Nickname | Port Edge 港仔墘 (pinyin: Gǎngzaǐqián) |
Region | Southern Kaohsiung |
Supervisor | Tsai Shuen-an(蔡順安) (Acting) |
Area | 39.8753 km² |
Population (April 2006) | |
- Population | 150,354 |
Village | 43 |
Neighborhood | 729 |
Website | Trad. Chinese |
Siaogang District (Chinese: 小港區; pinyin: Xiǎogāng Qū; Wade–Giles: Hsiao-kang Ch'ü; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Sió-káng-khu) is the southern-most district of Kaohsiung City, Republic of China in southern Taiwan. The second largest airport in Taiwan, Kaohsiung International Airport, is located here.
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Siaogang was developed during Dutch occupation. The Dutch built Hongmao harbor as an addition to Anping Harbor in Tainan. After losing the war against Koxinga, the Dutch left Taiwan. Koxinga decided to develop Taiwan as the base to revive the Ming Dynasty and prepare his troops for fighting the Qing Dynasty. He sent one of his men, Wu Yanshang, to expand Siaogang. After Koxinga, his son, and his grandson died, the Qing Dynasty quickly defeated the Ming remnants and annexed Taiwan. In 1895, the Qing Dynasty ceded Taiwan to Japan in the Treaty of Shimonoseki after losing the First Sino-Japanese War, and Siaogang was used to produce sugar for Japanese.
As a heavy industry base in Taiwan during World War II, Siaogang was more heavily bombed by the Allied force than other parts of the city. After the war, Siaogang was administrated as "Siaogang Township" of Kaohsiung County, a third-level government of the Republic of China, under Taiwan Province. Siaogang was annexed by Kaohsiung City and become "Siaogang District" on July 1, 1979, when Kaohsiung City became a Central Municipality.
Siaogang is located in the southern part of Kaohsiung. It borders Qianzhen District to the north, Daliao Township to the east, Linyuan Township to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the west.
As far as the industry of Taiwan is concerned, Siaogang is one of the most important regions for the shipbuilding and steel industries. During the 1970s, the government spent 5 years carrying out Ten Major Construction Projects. Two companies resulting from the projects are based here: China Steel and CSBC Corporation, Taiwan. CPC Corporation, Taiwan also a part of the ten projects, has a major oil refinery facility located here. With the proximity of Kaohsiung Harbor, the products of these companies are exported worldwide. These products are also transported throughout the island via National Highway No. 1 (Taiwan), which terminates on the northern border of the district.
The only tourist attraction in Siaogang is the "Kao" Tower. The name comes from its shape: it is built in the shape of Chinese character "高" (pronounced "Gao", meaning high, tall). It was once a lighthouse. After the building of second harbor of Kaohsiung, it was renewed and became a tourist attraction. The shape of the building is not only a Chinese character but also represent the spirit of Kaohsiung.
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