Kaohsiung

	Kaohsiung ; 高雄市
	; From top to bottom, left to right: Skyline at night, “Red Line” of the Kaohsiung Metro, Kaohsiung Stadium, southern summit of the “Jade Mountain” Yushan , Kaohsiung History Museum , pagodas at Lotus Lake
emblem	flag
State :	Republic of China (Taiwan)
Coordinates :	22 ° 37 ′ N , 120 ° 18 ′ E Coordinates: 22 ° 37 ′ 0 ″ N , 120 ° 18 ′ 0 ″ E
Height :	9 m
Area :	2,951.8524 km²
Residents :	2,776,912 (Dec 2017)
Population density :	941 inhabitants per km²
Time zone :	UTC + 8 (Chungyuan time)
Telephone code :	(+886) (0) 7
Postal code :	800-813
ISO 3166-2 :	TW-KHH
Community type :	Government immediate city
Structure :	38 districts ( 區 , Qū )
Mayor :	Yang Ming-chou ( 楊明州 , executive) ( independent )
Website :	www.kcg.gov.tw
City flower:	Chinese rose marshmallow

Kaohsiung ( Chinese 高雄市 , Pinyin Gāoxióng Shì , Tongyong Pinyin Gaosyóng Shìh , W.-G. Kao-hsiung Shih , Zhuyin ㄍㄠㄒㄩㄥ ˊ ㄕ ˋ , Pe̍h-ōe-jī Ko-hiông-chhī , pronunciation) (high-level pronunciation) ^?^/ⁱ , Japanese : Takao ) is the second largest city in Taiwan . It is one of six sub -government cities in Taiwan and is divided into 38 districts .

Kaohsiung is located in the southwest of the island of Taiwan on the South China Sea and has the country's most important port. Most of Taiwan’s oil imports, which are processed by the surrounding industry, are handled here.

geography

Kaohsiung is located in the southwest of the island of Taiwan. The actual core city lies on the coast of the Taiwan Strait and includes the island of Qijin in the west; Kaohsiung is bordered by Tainan City to the north, and Pingtung County to the south and southeast . In the east and northeast, the urban area expanded in 2010 in the districts of Namasia , Taoyuan and Maolin extends into the Taiwanese central mountains , where it borders on the districts of Chiayi , Nantou , Hualien and Taitung .

Due to the large extent from southwest to northeast, the area of the city of Kaohsiung has very different landscapes. While the west is relatively flat and merges into the Pingdong Plain in the southeast , the terrain rises steeply in the east and northeast and reaches a height of 3844 m in the Taoyuan district on the southern summit of Yushan . The area between the industrial core city in the west and the mostly forested mountains is used intensively for agriculture.

The area of Kaohsiung is traversed by numerous watercourses coming from the mountains, the largest of which is the Gaoping River (Chinese: 高屏溪Gāopíngxī ), which also forms the border with Pingtung County. Best known is the Love River (Chinese: Kern Aìhé ) flowing through the city center thanks to its tourist importance

history

Kaohsiung developed from a village that was called Táⁿ-káu in the 17th century, which in the language of the local Taiwanese indigenous people meant something like bamboo forest . This name became the name Tá-káu (written with the characters 打狗) in the Minnan dialect of the Chinese immigrants . In 1624 the Dutch, defeated by the Chinese troops in Penghu, built a fortress near the village. In 1630, the first organized Chinese immigration from Fujian Province to Taiwan began. Kaohsiung was one of the main settlement targets. In 1661 the Dutch were driven out by the Chinese under the leadership of General Zheng Chenggong . The place was then named 萬年 , Wàn Nián - "ten thousand years / eternity" and thus belonged to the two municipal districts. After the name was changed again to Takao in the 1670s, the place finally began to grow steadily, brought about by the constant immigration of Chinese settlers from the mainland. In 1684 the name was again changed to 鳳山 , Fèngshān - "Mountain of the Phoenix", and the place became part of the Taiwan Prefecture. During this time, the city's port also became important for the first time.

City map of Takao shortly before the end of Japanese rule

In 1895 Taiwan was ceded to Japan with the Treaty of Shimonoseki . In Japanese , the name changed from 打狗 ( Tá-káu in Taiwanese) to 高雄 ( Takao in Japanese ) and, although both words were pronounced the same, the meaning of the characters used changed from the dog beat to High Hero , which in turn pronounced in standard Chinese as Gāoxióng (= Kaohsiung), which is how today's name arose. The Japanese encouraged the expansion of the city, especially the port.

