung. She was one of the "Kaohsiung Eight," prominent dissidents arrested after the Kaohsiung Incident in 1979...
, the first elected female mayor of special municipality in
TaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, defeating her
KuomintangThe Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
rival and former deputy mayor, Huang Chun-ying.
Subdivisions
Kaohsiung has 38 districts (區). Each district is divided up into villages (里), which are sub-divided into neighborhoods (鄰).
- Note: For the inconsistency of the rominization systems in Taiwan. This table was made in a sortable form, contains both Hanyu Pinyin (the official standard of the central government of ROC
The Republic of China was formally established by Dr. Sun Yat-sen in 1912 in Nanjing under the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China but this government was moved to Beijing in the same year and continued as the internationally recognized government of China until 1928. In the history...
), and Tongyong PinyinTongyong Pinyin was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China between 2002 and 2008. The system was unofficially used between 2000 and 2002, when a new romanization system for the Republic of China was being evaluated for adoption. The ROC's Ministry of Education...
(the official standard of the Kaohsiung City Government)http://www.fongshan.gov.tw/sub_indu.php?subkd=0306&mskd=1&msid=2011010701. The major order of districts referred to the code of administrative area. http://www.dgbas.gov.tw/public/Attachment/012241754371.pdf
| No. | Hanyu | Tongyong Tongyong Pinyin was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China between 2002 and 2008. The system was unofficially used between 2000 and 2002, when a new romanization system for the Republic of China was being evaluated for adoption. The ROC's Ministry of Education...
| ChineseChinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
|
Area
(km²) | No. of
villages | Population
(2010) |
| 1 |
Yancheng Yancheng District is the smallest district of Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. It is the least populous district of Kaohsiung since 2004. Yancheng district is also an old town of Kaohsiung.-Transportation:...
|
Yancheng |
鹽埕區 |
1.4161 |
21 |
27,651 |
| 2 |
Gushan Gushan District is an administrative district of Kaohsiung City, Republic of China in southern Taiwan.-Transportation:Gushan is serviced by the Siziwan Station of Orange Line and the Aozihdi Station of Red Line of the rapid transit....
|
Gushan |
鼓山區 |
14.7458 |
38 |
129,521 |
| 3 |
Zuoying Zuoying District is an administrative district of Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan.-History:Zuoying was established in the mid-seventeenth century as a military fortress, known as Old Fengshan . It is now the site of Tsoying Harbour, known formerly as Port Saei...
|
Zuoying |
左營區 |
19.3888 |
44 |
189,944 |
| 4 |
Nanzi |
Nanzih |
楠梓區 |
25.8276 |
37 |
171,906 |
| 5 |
Sanmin Sanmin District is a district of Kaohsiung city in southern Taiwan.-External links:*...
|
Sanmin |
三民區 |
19.7866 |
88 |
355,097 |
| 6 |
Xinxing |
Sinsing |
新興區 |
1.9764 |
32 |
55,744 |
| 7 |
Qianjin |
Cianjin |
前金區 |
1.8573 |
20 |
29,208 |
| 8 |
Lingya Lingya District is one of the districts of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is geometrically located in the center of Kaohsiung. The Tuntex Sky Tower and the Kaohsiung City Hall are located here...
