Hsinchu County
新竹縣[upper-roman 1]
County
Flag of Hsinchu County
Flag
Official seal of Hsinchu County
Logo
Coordinates: 24°50′0″N 121°0′53″E / 24.83333°N 121.01472°E / 24.83333; 121.01472
Country Republic of China (Taiwan)
Province Taiwan Province (nominal subdivision)
SeatZhubei City
Townships/cities
13
Government
 • Body
 • MagistrateYang Wen-ke (KMT)
Area
 • Total1,427.59 km2 (551.20 sq mi)
 • Rank12 of 22
Population
 (October 2023)
 • Total588,535
 • Rank10 of 22
 • Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (National Standard Time)
ISO 3166 codeTW-HSQ
Websitewww.hsinchu.gov.tw/en/
Symbols
BirdMuller's barbet (Megalaima oorti)
FlowerCamellia
TreeBroad-leaved podocarpus (Nageia nagi)
Hsinchu County
Traditional Chinese新竹縣

Hsinchu County[upper-roman 1] (Traditional Chinese: 新竹縣, Wade–Giles: Hsin¹-chu² Hsien⁴) is a county administered as part of the nominal Taiwan Province of the Republic of China (ROC). Located in north-western Taiwan, the population of the county is mainly Hakka; with a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the county seat, where the government office and county office is located. A portion of the Hsinchu Science Park is located in Hsinchu County.

History

Early history

Before the arrival of the Han Chinese, the Hsinchu area was home to the indigenous Taokas, Saisiyat, and Atayal. After the Spanish occupied northern Taiwan, Catholic missionaries arrived at Tek-kham in 1626. Minnanese (Hoklo) and Hakka came and began to cultivate the land from the plains near the sea towards the river valleys and hills.

Qing dynasty

In 1684, Zhuluo County was established during Qing dynasty rule and more Han settled near Tek-kham. A Chinese city was established there in 1711 and renamed Hsinchu in 1875.[1] It became part of Taipeh Prefecture. In the late 19th century, Hoklo people dominated the coastal plains, forcing the Saisiyat and Atayal tribes to move to areas around Jianshi and Wufeng, while the Hakka and Taokas settled together in the river valleys and hills.

Japanese rule

Japanese occupation of Taiwan began after the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895. Hsinchu became known as Shinchiku and, by 1920, its prefecture covered the areas of modern-day Hsinchu County and City, Miaoli, and Taoyuan.

Republic of China

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, Hsinchu County was established on 25 December 1945.[2] In August 1950, Miaoli and Taoyuan were taken out from the county area to form Miaoli County and Taoyuan County respectively.[3] On 16 August 1950, Hsinchu City was incorporated to the county as county-administered city. However, the city was then upgraded again to become a provincial city on 1 July 1982 and was taken out from Hsinchu County area. The county's Xiangshan Township was incorporated into Hsinchu City on 1 July 1982. In 2021, plans are underway to have both Hsinchu county and city merged into the nation's seventh special municipality.[4]

Geography

Hsinchu County is located at the northwest part of Taiwan Island. The county borders Taoyuan City to the north, Miaoli County to the south, the Taiwan Strait to the west, and the Xueshan & Dabajian mountains to the east. With an area spanning up to 1,427.59 km2 (551.20 sq mi), Hsinchu County is composed mainly of uplands, tablelands, mountains, the alluvial plains of the Fengshan River and Touqian River mouth area, and some ancient river land.[2]

Climate

Average Temperature of Hsinchu

The average climate in Hsinchu County is mild.[5]

Administration

Administrative Divisions of Hsinchu County
Hsinchu County Government
Hsinchu County Council
Yang Wen-ke, the incumbent Magistrate of Hsinchu County

Hsinchu County controls 1 city, 3 urban townships, 6 rural townships and 2 mountain indigenous townships.[6][7][8] Zhubei City is the seat of Hsinchu County which houses the Hsinchu County Government and Hsinchu County Council. The incumbent Magistrate of Hsinchu County is Yang Wen-ke of the Kuomintang. The administrative division of the county are:

