Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range 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.
Founded in the 17th century as a small trading village named Takau, the city has since grown into the political and economic center of southern Taiwan, with key industries such as manufacturing, steel-making, oil refining, freight transport and shipbuilding. It is classified as a "Sufficiency" level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network,
Kaohsiung is of strategic importance to the nation as the city is the main port city of Taiwan; the Port of Kaohsiung is the largest and busiest harbor in Taiwan and more than 67% of the nation's exports and imports container throughput goes through Kaohsiung.
Etymology
Hoklo people immigrants to the area during the 16th and 17th centuries called the region
Takau (). The surface meaning of the associated Chinese characters was "beat the dog". According to one theory, the name Takau originates from the aboriginal
Siraya language and translates as "bamboo forest". According to another theory, the name evolved via metathesis from the name of the
Makatao people 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 people tribe.
During the Dutch Formosa 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, founded by Ming loyalists of Koxinga. His son, Zheng Jing, 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 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 relates that "Takow" was already a well-known name in English.
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 romanization of the Mandarin Chinese pronunciation for 高雄.
The name Takau remains the official name of the city in Austronesian languages of Taiwan such as Rukai language, 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 people of the
Siraya people 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. Artifacts were found at Shoushan, Longquan Temple, Taoziyuan,
Zuoying District, Houjing, Fudingjin and Fengbitou. The prehistoric Dapenkeng, Niuchouzi,
Tahu Culture, and
Niaosung Culture 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 people 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 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, a member of Ming dynasty admiral Shen You-rong's expedition to rid the waters around Taiwan and Penghu 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 Formosa in 1624, after the Dutch East India Company was ejected from
Penghu by
Ming dynasty 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 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 District) by sail.
At the time, a wide shallow bay existed there, sufficient for small vessels. However, constant
Siltation 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 to Taiwan began due to famine in Fujian, 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 annexed Taiwan and renamed the town Fongshan County (), considering it a part of Taiwan Prefecture. It was first opened as a port during the 1680s and subsequently prospered fairly for generations.
Japanese rule
In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Administrative control of the city was moved from New Fongshan Castle to the Fongshan Sub-District of Tainan Chō. 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, districts were abolished in favor of prefectures. Thus the city was administered as under Takao Prefecture.
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.
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. 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 Hydroelectricity produced by the Sun Moon Lake project in the mountains.
The city was heavily bombed by Task Force 38 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 on 25 October 1945, Kaohsiung City and
Kaohsiung County were established as a provincial city and a county of
Taiwan Province respectively on 25 December 1945. The official romanization of the name came to be "Kaohsiung", based on the Wade–Giles romanization of the
Mandarin Chinese reading of the
kanji name.
[ What's in changing a name? Taiwan Journal Vol. XXVI No. 19 May 15, 2009 "...while name Kaohsiung is technically the Mandarin pronunciation of the Japanese written version of a Holo Taiwanese rendition of an old aboriginal name..."] Kaohsiung City then consisted of 10 districts, which were
Gushan District,
Lingya District (renamed "Lingya" in 1952),
Nanzih District, Cianjin, Cianjhen, Cijin,
Sanmin District, Sinsing, Yancheng, and
Zuoying District.
During this time, Kaohsiung developed rapidly. The port, badly damaged in World War II, was restored. It also became a fishing port for boats sailing to Filipino and Indonesian waters. Largely because of its climate, Kaohsiung overtook Keelung 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 with a total of 11 districts.
The Kaohsiung Incident, where the government suppressed a commemoration of International Human Rights Day, occurred on 10 December 1979. Since then, Kaohsiung gradually grew into a political center of the Pan-Green population of Taiwan, in opposition to Taipei where the majority population is Kuomintang supporters.
On 25 December 2010, Kaohsiung City merged with Kaohsiung County to form a larger special municipality with administrative centers in Lingya District and Fongshan District.
On 31 July 2014, a series of gas explosions occurred in the Cianjhen and 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, bordering
Tainan City to the northwest,
Chiayi and
Nantou County to the north,
Taitung County to its east and
Pingtung 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. The
Love River (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.
Climate
Located about a degree south of the Tropic of Cancer, Kaohsiung has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen
Aw), near to a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen
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 passing by the coast of southern Taiwan,[
]
The sea temperature of Kaohsiung Harbor remains above year-round,
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 and
Taichung, and a population density of 939.59 people per square kilometer.