|
Lingya |
苓雅區 |
8.1522 |
69 |
185,021 |
| 9 |
Qianzhen |
Cianjhen |
前鎮區 |
19.1207 |
61 |
199,951 |
| 10 |
Qijin |
Cijin |
旗津區 |
1.4639 |
13 |
29,975 |
| 11 |
Xiaogang |
Siaogang |
小港區 |
39.8573 |
38 |
153,896 |
| 12 |
Fengshan |
Fongshan |
鳳山區 |
26.7590 |
78 |
339,952 |
| 13 |
Linyuan |
Linyuan |
林園區 |
32.2860 |
24 |
70,770 |
| 14 |
Daliao |
Daliao |
大寮區 |
71.0400 |
25 |
109,257 |
| 15 |
Dashu |
Dashu |
大樹區 |
66.9811 |
18 |
44,230 |
| 16 |
Dashe |
Dashe |
大社區 |
26.5848 |
9 |
32,808 |
| 17 |
Renwu |
Renwu |
仁武區 |
36.0808 |
16 |
70,242 |
| 18 |
Niaosong |
Niaosong |
鳥松區 |
24.5927 |
7 |
42,135 |
| 19 |
Gangshan |
Gangshan |
岡山區 |
47.9421 |
33 |
97,095 |
| 20 |
Qiaotou |
Ciaotou |
橋頭區 |
25.9379 |
17 |
36,284 |
| 21 |
Yanchao |
Yanchao |
燕巢區 |
65.3950 |
11 |
31,059 |
| 22 |
Tianliao |
Tianliao |
田寮區 |
92.6802 |
10 |
8,325 |
| 23 |
Alian |
Alian |
阿蓮區 |
34.6164 |
12 |
30,613 |
| 24 |
Luzhu |
Lujhu |
路竹區 |
48.4348 |
20 |
54,137 |
| 25 |
Hunei |
Hunei |
湖內區 |
20.1615 |
14 |
28,697 |
| 26 |
Qieding |
Cieding |
茄萣區 |
15.7624 |
15 |
31,583 |
| 27 |
Yong'an |
Yong-an |
永安區 |
22.6141 |
6 |
14,253 |
| 28 |
Mituo |
Mituo |
彌陀區 |
14.7772 |
12 |
20,613 |
| 29 |
Ziguan |
Zihguan |
梓官區 |
11.5967 |
15 |
36,867 |
| 30 |
Qishan |
Cishan |
旗山區 |
94.6122 |
21 |
40,368 |
| 31 |
Meinong |
Meinong |
美濃區 |
120.0316 |
19 |
43,444 |
| 32 |
Liugui |
Liouguei |
六龜區 |
194.1584 |
12 |
15,354 |
| 33 |
Jiaxian |
Jiasian |
甲仙區 |
124.0340 |
7 |
7,616 |
| 34 |
Shanlin |
Shanlin |
杉林區 |
104.0036 |
7 |
11,102 |
| 35 |
Neimen |
Neimen |
內門區 |
95.6224 |
18 |
16,085 |
| 36 |
Maolin |
Maolin |
茂林區 |
194.0000 |
3 |
1,850 |
| 37 |
Taoyuan |
Taoyuan |
桃源區 |
928.9800 |
8 |
4,777 |
| 38 |
Namaxia |
Namasia |
那瑪夏區 |
252.9895 |
3 |
3,457 |
|
Administrative Divisions of Kaohsiung |
Two islands in the
South China SeaThe South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
are administered by Kaohsiung City as parts of Qijin District:
- Taiping (island)
- Dongsha Islands or Pratas Islands
The Pratas Islands or Dongsha Islands consists of three islands forming from an atoll located in northeastern South China Sea, southeast of Hong Kong. The islands are governed by the Republic of China . The People's Republic of China claims sovereignty over these islands along with all other...
Economy
Intensive settlement began in earnest in the late 17th century, when the place was known as Ch'i-hou. Opened in 1863 as a treaty port, subsidiary to the port of Anping farther north on the coast, Kaohsiung became a
customsCustoms is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
station in 1864 and then gradually became an important port for the southern Taiwan coastal plain.
Kaohsiung's real economic and strategic importance began under the Japanese occupation (1895–1945). The Japanese needed a good port in southern Taiwan to serve those designated areas that were to become a major source of raw materials and food for
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and Kaohsiung was chosen. It became the southern terminus of the main north-south railway line, and from 1904 to 1907 extensive harbor works were undertaken. In 1920 the port was given the name
Takao and the area became a municipality in 1920.
Before and during World War II 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, and extremely ambitious plans for the construction of a massive modern port were drawn up. At the same time, it handled a growing share of Taiwan's agricultural exports to Japan. Toward the end of the war, too, the Japanese promoted some industrial development at Kaohsiung, establishing an aluminum industry based on the abundant hydroelectric power produced by the Jih-Yueh Lake project in the mountains.
After it came under Chinese administration in 1945, Kaohsiung developed rapidly. The port, badly damaged in
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, was restored. It also became a fishing port for boats sailing to
PhilippineThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n waters. Largely because of its climate, Kaohsiung has overtaken
KeelungKeelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...
as Taiwan's major port.
Today as a major international
portA port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
and industrial city in the southwest of the country, Kaohsiung is the most rapidly developing urban center of Taiwan. With an area of 154 km
2, it has a large natural
harborA harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
, with the entrance in recent years being expanded, rock-excavated, and dredged.
As an
exportThe term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
ing center, Kaohsiung serves the rich agricultural interior of southern Taiwan, as well as the mountains of the southeast. Major
raw materialA raw material or feedstock is the basic material from which a product is manufactured or made, frequently used with an extended meaning. For example, the term is used to denote material that came from nature and is in an unprocessed or minimally processed state. Latex, iron ore, logs, and crude...
exports include
riceRice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
,
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
,
bananaBanana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s,
pineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
s,
peanutThe peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s (groundnuts), and citrus fruits. The 2,200 hectare
Linhai Industrial ParkLinhai Industrial Park is located in Siaogang District and Cianjhen District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It near the Kaohsiung International Airport, No. 5 Container Center of Port of Kaohsiung, and the terminal of National Highway No. 1. The Dalin Power Plant, a fossil fuel power plant, is located near...