On July 13, 1913, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kaohsiung was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Formosa and renamed the Apostolic Prefecture of Kaohsiung in 1949 . In 1961 the Apostolic Prefecture was elevated to a diocese. Episcopal Church is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary .

During World War II, Takao (especially the port and airfield) was the target of several American bombing raids from June 1944 to August 1945.

After 1945, the island of Taiwan came under the rule of the Republic of China again and Kaohsiung became an independent city within the province of Taiwan . The remainder of the former Japanese prefecture of Takao was reorganized as Kaohsiung County . On July 1, 1979, Kaohsiung was removed from Taiwan Province and promoted to a city under the government. In December 1979 the Kaohsiung incident occurred here , in which pro-democratic tendencies in the population broke away.

After the gas explosion on July 31, 2014: the ceiling of a main road torn open

From July 16 to 29, 2009, Kaohsiung hosted the 8th World Games .

On December 25, 2010, Kaohsiung County was incorporated into the city as part of a ROC government reform process . The urban area increased from 154 to 2946 km², the population from around 1.5 to 2.7 million.

On July 31, 2014, a series of severe gas explosions rocked the city, tearing up entire streets. Gas leaks in underground pipelines in the petrochemical industry have been identified as the cause .

The 3rd Ecomobility World Festival took place here from October 1st to 31st, 2017 with a corresponding congress from October 2nd to 4th.

climate

The climate of Kaohsiung is tropical, humid and hot and characterized by the monsoons . In the mountainous hinterland, the climate is significantly cooler and more moderate. The rainiest months are June to August. With an average of more than 6 hours of sunshine per day, Kaohsiung is one of the sunniest cities in Taiwan.

Climate data from the years 1981–2010

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Max. Temperature ( ° C )	23.9	24.7	26.8	29.1	30.8	31.6	32.4	31.9	31.4	30th	27.7	24.9	O	28.8
Min. Temperature (° C)	15.7	16.7	19.2	22.4	24.8	25.9	26.4	26.1	25.5	24	20.9	17.1	O	22.1
Temperature (° C)	19.3	20.3	22.6	25.4	27.5	28.5	29.2	28.7	28.1	26.7	24	20.6	O	25.1

Precipitation ( mm )	16	20.5	38.8	69.8	197.4	415.3	390.9	416.7	241.9	42.7	18.7	16.2	Σ	1,884.9

Hours of sunshine ( h / d )	5.6	5.9	6th	6.3	6.4	6.7	7.1	6.2	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.2	O	6.1

Rainy days ( d )	3.2	3.7	4th	5.8	9.3	13.8	12.9	16.3	11.2	3.5	2.6	2.3	Σ	88.6

Source: Taiwan Central Weather Bureau

Districts

Kaohsiung City and County before 2010

City (before 2010)

District (before 2010)

Before 2010, the urban area only included the actual "core city" with the eleven core districts Qijin ( 旗津區 ), Gushan ( 鼓山區 ), Yancheng ( 鹽埕區 ), Zuoying ( 左營區 ), Xinxing ( 新興區 ), Qianjin ( 前金區 ), Lingya ( 苓雅區 ), Sanmin ( 三民區 ), Nanzi ( 楠梓區 ), Qianzhen ( 前鎮區 ), Xiaogang ( 小港區 ).

Through the incorporation of the 27 cities and municipalities of the adjoining previous Kaohsiung district in the form of districts in 2010, the city has now comprised 38 districts. The three rural districts of Namaxia , Tauyuan and Maolin , which are located deep in the mountains and are mostly inhabited by members of the indigenous peoples of Taiwan , have had a special self-governing status since 2014 as “ high country urban districts of the indigenous people” ( 直轄市山地原住民區 ).

The following table lists the districts with their population and area. The original districts of the core city are marked with a gray background.

