Taoyuan, Taiwan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taoyuan City
桃園市
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Special municipality
|
|||
|
Clockwise from top: Taoyuan District skyline, Taoyuan International Airport, Daxi Old Street, Lala Mountain, Guanxin Algal Reefs, Shihmen Reservoir, Taoyuan HSR station
|
|||
|
|||
 |
|||
| Country |  Republic of China (Taiwan) |
||
| Seat | Taoyuan District | ||
| Districts |
13
|
||
| Government | |||
| • Body |
|
||
| Area | |||
| • Special municipality | 1,220.95 km2 (471.41 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 1,140 km2 (440 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 14 of 22 | ||
| Population
(March 2023)
|
|||
| • Special municipality | 2,293,509 | ||
| • Rank | 5 of 22 | ||
| • Density | 1,878.463/km2 (4,865.196/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 8,535,000 | ||
| • Urban density | 7,490/km2 (19,390/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+8 (National Standard Time) | ||
| Postal code |
320-338
|
||
| ISO 3166 code | TW-TAO | ||
| Bird | Formosan blue magpie (Urocissa caerulea) | ||
| Flower | Peach blossom | ||
| Tree | Peach tree | ||
).jpg)
.jpg)
| Taoyuan City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 桃園市 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 桃园市 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taoyuan is a big city in northwestern Taiwan. It is next to New Taipei City, Yilan County, and Hsinchu County. Taoyuan District is where the city's government is located. This district, along with Zhongli District, forms a large city area.
Taoyuan used to be a smaller city near Taipei. Now, it's the fourth-largest city area and the fifth-most populated city in Taiwan. The name "Taoyuan" means "peach garden" in Chinese. This is because the area used to have many peach trees. Taoyuan became a special municipality in 2014.
Taoyuan City has many industrial parks and offices for tech companies. It's close to Taipei, and living costs are lower here. Because of this, Taoyuan has grown faster than any other city in Taiwan recently. Many foreign workers, especially from Southeast Asia, live here. They work in factories or as caregivers. Taoyuan International Airport, which serves Taipei and northern Taiwan, is also in this city.
Contents
History of Taoyuan City
Early Beginnings
Long ago, the Taoyuan area was home to the Taiwanese plains aborigines. The Ketagalan people lived in a place called Nankan. For a long time, there wasn't much farming or industry here.
During the time of the Qing Dynasty, people from China started moving to Taoyuan. They came to develop and farm the land. They planted many peach trees. When these trees bloomed in spring, they were so beautiful that people called the area Toahong, which means "peach orchard."
Japanese Era
In 1901, during the time of Japanese rule, a local office was set up in the area. It was first called Toshien Chō and then Tōen Chō in 1905. Later, in 1920, the Tōen area became part of Shinchiku Prefecture.
During this time, Taoyuan grew into a city with many different cultures. For example, temples and places like the Taoyuan Martyrs Shrine showed the cultural systems. The Butokuden buildings were used for military training. The old Taoyuan City Office was a symbol of the political system.
Modern Taoyuan
After Japan left, the Taoyuan area became part of Hsinchu County. In 1950, Taoyuan County was created as its own area. On April 21, 1971, Taoyuan City became the main town of Taoyuan County.
In 2009, the government decided to make Taoyuan a special municipality. This change happened on December 25, 2014. Taoyuan County officially became the special municipality of Taoyuan City.
Geography and Climate
Where is Taoyuan?
Taoyuan is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Taipei. It covers an area of 1,220 square kilometers (471 square miles). The city has low plains, mountains, and plateaus. It stretches from the Xueshan Range in the southeast to the shores of the Taiwan Strait in the northwest.
The Taoyuan Plateau has many ponds used for irrigation. This is why Taoyuan is sometimes called the "Thousand-pond Township."
Taoyuan's Weather
Taoyuan has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has mild to warm winters and hot summers. This weather is common in northern Taiwan.