TypeNameChineseHokkienHakkaFormosan
City Zhubei City竹北市Tek-pakTsuk-pet
Urban
townships
(towns)		 Guanxi關西鎮Koan-seKûan-sî Kansai Atayal
Xinpu新埔鎮Sin-po͘Sîn-phû
Zhudong竹東鎮Tek-tangTsuk-tûng
Rural
townships		 Baoshan寶山鄉Pó-sanPó-sân
Beipu北埔鄉Pak-po͘Pet-phû
Emei峨眉鄉Gô-bîNgô-mì
Hengshan橫山鄉Hoâiⁿ-sanVàng-sân
Hukou湖口鄉Ô͘-kháuFù-khiéu
Qionglin芎林鄉Khiông-nâKhiûng-lìm
Xinfeng新豐鄉Sin-hongSîn-fûng
Mountain
indigenous
townships		 Jianshi尖石鄉Chiam-chio̍hTsiâm-sa̍k Nahuy Atayal
Wufeng五峰鄉Ngó͘-hongŃg-fûng Gohogo Atayal, Saisiyat

Colors indicate the common language status of Hakka and Formosan languages within each division.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1985 366,566—    
1990 374,492+2.2%
1995 408,577+9.1%
2000 439,713+7.6%
2005 487,692+10.9%
2010 513,015+5.2%
2015 542,042+5.7%
2020 570,775+5.3%
Source:"Populations by city and country in Taiwan". Ministry of the Interior Population Census. May 2018.

The population of the county consists of Hakka, Hoklo, aborigines and new immigrants. The Hakka people constituted around 84% of the total population in 2014, while the aborigines consisted mainly of Atayal and Saisiyat people.[9] As of October 2023, the total population was 588,535, with 288,912 females and 299,623 males.[10]

Economy

High tech industry

After the founding of Hsinchu Science Park in 1980, a high number of high-tech industries began to grow and expand outside the park, attracting workers coming to work and settle in the county.

Education

Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology

Education in Hsinchu County is administered by the Education Department of Hsinchu County Government. The county is home to the Minghsin University of Science and Technology and Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology.

Energy

Power generations

Hsinchu County is home to the gas-fired Hsintao Power Plant with a capacity of 600 MW located in Guanxi Township.

Water supply

Hsinchu County houses the Baoshan Dam and Baoshan Second Dam.

Tourist attractions

Leofoo Village Theme Park

Sports

Hsinchu County has one professional basketball team, the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers of the P. League+.[11]

Transportation

THSR Hsinchu Station

Rail

The Hsinchu Station of the Taiwan High Speed Rail is located in the county at Zhubei City. Hsinchu County is crossed by three Taiwan Railways Administration lines, which are the Liujia Line, Neiwan Line and Western Line.

Notable people

International relations

Sister cities

Notes

Words in native languages

  1. 1 2

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hsinchu County.
Look up Hsinchu, Hsin-chu, Sinjhu, or Xinzhu in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Hsinchu County.
  1. ↑ Wang, Erika (25 October 2007). "Hsinchu Owns Rich History, Culture, and Natural Resources". The China Post. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 "About Hsinchu County". Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Rezoning Taiwan". Taiwan Today. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Amendment paving way for Hsinchu city-county merger clears first hurdle - Focus Taiwan".
  5. ↑ "Hsinchu County Government Hsinchu County Government". Hsinchu County Government. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  6. ↑ 臺灣地區鄉鎮市區級以上行政區域名稱中英對照表 (PDF). Online Translation System of Geographic Name, Ministry of Interior. 16 June 2011. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Towns & Township". hsinchu.gov.tw. Hsinchu County Government. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019. Hsinchu County's administrative area is divided into 1 county-administered city, 3 towns and 9 townships, namely: Zhubei City, Zhudong Town, Xinpu Town, Guanxi Town, Xinfeng Township, Emei Township, Baoshan Township, Wufeng Township, Hengshan Township, Beipu Township, Jianshi Township, Qionglin Township and Hukou Township.
  8. ↑ "Towns & Townships". hsinchu.gov.tw. Hsinchu County Gov't. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Population". hsinchu.gov.tw. Hsinchu County Government. Archived from the original on 10 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  10. ↑ 新竹縣各鄉鎮市村里　現住人口數按性別及原住民身分分　中華民國112年10月底 [Table of Hsinchu County Population Statistics, October 2023]. hsinchu.gov.tw (in Traditional Chinese). Hsinchu County Government. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "關於 P. League+". P. League+. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
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