[ Within the city, Fongshan District is the most populated district with a population of 359,519 people, while Sinsing District 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 Han Chinese. The Chinese are divided into 3 subgroups: Hoklo people, Hakka, and Waishengren. 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 of Kaohsiung, who belong to various ethnic groups that speak languages belonging to the Austronesian language family, live mostly in the mountain indigenous district such as Taoyuan or Namasia. The main indigenous groups in the city include the Bunun people, Rukai people, Saaroa people 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 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, with the other half being workers from other Southeast Asian countries, mainly from Vietnam, the Philippines or Thailand.
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 exports include rice, sugar, bananas, , peanuts (groundnuts) and . The Linhai Industrial Park, on the waterfront, was completed in the mid-1970s and includes a steel mill, shipyard, petrochemical complex, and other industries. The city has an oil refinery, aluminum and cement works, fertilizer factories, sugar refineries, brick and tile works, canning factories, salt-manufacturing factories, and papermaking 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 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, which continues to be the center of political debate.
Agriculture
The main agricultural crops in Kaohsiung are vegetables, fruits and rice with a total arable land of 473 km2, which accounts to 16% of the total area of the municipality. Kaohsiung has the highest production of guava, jujube and lychee in Taiwan. The main livestock are chicken, dairy cattle, deer, duck, goose, pigs and sheep. The total annual agricultural income in Kaohsiung is NT$24.15 billion.
Future investment
|
| + Investment inflow of returned-Taiwanese merchandisers from China due to US-China trade war.
! !! Numbers of merchants !! Investment amounts of money in billions NTD !! Jobs-created |
| 15000 |
| 10000 |
| 10000 |
| 7500 |
| 2650 |
| 600 |
Source: |
Culture
Tourism
Main landmarks of Kaohsiung city include the 85 Sky Tower, the Ferris wheel of the Kaohsiung Dream Mall, the Kaohsiung Arena and Port of Kaohsiung. The newly developed city is also known for having a large number of shopping streets, organized night markets and newly developed leisure parks such as the Pier-2 Art Center, E-DA Theme Park, Metropolitan Park, the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, and Taroko Park.
Natural attractions of the city include Shoushan (Monkey mountain), the Love River, Cijin Island, Sizihwan, the Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden and Yushan National Park at the northeastern tip of the city. The city also features various historical attractions such as the Old City of Zuoying, a historical town built during the early 17th century, the Former British Consulate at Takao 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 Central Mountain Range in the northeast and the warm South China Sea to the west and southwest. The year-round warm climate allows coral reefs to grow along the coasts around Kaohsiung Harbor, with Shoushan Mountain being a small mountain completely made up of coral reefs and calcium carbonate, while the mountainous districts in the northeast include Taiwan's highest mountain, Yushan. Other notable natural attractions include the Mount Banping, Lotus Pond, and Dongsha Atoll National Park, 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, Fengshan Longshan Temple, Former British Consulate at Takao, Former Dinglinzihbian Police Station, Meinong Cultural and Creative Center, Former Sanhe Bank, and the Kaohsiung Lighthouse, 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, Jiasian Petrified Fossil Museum, Kaohsiung Astronomical Museum, Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum, Kaohsiung Harbor Museum, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung Museum of History, Kaohsiung Museum of Labor, Kaohsiung Vision Museum, Meinong Hakka Culture Museum, National Science and Technology Museum, Republic of China Air Force Museum, Soya-Mixed Meat Museum, Taiwan Pineapple Museum, Taiwan Sugar Museum, Takao Railway Museum, Xiaolin Pingpu Cultural Museum and YM Museum of Marine Exploration Kaohsiung.
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, Siaogangshan Skywalk Park, Fo Guang Shan Monastery, the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Spring and Autumn Pavilions, the Love Pier, Singuang Ferry Wharf and Kaohsiung Fisherman's Wharf. Notable zoo in the city includes the Kaohsiung City Shousan Zoo.
Other
Kaohsiung is home to many night markets, such as Jin-Zuan Night Market, Liuhe Night Market, Ruifeng Night Market, Zhonghua Street Night Market, and the Kaisyuan Night Market. Other attractions include the Cijin Tianhou Temple, Dome of Light of Kaohsiung MRT's Formosa Boulevard Station, the Kaohsiung Mosque and the Tower of Light of Sanmin District.