| Climate data for Taoyuan (Taoyuan District) (2008–2020 normals, extremes 2008–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 28.8 (83.8) |
30.2 (86.4) |
32.6 (90.7) |
34.8 (94.6) |
36.3 (97.3) |
38.1 (100.6) |
39.0 (102.2) |
39.2 (102.6) |
39.8 (103.6) |
36.1 (97.0) |
32.9 (91.2) |
29.8 (85.6) |
39.8 (103.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 19.2 (66.6) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.2 (72.0) |
26.1 (79.0) |
29.7 (85.5) |
32.5 (90.5) |
34.6 (94.3) |
34.1 (93.4) |
32.3 (90.1) |
28.0 (82.4) |
24.8 (76.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
27.0 (80.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.2 (64.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
23.9 (75.0) |
28.3 (82.9) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
27.9 (82.2) |
24.4 (75.9) |
21.6 (70.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
25.0 (77.0) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.3 (79.3) |
24.9 (76.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
19.0 (66.2) |
14.8 (58.6) |
20.1 (68.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.7 (45.9) |
7.5 (45.5) |
13.5 (56.3) |
18.1 (64.6) |
21.5 (70.7) |
22.6 (72.7) |
16.4 (61.5) |
12.5 (54.5) |
7.8 (46.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
2.9 (37.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 88.6 (3.49) |
152.2 (5.99) |
155.6 (6.13) |
147.4 (5.80) |
214.0 (8.43) |
277.4 (10.92) |
135.9 (5.35) |
227.0 (8.94) |
167.6 (6.60) |
101.0 (3.98) |
64.1 (2.52) |
84.2 (3.31) |
1,815 (71.46) |
| Average precipitation days | 12.1 | 12.3 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 12.2 | 11.9 | 8.1 | 11.4 | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.6 | 11.2 | 134.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76.6 | 78.9 | 75.6 | 73.8 | 74.7 | 73.5 | 67.8 | 70.8 | 70.9 | 73.5 | 75.9 | 76.8 | 74.1 |
| Source 1: Central Weather Administration | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Atmospheric Science Research and Application Databank (precipitation 1991–2020, precipitation days and humidity 2000–2024) | |||||||||||||
People and Cultures
.png)
Taoyuan is home to many different groups of people.
Han Chinese Groups
Hoklo People
Like most cities in Taiwan, the Minnan people (also called Hoklos) are a large group in Taoyuan. Many of them live in the northern parts of the city. This includes the city center and districts like Bade, Daxi, Dayuan, Guishan, and Luzhu.
Hakka People
The Hakka are the second-largest group in Taoyuan. Many Hakka farmers live in the southern parts of the city. These areas include Zhongli, Pingzhen, Yangmei, Longtan, Guanyin, and Xinwu. Taoyuan has the largest Hakka population in all of Taiwan, with over 785,000 Hakka people.
Waishengren People
After the Chinese Civil War in 1949, many people from mainland China moved to Taoyuan. Most of them settled in special villages built for military families in Zhongli, Pingzhen, and Guishan. The Longgang area is famous for its immigrants from Yunnan, a region in China. You can find many Yunnan-style restaurants there.
Indigenous Peoples
Most of Taiwan's Taiwanese indigenous peoples in Taoyuan live in Fuxing District. Many of them belong to the Atayal people. Fuxing District is the only part of Taoyuan with a significant indigenous population.
Economy and Industry
Taoyuan is a leading city in Taiwan for industry and technology. Many high-tech companies have factories or offices here. These include famous names like Quanta, MiTAC, HTC, and AU Optronics. Taoyuan has become a major center for making electronics and semiconductors.
Over 200 of Taiwan's top 500 manufacturing companies have factories in Taoyuan. The city has been number one in industrial output for nine years in a row.
There are 29 registered industrial areas in Taoyuan. These areas have a lot of land for factories and businesses. This shows that Taoyuan's growth is strongly based on industry and trade.
Big airlines also have their main offices here. China Airlines, Taiwan's national airline, moved its headquarters to Dayuan District in Taoyuan. EVA Air also has its main office in Luzhu District.
In 2016, the Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency (ASVDA) opened in northern Taoyuan City. This agency helps new ideas grow and aims to make Taiwan a global center for the Internet of Things (IoT). It also works to attract top technology talent.
Fun Places to Visit
Taoyuan has many interesting places to explore, from old streets to beautiful nature.
Historical Sites
- Daxi Old Street
- This is a very famous old street in Taiwan. It used to be a busy place for trading camphor and tea. The buildings have beautiful Baroque-style designs. You can also visit the Daxi Wood Art Ecomuseum here. It includes buildings like the Daxi Butokuden and Lee Teng-fan's Ancient Residence.
- Furen Temple
- Furen Temple was built in 1813. It is dedicated to Kai Zhang Sheng Wang and is located on Daxi Old Street.
- Tianhou Temple
- Tianhou Temple was built in 1826 in Xinwu District. In 2002, a huge bronze statue of Goddess Mazu was built here. It is the second-tallest Mazu statue in Taiwan.