Kaohsiung Boroughs since 2010
district	chin.	Hanyu Pinyin	Taiwanese (POJ)	Area (km²)	Residents	Ew./km²
Nanzi	楠梓區	Nánzǐ Qū	Lâm-chu	25.8276	184.410	7.136
Zuoying	左營區	Zuǒyíng Qū	Chó-iâⁿ	19.3888	196,839	10.158
Gushan	鼓山區	Gǔshān Qū	Kó͘-san	14.7458	139,619	9,468
Sanmin	三民區	Sānmín Qū	Sam-bîn	19.7866	342.176	17.308
Yancheng	鹽埕區	Yánchéng Qū	Iâm-tiâⁿ	1.4161	24,212	17,086
Qianjin	前金區	Qiánjīn Qū	Chiân-kim	1.8573	26,888	14,492
Xinxing	新興區	Xīnxīng Qū	Sin-heng	1.9764	51.020	25,849
Lingya	苓雅區	Língyǎ Qū	Lêng-ngá	8.1522	170.457	20,936
Qianzhen	前鎮區	Qiánzhèn Qū	Chiân-tìn	19.1207	189,115	9,898
Qijin	旗津區	Qíjīn Qū	Kî-tin	1.4639	28,665	19,595
Xiaogang	小港區	Xiǎogǎng Qū	Sió-káng	45.4426	157.508	3,467
Fengshan	鳳山區	Fèngshān Qū	Hōng-soaⁿ	26.7590	359.071	13,418
Daliao	大寮區	Dàliáo Qū	Toā-liâu	71.0437	112,395	1,582
Niaosong	鳥松區	Niǎosōng Qū	Chiáu-chhêng	24.5927	44,262	1,800
Linyuan	林園區	Línyuán Qū	Lîm-hn̂g	32.2860	69.995	2,170
Renwu	仁武區	Rénwǔ Qū	Jîn-bú	36.0808	86,582	2,396
Dashu	大樹區	Dàshu Qu	Toā-chhiū	66.9811	42,650	637
Dashe	大社區	Dàshè Qū	Toā-siā	26.5848	34,644	1,304
Gangshan	岡山區	Gāngshān Qū	Kong-san	47.9421	97.168	2,028
Luzhu	路竹區	Lùzhú Qū	Lō͘-tek	48.4348	52,603	1,087
Qiaotou	橋頭區	Qiáotóu Qū	Kiô-thâu	25.9379	37,619	1,451
Ziguan	梓官區	Zǐguān Qū	Chu-koaⁿ	11.5967	35,919	3,103
Mituo	彌陀區	Mítuó Qū	Mî-tô	14.7772	19,315	1,307
Yong'an	永安區	Yǒng'ān Qū	Éng-an	22.6141	13,910	615
Yanchao	燕巢區	Yàncháo Qū	Iàn-châu	65.3950	29,823	456
Tianliao	田寮區	Tiánliáo Qū	Chhân-liâu	92.6802	7.205	78
Alian	阿蓮區	Ālián Qū	A-lian	34.6164	28,746	831
Qieding	茄萣區	Qiédìng Qū	Ka-tiāⁿ	15.7624	30,081	1,908
Hunei	湖內區	Húnèi Qū	Ô͘-lāi	20.1615	29,861	1,480
Qishan	旗山區	Qíshān Qū	Kî-san	94.6122	36,816	389
Meinong	美濃區	Měinóng Qū	Bi-long	120.0316	39,811	332
Neimen	內門區	Nèimén Qū	Lāi-mn̂g	95.6224	14,526	152
Shanlin	杉林區	Shānlin Qū	Sam-nâ	104.0036	11,918	115
Jiaxian	甲仙區	Jiǎxiān Qū	Kah-sian	124.0340	6,073	49
Liugui	六龜區	Liùguī Qū	La̍k-ku	194.1584	12,971	67
Maolin	茂林區	Màolín Qū	Bō͘-lîm	194.0000	1,987	10
Tauyuan	桃源區	Táoyuán Qū	Thô-goân	928.9800	4,326	5
Namaxia	那瑪夏區	Nàmǎxià Qū	Namasia	252.9895	3.137	12
Kaohsiung as a whole				2951.8524	2,774,323	939
Source: Statistics Department of the Ministry of the Interior (May 2018)

Core city of Kaohsiung
Nanzi Zuoying Gushan Sanmin 1 2 3 Qijin Lingya Qianzhen Xiaogang 1. Yancheng 2. Qianjin 3. Xinxing

Map of Kaohsiung wards
Tainan Taitung County Pingtung County Chiayi County Chiayi Nantou county district Hualien Alian Daliao Dashe Dashu Fengshan Gangshan Hunei Qieding Jiaxian Linyuan Liugui Luzhu Maolin Meinong Mituo Namaxia Nanzi Neimen Niaosong Qiaotou Qishan Renwu Shanlin Tauyuan Tianliao Xiaogang Yanchao Yong'an Zuoying Gushan Ziguan Gushan Lingya Yancheng Qianjin Xinxing Qianzhen Qijin Sanmin

Economy and Infrastructure

Kaohsiung skyline

In the past, aluminum, wood and paper products, fertilizers, cement and various metals were produced in Kaohsiung, most of which were intended for export. Today you will find mainly mechanical engineering and shipbuilding industries.