, on the waterfront, was completed in the mid-1970s and includes a
steel millA steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
,
shipyardShipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
,
petrochemicalPetrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
complex, and other industries. The city has an
oil refineryAn oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
, aluminum and
cementIn the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
works,
fertilizerFertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
factories, sugar refineries, brick and tile works, and
saltIn chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
-manufacturing and
papermakingPapermaking is the process of making paper, a substance which is used universally today for writing and packaging.In papermaking a dilute suspension of fibres in water is drained through a screen, so that a mat of randomly interwoven fibres is laid down. Water is removed from this mat of fibres by...
plants. Designated an export-processing zone in the late 1970s, Kaohsiung has succeeded in attracting foreign investment to process locally purchased raw materials for export. There is also a large canning industry that processes both fruit and fish.
The ongoing Nansing Project is an ambitious plan to reclaim 250 hectares of land along the coast by 2011. The Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau plans to buy 49 hectares of the reclaimed land to establish a solar energy industrial district which would be in the harbor's free trade zone.
The GDP in nominal terms of the city of Kaohsiung is estimated to be around $45 billion US, and $90 billion for the metropolitan region. As of 2008, the GDP per capita in nominal terms of the city of Kaohsiung is approximately US$ 24,000.
Transportation
Port of Kaohsiung
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, and often play the role that buses do in other cities, especially for transportation across the harbour. With five terminals and 23 berths, the
Port of Kaohsiung is Taiwan's largest container port and the 6th 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.
The Port of Kaohsiung is not officially a part of Kaohsiung City, instead it is administrated by Kaohsiung Port Authority, under Ministry of Transportation. There is a push for Kaohsiung City to annex the Port of Kaohsiung in order to facilitate better regional planning.
Kaohsiung is one of the biggest ports in the world for importing
shark finsShark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discarding of the rest of the fish. Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers only have to transport the fins.Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored...
, 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 airport, the
Kaohsiung International AirportKaohsiung International Airport , also known as Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport for the Siaogang District where it is located, is a medium-sized commercial airport located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan...
, which is located in the Siaogang District in southern Kaohsiung City.
Rapid Transit
A new
metro systemA rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
, the
Kaohsiung Mass Rapid TransitThe Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit System is a rapid transit system covering metropolitan Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Construction of the KMRT started in October 2001. The Red Line and the Orange Line opened on March 9 and September 14, 2008, respectively...
opened for revenue service in March 2008. A
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line that circles central Kaohsiung City was also approved in 2007. In 2004, the Kaohsiung City Government and
SiemensSiemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
built a temporary two-station circular light rail line, along with one trainset, in Central Park, in order to demonstrate the feasibility of building a light rail system in Kaohsiung City. It was meant to alleviate some residents' concerns, such as producing excessive noise and hindering normal traffic flow, that light rail would negatively impact their surroundings. This Siemens Combino vehicle was later used as part of the defunct M>Tram network in
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, later transferring to
Yarra TramsYarra Trams is the trading name of the Melbourne tram network, which is fully owned and registered by the Victorian State Government. The current franchise is operated by a consortium named KDR Melbourne which consists of a partnership between French company Keolis and Australian company Downer EDI...
.
Railway
The city is served by the
Taiwan Railway AdministrationThe Taiwan Railway Administration is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of China responsible for managing, maintaining, and running passenger and freight service on 1097 km of conventional railroad lines in Taiwan...
's Western Line and
Pingtung LineThe Pingtung Line is a line of the Taiwan Railway Administration. It is 61.3 km long, of which 20.9 km is double track. -History:This railroad was completed in 1941.It is electrified with two tracks from Kaohsiung to Pingtung....
.
Taiwan High Speed RailTaiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
also serves Kaohsiung City via its new Zuoying Station in northern Kaohsiung City. Future plans include extending high speed rail to the new Kaohsiung Station in the city centre. The new Kaohsiung Station will be an underground station, replacing the current ground level station. Additionally, these two stations will also be served by
Red lineThe Red Line is the north-south mass transit line of the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the first mass transit line built in southern Taiwan, started construction on October 24, 2001 and opened for service on March 9, 2008 with a month-long free ride service to April...
of Kaohsiung Rapid Transit System when the line opened for revenue service in early 2008.