- Taoyuan Martyrs' Shrine
- The Taoyuan Martyrs' Shrine is one of the best-preserved Shinto shrines outside of Japan.
Nature Attractions
- Shimen Reservoir
- Shihmen Reservoir is one of Taiwan's most important reservoirs. It was once the largest water project in Southeast Asia. You can find restaurants nearby that serve fresh fish from the reservoir. There's also a 3-kilometer (1.9-mile) bikeway around the back pond. This reservoir provides almost all the water for Taoyuan and parts of New Taipei City.
- Lala Mountain
- Lala Mountain is a "natural protection zone" in Taiwan. It has very old "divine trees" that are between 500 and 2,800 years old. One tree, called the "No. 5 Divine Tree," is even older than Confucius!
Museums and Art Centers
- Taoyuan Arts Center
- The Taoyuan Arts Center is the main place for performances in Taoyuan. It is located in the Taoyuan Zhongzheng Arts and Cultural Business District.
- Hengshan Calligraphy Art Center
- The Hengshan Calligraphy Art Center is Taiwan's first official art museum focused on calligraphy (the art of beautiful writing).
Other Fun Places
- Cihu Mausoleum
- Cihu Mausoleum is the final resting place of Chiang Kai-shek, a former president of the Republic of China.
- Window on China Theme Park
- The Window on China Theme Park is one of Taiwan's oldest theme parks, opened in 1984. It has three areas: Mini World, Water Park, and Amusement Park. The park is famous for its many small models of famous landmarks from around the world.
- Longgang Mosque
- The Longgang Mosque in Zhongli District is Taiwan's fifth mosque. It was built in 1967 for the many Taiwanese Muslims in the area.
- Taoyuan Aquarium Xpark
- Xpark is a public aquarium run by Yokohama Hakkeijima. Its "Formosa" tank, which shows Taiwan's sea life, is very popular.
-
Shihmen Reservoir
-
Cihu Mausoleum of Chiang Kai-shek
Administrative Divisions
Taoyuan City is divided into 12 regular districts and 1 mountain indigenous district. The city government is located in Taoyuan District.
| Type | Name | Chinese | Taiwanese | Hakka | Formosan | Area (km2) | Population (March 2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Bade | 八德區 | Pat-tek | Pat-tet | 33.71 | 210,857 | |
| Daxi | 大溪區 | Tāi-khe | Thai-hâi | 105.14 | 94,549 | ||
| Dayuan | 大園區 | Tōa-hn̂g | Thai-yèn | 87.39 | 86,026 | ||
| Guanyin | 觀音區 | Koan-im | Kôn-yîm | 87.98 | 73,443 | ||
| Guishan | 龜山區 | Ku-soaⁿ | Kuî-sân | 72.01 | 174,258 | ||
| Longtan | 龍潭區 | Liông-thâm | Liùng-thâm | 75.23 | 125,446 | ||
| Luzhu | 蘆竹區 | Lô·-tek | Lù-tsuk | 75.50 | 167,729 | ||
| Pingzhen | 平鎮區 | Pêng-tìn | Phìn-tsṳ́n | 47.75 | 228,513 | ||
| Taoyuan | 桃園區 | Thô-hn̂g | Thò-yèn | 34.80 | 465,606 | ||
| Xinwu | 新屋區 | Sin-ok | Sîn-vuk | 85.02 | 49,282 | ||
| Yangmei | 楊梅區 | Iûⁿ-mûi | Yông-muì | 89.12 | 178,385 | ||
| Zhongli | 中壢區 | Tiong-le̍k | Chûng-la̍k | 76.52 | 426,326 | ||
| Mountain indigenous district |
Fuxing | 復興區 | Ho̍k-heng | Fu̍k-hîn | PyasanAtayal | 350.78 | 13,089 |
The colors in the table show which areas commonly speak Hakka and Formosan languages.
Learning and Education
_NDU_side_gate_on_Shingfeng_Road.jpg)
Taoyuan has many universities and schools.
Universities in Taoyuan
- Central Police University
- National Central University
- National Defense University
- National Taiwan Sport University
- Chang Gung University
- Chung Yuan Christian University
- Kainan University
- Yuan Ze University
Technical and Vocational Schools
- Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology
- Lunghwa University of Science and Technology
- Vanung University
High Schools
Taoyuan has many public high schools, including:
- The Affiliated Jhongli Senior High School of National Central University
- Taoyuan Municipal Nei Li Senior High School
- Taoyuan Municipal Taoyuan Senior High School
- Taoyuan Municipal Wu-Ling Senior High School
- Taoyuan Municipal Yung-Feng High School
International Schools
- Taoyuan American School
Taoyuan Main Public Library
.jpg)
The Taoyuan Main Public Library is the biggest library in the city. It is located in the Taoyuan Zhongzheng Arts and Cultural Business District. The new library building opened in December 2022. It was designed by T.C.K. Architect Engineer Planner and Azusa Sekkei. It is the largest local public library in Taiwan.
