Yunlin County

Yunlin County
雲林縣
County

Top:Shiluo Bridge and Choushui River, Second left:Chaotian Temple in Peigang, Second right:Shinqi Memorial Museum, Third left:Caolin in Tongluo, Third right:Erlun Memorial Museum, Bottom:Dounan Railroad Station

Flag

Coat of arms
Coordinates: 23°42′18″N 120°28′34″E / 23.70489°N 120.47607°E / 23.70489; 120.47607Coordinates: 23°42′18″N 120°28′34″E / 23.70489°N 120.47607°E / 23.70489; 120.47607
Country Republic of China (Taiwan)
Region Western Taiwan
Seat Douliu City
Largest city Douliu City
Boroughs 1 cities, 19 (5 urban, 14 rural) townships
Government
  County Magistrate Lee Chin-yung (DPP)
Area
  Total 1,290.84 km2 (498.40 sq mi)
Area rank 13 of 22
Population (Dec. 2014)
  Total 705,356
  Rank 12 of 22
  Density 550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zone National Standard Time (UTC+8)
Website www.yunlin.gov.tw
Symbols
Bird Formosan blue magpie (Urocissa caerulea)
Flower Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis)
Tree Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Yunlin County
Traditional Chinese 雲林縣

Yunlin County (Chinese: 雲林縣; pinyin: Yúnlín Xiàn) is a county in western Taiwan. It is located east of the Taiwan Strait, west of Nantou County, and is separated from Changhua County by the Zhuoshui River and from Chiayi County by the Beigang River. Yunlin is part of the Chianan Plain, a flat land known for its agriculture. Agricultural products of Yunlin County include pomelo, tea leaves, suan cai, papaya and muskmelon. Yunlin's rivers give it potential for hydroelectricity. Douliu is the largest and capital city of Yunlin. Yunlin is one of the least developed counties on the West coast, and suffers from emigration.

History

Dutch Formosa

During the Dutch Formosa era, Ponkan (modern-day Beigang) was an important coastal castle.[1]

Qing Dynasty

Yunlin County was established during the Qing Dynasty. Liu Mingchuan was in charge of Taiwan, which had been divided into three counties since 1683, Yunlin being part of Zhuluo County. Mountains made transportation and communication between bordering counties (Changhua and Chiayi) difficult, so Liu suggested a new county, called Yunlin, for easier management. In 1887, Yunlin became one of the four counties of the new Taiwan Prefecture.[1]

Empire of Japan

During Japanese rule, Yunlin (as Unrin) County was again abolished due to the resistance from the local people and combined with Tainan Prefecture. However, Toroku Town (斗六街, modern-day Douliu) continued to be an important city of central Taiwan.

Republic of China

The Yunlin area stayed under Tainan County administration after the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on October 25, 1945. On August 16, 1950, Yunlin County was established again by separation from Tainan County, with Douliu Township as the county seat. On December 25, 1981, Douliu Township was upgraded to a county-controlled city and remain as the county seat. Today Yunlin is the only county on Taiwan island without a city with the same name.

Geography

Yunlin County is located in the central-south portion of western Taiwan and is at the northern tip of the Chianan Plain. The county is bordered by Nantou County to the east, the Taiwan Strait to the west, Chiayi County to the south separated by the Beigang River, and Changhua County to the north separated by the Zhuoshui River. Its widest distance from east to west is 50 km and from north to south is 38 km, with a total area of 1,290.83 km2. Around 90% of its area are plains; the other 10% are hilly.[2]

Geology

In 2015, the county experienced 75% of Taiwan's total land subsidence, over an area of 600 km2 due to its groundwater overuse.[3]

Climate

The weather in the county is sub-tropical, with an annual average temperature of 22.6 °C and an average annual rainfall of 1,028.9 mm.

Administration

Lee Chin-yung, Magistrate of Yunlin County

Yunlin County is divided into 1 city, 5 urban townships and 14 rural townships. Douliu City is the county seat and home to the Yunlin County Government and the Yunlin County Council. Lee Chin-yung of the Democratic Progressive Party is the incumbent Magistrate of Yunlin County.

Name (Hanyu Pinyin) Hanzi Wade-Giles Tongyong Pinyin Taiwanese (POJ) Hakka Pha̍k-fa-sṳ
City
Douliu City 斗六市 Tou-liu Douliou Táu-la̍k Téu-liuk
Urban townships
Beigang Township 北港鎮 Pei-kang Beigang Pak-káng Pet-kóng
Dounan Township 斗南鎮 Tou-nan Dounan Táu-lâm Téu-nàm
Huwei Township 虎尾鎮 Hu-wei Huwei Hó͘-bóe Fú-mî
Tuku Township 土庫鎮 T'u-k'u Tuku Thô͘-khò͘ Thú-khù
Xiluo Township 西螺鎮 Hsi-luo Siluo Sai-lê Sî-lô
Rural townships
Baozhong Township 褒忠鄉 Pao-chung Baojhong Po-tiong Pô-chûng
Citong Township 莿桐鄉 Tz'u-t'ong Cihtong Chhì-tông Tshṳ̀-thùng
Dapi Township 大埤鄉 Ta-p'i Dapi Tōa-pi Thai-phî
Dongshi Township 東勢鄉 Tung-shih Dongshih Tang-sì Tûng-sṳ
Erlun Township 二崙鄉 Erh-lun Erlun Jī-lūn Ngi-lûn
Gukeng Township 古坑鄉 Ku-k'eng Gukeng Kó͘-kheⁿ Kú-hâng
Kouhu Township 口湖鄉 K'ou-hu Kouhu Kháu-ô͘ Khiéu-fù
Linnei Township 林內鄉 Lin-nei Linnei Nâ-lāi Lìm-nui
Lunbei Township 崙背鄉 Lun-pei Lunbei Lūn-pòe Lûn-poi
Mailiao Township 麥寮鄉 Mai-liao Mailiao Be̍h-liâu Ma̍k-liàu
Shuilin Township 水林鄉 Shui-lin Shueilun Chúi-nâ Súi-lìm
Sihu Township 四湖鄉 Ssu-hu Sihhu Sì-ô͘ Si-fù
Taixi Township 臺西鄉 T'ai-hsi Taisi Tâi-se Thòi-sî
Yuanchang Township 元長鄉 Yuan-ch'ang Yuanchang Goân-chiáng Ngièn-tshòng