Attractions
- Love River
The Love River or Ai River is a river 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 Thames of London. It is of great cultural significance to the...
(愛河)
- Urban Spotlight Arcade
The Urban Spotlight Arcade in Kaohsiung spans from the roundabout of Wu-Fu 3rd Road and Chung-Hua Road to the intersection of Wu-Fu 3rd Road and Chung-Shan road. It is famous for its light decoration in the evening. The nearby shopping area attracts many fashion lovers and fun seekers.-External...
(城市光廊)
- Tuntex Sky Tower
Tuntex Sky Tower, or the T & C Tower or 85 SKYTOWER , is an 85-floor skyscraper located in Lingya District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The structure is high. An antenna pushes the building height to...
(東帝士85國際廣場)
- World Games Stadium
National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is currently the largest stadium in Taiwan in terms of capacity.Completed in 2009, it will be used mostly for athletics and rugby events, including hosting the main events for the 2009 World Games. The stadium will have a...
(世運會主場館)
- Liuhe Night Market (六合夜市)
- Zuoying
Zuoying District is an administrative district of Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan.-History:Zuoying was established in the mid-seventeenth century as a military fortress, known as Old Fengshan . It is now the site of Tsoying Harbour, known formerly as Port Saei...
's Lotus LakeLotus Lake is a man-made lake and popular tourist destination on the east side of Zuoying District in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. Opened in 1951, it is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions , the Dragon...
(左營蓮池潭)
- Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts is located in Gushan District , the northwestern district of Kaohsiung City in 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 and started in 1994...
(高雄市立美術館)
- Cihou Fort
Qihou Fort or Qihou Battery – 19th century fort, formerly guarding northern entrance to Kaohsiung harbour.- History :First fortifications were built in 1720, during Kangxi's reign. After Japanese expedition in 1874 Chinese authorities constructed a modern fort, which in 1880 had new Armstrong's...
(旗後砲台)
- Qijin Ferry (旗津渡輪)
- Old City of Zuoying (鳳山舊城)
- Chai Mountain (柴山)
- Ban Ping Mountain (半屏山)
- Shou Shan Zoo
Shou Shan Zoo is a zoo in Kaohsiung in Taiwan. It is located on the northern border of Shoushan Park in Gushan District and houses animals from Asia, Africa, America and Australia, such as lions, tigers, elephants, black bears and kangaroos ....
(壽山動物園)
- Former British Consulate at Takao
The British Consulate at Takao is a former British consulate built in 1865 in the city of Kaohsiung in south-west Taiwan and was the first western-style building built on the island. It has been designated as a 2nd Class Historic Site by the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior.Located in Gushan...
(前清英國領事館)
- Holy Rosary Cathedral (前金天主堂)
- National Science and Technology Museum
The National Science and Technology Museum is a museum of applied science and technology in Kaohsiung in southwest Taiwan.Established in November 1997, is covers 19 hectares on Chiuju Road in Sanmin District...
(國立科學工藝博物館)
- Kaohsiung Museum of History
Kaohsiung Museum of History is a museum located in Yancheng District in Kaohsiung and administered by the city government. The building of the museum was originally the Kaohsiung City Hall.-External links:*...
(高雄市立歷史博物館)
- Old Kaohsiung Railway Station (台鐵舊高雄車站)
- Siziwan Scenic Area (西子灣風景區)
- Kaohsiung Astronomical Museum
Kaohsiung Astronomical Museum is an astronomical museum in Kaohsiung in southwest Taiwan, established in 2000 . It is located near Kangho Elementary School in the suburbs of Siaogang District....
(高雄市立天文教育館)
- Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum
Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum is a cultural museum in Kaohsiung in southwest Taiwan.It is located in Sanmin Park in Sanmin District, and set in 2,645 m² of land it is dedicated to the Hakka culture, displaying artifacts. The building itself is modelled on traditional Chinese Hakka architecture...
(高雄市客家文物館)
- Chang-Gu World Trade Center
The Chang-Gu World Trade Center , also known as Grand 50 Tower, is a 222 meters tall skyscraper in Sanmin District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was completed in 1992 and was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners...
(長谷世貿大樓)
- Tower of Light (光之塔)
- Singuang Ferry Wharf (新光碼頭)
- True Love Ferry Pier (真愛碼頭)
- Kaohsiung Fisherman's Wharf
The Port of Kaohsiung is one of the top 10 great ports in the world. In the process of Taiwan's economy developing, it has played a very important role successfully. The Kaohsiung Fisherman's Wharf is originally the no.2 port of the port of Kaohsiung, and its previous function was exporting...