Wet market 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.
Languages
The majority of those living in Kaohsiung can communicate in both Taiwanese Hokkien and Standard Chinese. 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 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 or endangered languages by the United Nations. Nowadays, only elder Hakka people mostly living in Meinong District, Liouguei, Shanlin District and Jiasian District districts can communicate in Hakka and elder Taiwanese aborigines living mostly in the rural districts of Namasia District 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.
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.
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 (天上聖母) 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, Qing Shui Temple, dedicated to 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 mainland China with the Kuomintang government to Taiwan.[ 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 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 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 in Taiwan, defeating her Kuomintang 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 Court
Subdivisions
Kaohsiung is divided into 38 districts, three of which are mountain indigenous districts.
- Note: There are several romanization systems used in Taiwan. This table contains both Hanyu Pinyin (the official standard of the central government),
|
| 64000010 | 1.42 | 16,843.66 | 27,399 | −4,894 |
| 64000020 | 14.75 | 9,573.42 | 131,728 | +8,764 |
| 64000030 | 19.38 | 10,210.37 | 191,991 | +4,962 |
| 64000040 | 25.83 | 7,287.69 | 173,053 | +19,724 |
| 64000050 | 19.79 | 17,156.54 | 354,022 | −22,158 |
| 64000060 | 1.98 | 25,775.76 | 55,287 | −5,792 |
| 64000070 | 1.86 | 14,466.67 | 28,859 | −1,826 |
| 64000080 | 8.15 | 20,714.85 | 183,948 | −20,169 |
| 64000090 | 19.12 | 9,809.62 | 199,144 | −18,911 |
| 64000100 | 1.46 | 19,225.34 | 29,968 | −3,667 |
| 64000110 | 45.44 | 3,474.93 | 154,548 | +494 |
| 64000120 | 26.76 | 13,456.95 | 341,120 | +15,277 |
| 64000130 | 32.29 | 2,155.40 | 70,512 | −2,184 |
| 64000140 | 71.04 | 1,580.60 | 108,984 | +2,946 |
| 64000150 | 66.98 | 628.28 | 43,955 | −3,450 |
| 64000160 | 26.58 | 1,294.96 | 32,941 | +748 |
| 64000170 | 36.08 | 2,489.05 | 72,202 | +24,806 |
| 64000180 | 24.59 | 1,826.96 | 42,595 | +1,873 |
| 64000190 | 47.94 | 2,026.49 | 97,102 | −1,569 |
| 64000200 | 25.94 | 1,477.33 | 36,415 | +5,073 |
| 64000210 | 65.40 | 453.72 | 30,790 | −2,013 |
| 64000220 | 92.68 | 75.92 | 8,214 | −1,665 |
| 64000230 | 34.62 | 823.45 | 30,383 | −2,918 |
| 64000240 | 48.43 | 1,077.60 | 53,791 | −3,395 |
| 64000250 | 20.16 | 1,474.26 | 28,827 | +802 |
| 64000260 | 15.76 | 1,905.52 | 31,433 | −2,141 |
| 64000270 | 22.61 | 608.85 | 14,301 | −446 |
| 64000280 | 14.78 | 1,287.21 | 20,433 | −2,102 |
| 64000290 | 11.60 | 3,081.12 | 36,726 | −1,913 |
| 64000300 | 94.61 | 383.54 | 39,873 | −5,483 |
| 64000310 | 120.03 | 325.69 | 42,993 | −5,877 |
| 64000320 | 194.16 | 64.99 | 14,833 | −3,102 |
| 64000330 | 124.03 | 47.77 | 7,228 | −1,644 |
| 64000340 | 104.00 | 112.13 | 11,842 | −872 |
| 64000350 | 95.62 | 148.34 | 15,951 | −2,693 |
| 64000360 | 194.00 | 10.01 | 1,874 | +19 |
| 64000370 | 928.98 | 4.58 | 4,817 | −568 |
| 64000380 | 252.99 | 12.44 | 3,401 | −238 |
Notable people
-
Joe Alexander (1986–), Taiwanese-born American-Israeli basketball player
-
Eddy Chen (1992–), Taiwanese-Australian violinist and Member of TwoSet Violin
-
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 (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 (1994–), Taiwanese badminton player
-
Wu Kuo-chu (1970–2006), Taiwanese choreographer
-
professor ting yang Liu( 劉廷揚教授 ）professor of kao hsiung normal University
-
Zhou,kuan zhan（ 周寬展 ）: writer and journalist
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.[
]
Kaohsiung is one of the biggest ports in the world for importing Shark finning, sold at high prices in the restaurants and shops of Taiwan and China.