Politics

Yunlin County voted two Democratic Progressive Party legislators out of two seats to be in the Legislative Yuan during the 2016 Republic of China legislative election.[4]

Demographics and Culture

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1985 791,186    
1990 753,639−4.7%
1995 753,998+0.0%
2000 743,368−1.4%
2005 728,490−2.0%
2010 717,653−1.5%
2015 699,633−2.5%
Source:"Populations by city and country in Taiwan". Ministry of the Interior Population Census. 

Cultural activities in the county is regulated by the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of the Yunlin County Government, which holds exhibitions, speeches, performances and studies to promote the arts and related activities.[5]

Sports

The county government promotes many sports. The Douliu Baseball Stadium and Yunlin County Stadium are two of the international-level sports facilities in the county.

The first for-all-people games were held in Yunlin County in 2000. The county also hosted the 2005 National Games. In the 2011 National Games at Changhua, Yunlin ranked 11th out of the 22 counties and cities of Taiwan, with 10 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze medals.[6]

Economy

Formosa Plastics Group plant at the Mai-Liao Industrial Complex.

Yunlin County's economy relies mainly on agricultural production, including fresh-water fisheries, although there are also industrial parks. As of July 2015, the county had a total debt of NT$64.8 billion.[7] Monthly, the county government spend NT$600 million for staffs salary and another NT$600 million for retirement funds.[8]

Agriculture

Farmlands accounts for around 68% of Yunlin County's area. Good weather and fertile lands allows various seasonal crops. Among the agricultural products are coffee, hard clams, horseshoe calms, Taiwan tilapia, shaddock, soy sauce, pickled cabbage, peanuts and sesame oil.[9]

Fishery

Yunlin County boasts excellent fishing grounds along its coastline. There are several leading fishing ports, at Boziliao, Santiaolun, Taixi, Taizicun, and Jinhu. Several institutions were established in the county to help the development of the county's fishing industries: the Taixi Experimental Fishing Grounds, the Seawater Fish Farming Research Center, the Aquaculture Experimental Station, and the Agriculture Council.

Livestock

Livestock farming includes pigs, cows, chickens, geese and ducks. The county government has been aggressively helping the dairy farmers to upgrade their feeding techniques, and also set up modern meat-packing facilities.

Tourism

The county government plans to develop the tourism and recreational industries within the county, such as by establishing a holiday fish market at the Boziliao Fishing Port in the hopes of attracting more visitors.[10]

Education

The county is home to four universities: the China Medical University Beigang Campus, the National Formosa University, the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology and the TransWorld University. There are 8 public senior high schools, 9 private high schools, 32 junior high schools and 156 elementary schools, as well as the National Yunlin Special Education School.

To promote lifelong learning, the Yunlin County Government established a community university in 2001 with 6 learning centers to offer county residents more opportunities.

Energy

Power generations

Yunlin County houses one power plant, the Mailiao Power Plant, in Mailiao Township. Commissioned in July 1999, it has a capacity of 4,200 MW and is the third largest coal-fired power plant in Taiwan.

Water supply

Currently, most of the county residence use groundwater as their water supply. However, in 2016 the Hushan Dam was opened in Douliu City in which its reservoir will soon supply the water needs for the county residence.[11]

Tourist attractions

Historical buildings

Historical buildings in the county include the House of Citizen-Memorial Hall of Attendance, Jhen Wen Academy, Erlun Story House and Xiluo Theater.

Tourist towns

Caoling is the main tourist town in Yunlin County.

Temples

Temples in the county include the Chaotian Temple, Xiluo Guangfu Temple and Yongan Temple.

Museums and cultural centers

Yunlin County is home to several museums and cultural centers, such as the Beigang Cultural Center, Farming and Irrigation Artifacts Museum, Honey Museum, Museum of Beigang Story, Soy Sauce Brewing Museum, Yunlin Hand Puppet Museum and Yunlin Story House.

Festivals

Festivals, such as the Beigang International Music Festival, are regularly held in the county.

Theme parks

The Janfusun Fancyworld is a theme park in the county.

Nature

Yunlin County houses the Erlun Sports Park, Penglai Waterfall and Ten Thousand Year Gorge.

Transportation

Rail

The Taiwan High Speed Rail Yunlin Station serves the county. The Taiwan Railway Administration serves at Linnei, Shiliu, Douliu, Dounan and Shigui.

Roads

The National Highway No. 1 and No. 3 pass through Yunlin County. Famous bridges in the county are the Xiluo Bridge, connecting the county to the neighboring Changhua County, and the Beigang Tourist Bridge, connecting the county to the neighboring Chiayi County.

Air

Yunlin County does not have any airport. The nearest airport is the Chiayi Airport located in neighboring Chiayi County.

Relative location

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yunlin County.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.