Sports in Taoyuan
Taoyuan is a city that loves sports!
Professional Sports Teams
The Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium is home to the Rakuten Monkeys. They are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Taoyuan also has two professional basketball teams: the Taoyuan Leopards and the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots.
Sports Venues
The Taoyuan County Stadium was built in 1993. It is used mostly for football games and has a running track. It can hold 30,000 people. The Taoyuan Arena, also built in 1993, is an indoor sports center. It can hold 15,000 people and hosts events like basketball and volleyball.
Famous Athletes
Taoyuan is the hometown of famous athletes like professional golfer Yani Tseng and taekwondo athlete Chu Mu-Yen.
Major Sporting Events
Taoyuan has hosted many big sports events, such as:
- 2004 Asian Karate Championships
- 2011 BWF World Junior Championships
- 2015 Asia Pacific Deaf Games
- 2015 WBSC Premier12 (baseball tournament)
- 2018 World Taekwondo Grand Prix
- 2019 WBSC Premier12 (baseball tournament)
- 2019 Asian Airgun Championships
Getting Around Taoyuan
Taoyuan has many ways to travel, making it easy to get around.
Trains
Taiwan has a regular train service called Taiwan Railways Administration. The Western Line connects many stations in Taoyuan. The Taiwan High Speed Rail also has a station in Taoyuan. The Taoyuan Station is in the Qingpu area of Zhongli District.
Taoyuan Metro System
Taoyuan has its own rapid transit system called Taoyuan Metro. It started operating in April 2017.
- Lines and stations of the Taoyuan MRT System:
| Line | Termini | Length (km) | Total Length (km) |
Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taoyuan Airport MRT | Taipei | Huanbei | 51.03 | 53.09 | In operation | ||
| Huanbei | Zhongli | 2.06 | Under construction | ||||
| Zhongli | Zhongli Sports Park | TBD | Planning | ||||
| Green | Main Line | Bade | Kengkou | 27.8 | 39.33 | Under construction | |
| Hengshan | |||||||
| Zhongli Extension | Bade | Zhongli Sports Park | 7.2 | Planning | |||
| Daxi Extension | Bade | Puding | 4.33 | Planning | |||
| Orange | Taoyuan-Pingzhen Line | Taoyuan Arena | TBD | 21 | 29 | Planning | |
| Pingzhen-Longtan Line | TBD | Longtan | 8 | Planning | |||
| Brown | Main Line | Taoyuan | Huilong | 11.38 | 15.28 | Planning | |
| Urban Extension | Taoyuan | Zhonglu | 3.9 | Planning | |||
| New Taipei Metro: Sanying Line |
Dingpu | Yingtao Fude | 14.29 | 18.17 | Under Construction | ||
| Yingtao Fude | Da'nan | 3.88 | Planning | ||||
Roads and Buses
Major highways like National Highway No. 1 and 3 are close by. National Highway No. 2 connects directly to Taoyuan International Airport. The Luofu Bridge is also in the city. You can also travel around Taoyuan using the local bus companies.
Air Travel
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is in Dayuan District. It is the largest airport in Taiwan. It serves as the main international hub for China Airlines and EVA Air. In 2010, over 25 million passengers used the airport. It is one of the busiest airports in the world for air cargo and international passenger traffic. The airport has two terminals, and a third terminal is being built.
International Connections
Sister Cities
Taoyuan City has special relationships with other cities around the world. These are called "sister cities."
Miaoli City, Taiwan (2006)
Incheon, South Korea (2009)
Narita, Chiba, Japan (2016)
Ramat Gan, Israel (2016)
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (2017)
Grenoble, France (2018)- Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan (2018)
Aur Atoll, Marshall Islands (2018)
Long Beach, California, United States (2022)
Sister Counties
Taoyuan also has "sister county" relationships with counties in the United States.
- Alameda County, California, United States (1977)
- Hartford County, Connecticut, United States (1982)
- Dallas County, Texas, United States (2007)
See also
In Spanish: Taoyuan para niños