Kaohsiung International Airport
Kaohsiung City is also home to Taiwan's second-largest international airport, the Kaohsiung International Airport, located in Siaogang District 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 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 Station, were ranked among the top 50 most beautiful subway systems in the world by Metrobits.org in 2011.
Circular Light Rail
The 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 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.
Sports
Kaohsiung is home to Taiwan's largest international-class stadium, the National Stadium, with a maximum capacity of 55,000 seats, as well as Kaohsiung Arena. 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
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
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Fooyin University
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National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism
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National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology
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Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages
High schools and junior high schools
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The Affiliated Hospitality Senior High School of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism
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The Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University
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Cheng Yi Senior High School
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Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School
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Chung Shan Industrial & Commercial School
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Chung-Hwa School of Arts
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FUHWA Senior High School
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Guoguang Laboratory School, National Sun Yat-sen University
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Kao-Feng Vocational High School
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Kaohsiung Dah Yung Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Chung-Cheng Industrial High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Chungshan Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Cianjhen Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Fu Cheng High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Gushan Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Haiching Vocational High School of Technology and Commerce
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Kaohsiung Municipal Jhongjheng Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Industrial High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Vocational High School of Commerce
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Kaohsiung Municipal Lujhu Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Nanzih Comprehensive Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Renwu Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Rueisiang High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Sanmin Home Economics & Commerce Vocational High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Sanmin Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Sinsing Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Tsoying Senior High School
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Kaohsiung Municipal Hsin Chuang Senior High School
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Lichih Senior High School
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National Feng-Hsin Senior High School
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National Feng-Shan Senior High School
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National FongShan Senior Commercial & Industrial Vocational School
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National Kangshan Agricultural & Industrial Vocational Senior High School
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National Kangshan Senior High School
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Saint Dominic's Catholic High School
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Sansin High School of Commerce And Home Economics Kaohsiung
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Shu-Te Home economics & Commercial High School
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Sin-Guang Senior High School
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Taiwan Kaohsiung St. Paul's High School
International schools
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Dominican International School Kaohsiung
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I-Shou International School
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Kaohsiung American School
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Kivam Junior High School
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Morrison Academy Kaohsiung
Military schools
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Republic of China Air Force Academy
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Republic of China Military Academy
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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.
Sister cities and twin towns
There are three Consulates in Kaohsiung. Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch Office, -Taiwan Exchange Association Kaohsiung Office, Representative Office Kaohsiung Branch in Taiwan.
Kaohsiung is twinned with the following locations.
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Atlanta, Georgia, United States
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Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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Barranquilla, Colombia
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Belize City, Belize
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Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Brooklyn, New York, United States
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Blantyre, Malawi
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Busan, South Korea
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Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Cartago, Costa Rica
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Cebu City, Central Visayas, Philippines
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Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
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Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
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Da Nang, Vietnam
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Dallas, Texas, United States
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Daegu, South Korea
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Denver, Colorado, United States
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Detroit, Michigan, United States
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Dipolog, Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines
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Durban, South Africa
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Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany
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George Town, Penang, Malaysia
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Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
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Fort Worth, Texas, United States
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Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan
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Houston, Texas, United States
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Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
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Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
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Jacksonville, Florida, United States
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Kansas City, Missouri, United States
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Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
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Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
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Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
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Los Angeles, California, United States
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Macon, Georgia, United States
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Malé, Maldives
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Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
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Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Miami, Florida, United States
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Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
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Mobile, Alabama, United States
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Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
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Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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Nashville, Tennessee, United States
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New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
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Orlando, Florida, United States
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Oakland, California, United States
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Panama City, Panama
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Pensacola, Florida, United States
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Plains, Georgia, United States
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Portland, Oregon, United States
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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Sacramento, California, United States
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Saint Petersburg, Russia
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San Antonio, Texas, United States
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San Diego, California, United States
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San Francisco, California, United States
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Seattle, Washington, United States
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Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
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Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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Pristina, Kosovo
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Queens, New York City, United States
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
See also
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Administrative divisions of Taiwan
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List of cities in Taiwan
Explanatory notes
Words in native languages
External links