(高雄港漁人碼頭)
- Sinsing Night Market (新興夜市)
Education
Kaohsiung has a number of colleges and junior colleges offering training in commerce, education, maritime technology, medicine, modern languages, nursing, and technology.
- Kaohsiung Medical University
The Kaohsiung Medical University , originally known as Kaohsiung Medical College, is a private university located in Kaohsiung, Republic of China .-History:...
(高雄醫學大學)
- National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology is a national coeducational university in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is colloquially known as Gaokeda or Gaoxiongkeda...
(國立高雄第一科技大學)
- National Kaohsiung Normal University
The National Kaohsiung Normal University , founded in 1967, is a public university located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The university has two campuses—Ho-Ping and Yen-Chao...
(國立高雄師範大學)
- National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences
National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences is a university located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.-History:*In 1963, Taiwan Provincial Government assigned funds to establish the Provincial Kaohsiung Institute of Technology at its present location.*In the fall of 1963, the Institute opened its gates...
(國立高雄應用科技大學)
- National Kaohsiung Marine University
National Kaohsiung Marine University is a university in Kaohsiung, Taiwan....
(國立高雄海洋科技大學)
- National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism (國立高雄餐旅大學)
- National Sun Yat-sen University
The National Sun Yat-sen University is a public university located in Kaohsiung, Republic of China . The university is known as NSYSU ....
(國立中山大學)
- National University of Kaohsiung
National University of Kaohsiung is located in Nanzih , Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. The university is close to the Nanzih interchange of National Highway 1 and 30 minutes from the Kaohaiung train station.- History :...
(國立高雄大學)
- Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages
The Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages is the only college devoted to languages in Taiwan . It awards A.A., B.S., and B.A. degrees, and recently has started to offer a Master's degree program. Students from abroad can get a visa to study Chinese in Taiwan at Wenzao Ursuline, as it is one of the...
(文藻外語學院)
- Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School
The Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School is a high school in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The school recruits mostly male students in regular, except for music classes and gymnastic classes. It is near to the kaohsiung railway station...
(高雄市立高雄高級中學)
- Municipal Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School
Kaohsiung Municipal Girls' Senior High School is a prestigious, all-girls, Taiwanese high school located in Cianjin District within Kaohsiung City.-History:Japanese colonial period:o 1924：Founded officially.o 1928: The first graduation ceremony was held....
(高雄市立女子高級中學)
- Kaohsiung American School (高雄美國學校)
- I-Shou International School (義大國際高級中學)
Conferences
Kaohsiung hosted the
OECCThe OECC, established in 1996, is an annual conference which publishes proceedings and scientific research articles as a result of its conferences. OECC stands for the OptoElectronics and Communications Conference, which has conducted annual meetings since its establishment up to the present year...
(OptoElectronics and Communications Conference) in 2006 and is scheduled to host it again in 2011.
Sister cities and twin towns
Kaohsiung is
twinnedTwin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with the following locations.
BrisbaneThe City of Brisbane is the Local Government Area that has jurisdiction over the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, Australia
Belize CityBelize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, Belize
BarranquillaBarranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, Colombia
Cartago- See also :* Cartago Agrarian Union Party* Provincial Integration Party Three* Cartago in Spanish...
, Costa Rica
Hachiōji, Tokyois a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 551,901 and a population density of 2,962.27/km². The total area is 186.31 km². It is the eighth largest city in the...
, Japan
BlantyreBlantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
, Malawi
CebuThe City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
, Philippines
DurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
BusanBusan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
Colorado Springs, ColoradoColorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, United States Honolulu, United States
Knoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, United States
Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, United States
Macon, GeorgiaMacon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, United States Miami, United States
Mobile, AlabamaMobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, United States
Pensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, United States
Plains, GeorgiaPlains is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 776 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Notable people:...
, United States
Portland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States San Antonio, United States Seattle, United States
Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, United States
Da NangĐà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, Vietnam
See also
- Kaohsiung City Government
The Kaohsiung City Government is the top-tier local government administrative body of R.O.C. from December 2010. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of Kaohsiung .It replaced the earlier Kaohsiung County Government and Kaohsiung City Government which had covered a much bigger area...
- Kaohsiung City Council
The Kaohsiung City Council is the elected council of Kaohsiung City that the council is composed of 66 councillors elected from Single non-transferable votefor four-year terms. The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Council are chosen by fellow councilors through anonymous voting. All...
- Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
- List of cities in the Republic of China
- Administrative divisions of the Republic of China
External links