The city 's subway system, the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (KMRT), began operations in 2008. The first line, the “Red Line” running in north-south direction, was opened on March 9, the second line, the “Orange Line” running in east-west direction, followed on September 14th.

A ring-shaped tram (light rail) is also planned around the city center. Since the end of 2012, this route has been tendered as a catenary-free project. In January 2013, the Spanish rail vehicle manufacturer CAF and consortium partner Evergreen Construction secured the first phase of the tram project, with CAF low-floor trams from the Urbos vehicle family contributing.

The new high-speed rail ( Taiwan High Speed Rail ), which shortens the travel time to the capital Taipei to 90 minutes, has been running from the provisional terminus at Zuoying in the north of the city since January 2007 .

The Takao Railway Museum opened in Gushan District in 2010 .

Kaohsiung International Airport in the southern Xiaogang district is Taiwan's second largest airport. Both the train station and the airport are connected to the KMRT network.

CityBike Kaohsiung is a public bike rental system.

port

View of the harbor

The administrative authority for the port is not subordinate to the city, but to the Ministry of Transport. In the port there is a special economic zone for trade with the People's Republic of China , which started in April 1997 with certain restrictions. For political reasons, a direct movement of goods and goods between the two countries is not possible. The existing offshore transshipment center in Kaohsiung is responsible for shipping traffic to the two ports of Xiamen and Fuzhou in mainland China . Freight traffic to Taiwan or vice versa from Taiwan to the special economic zone is prohibited as intended. After around 48 years of stagnation in trade relations across the Taiwan Strait , the Sheng Da container ship, which had started the day before in Xiamen, arrived in Kaohsiung on April 20, 1997 to unload and pick up cargo for third countries.

In 2016, the port had handled around 10.5 million TEU , making it 13th among the largest container ports in the world .

Rail transport

The ten tallest skyscrapers

The Tuntex Sky Tower

Tuntex Sky Tower ( 東帝士八五大樓 , Dōngdì shì bāwǔ dàlóu ) 347 m + Spire = 380 m
Grand 50 Tower
Far Eastern Ding Ding Hotel
Grand Hi-Lai Hotel
Asia-Pacific Financial Plaza
Linden Hotel
Xin-Fu-Hwa
Bao-Cheng Enterprise Tower ( 寶成企業大樓 , Bǎochéng qǐyè dàlóu )
Shr-Hwa Financial Center ( 世華商業中心 , Shìhuá shāngyè zhōngxīn )
Kaohsiung Twin Towers

tourism

The Liuhe night market

While Kaohsiung gained importance in the period after the Second World War because of its port and heavy industry, it has recently become a tourist destination, especially for visitors from China and Japan . Popular destinations in the core city area include the Love River , Lotus Lake , Chengcing Lake , Shoushan (at 356 m the highest point in the core city), Xiziwan Bay, Qijin Island, and the Liuhe night market , the Ruifeng night market and the tallest building in the city, the Tuntex Sky Tower . In the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum , where a tooth relic of the Buddha is kept, you can get an insight into the Buddhist worldview and art. In the extended urban area, the mountains are a popular destination for hiking and bathing in thermal springs. Meinong District is famous for its traditional Hakka people culture. The Asia New Bay Area at the port is an industrial, trade fair and cultural site. The Ciaotou sugar factory is now a museum and technical monument.

Colleges and universities

Kaohsiung is home to a number of government and private colleges and universities offering a variety of courses and specializations:

Name (German / English)	Chinese
Cheng Shiu University Cheng Shiu University	正修科技大學
Kaohsiung National University of Science and Technology (NKUST) National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology	國立高雄科技大學
Fooyin University Fooyin University	輔英科技大學
I-Shou University I-Shou University	義守大學
Kao Yuan University Kao Yuan University	高苑科技大學
Medical University of Kaohsiung Kaohsiung Medical University	高雄醫學大學
National Education University Kaohsiung National Kaohsiung Normal University	國立高雄師範大學
Shih Chien University (Campus Kaohsiung) Shih Chien University (Kaohsiung Campus)	實踐大學 (高雄校區)
Shu-Te University Shu-Te University	樹德科技大學
Sun Yat-sen National University National Sun Yat-sen University	國立中山大學
National University of Hospitality and Tourism Kaohsiung National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism	國立高雄餐旅大學
National University of Kaohsiung National University of Kaohsiung	國立高雄大學
Wenzao Ursuline University of Foreign Languages Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages	文藻外語大學