Hualien County is the largest county in Taiwan and is located on the mountainous eastern coast of Taiwan. It contains the island's largest port. Hualien County also contains part of Taroko National Park and Yushan National Park.
History
Hualien was originally called Kilai. In 1622, the Spanish first arrived to mine for sand gold and called the area "Turumoan"
Hualien was one of the last places on Taiwan to be settled by the Han Chinese during Qing Dynasty in 1851 because of its isolated location. Before the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II in 1945, the Governor-General of Taiwan migrated a large number of Japanese here for the improvement of agriculture and farming.
After the Taiwan Retrocession, the government of Republic of China reinstituted the political system followed by the Constitution of the Republic of China. In 1951, Hualien was the first county in Taiwan to carry out the local autonomy law.
It was mostly modernized in the 1960s. For now, Hualien is the most important region in eastern Taiwan as well as the one of five main life circle regions in Taiwan. (Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung)
Population
Hualien County is approximately 4628 sq. km and has a population of about 350,000. Four hundred years ago, the Portuguese sailors went past the East Coast of Taiwan, fascinated by its beauty, and called it “FORMOSA.
Hualien County is the largest county in Taiwan and is located on the mountainous eastern coast of Taiwan. It contains the island's largest port. Hualien County also contains part of Taroko National Park and Yushan National Park.
History
Hualien was originally called Kilai. In 1622, the Spanish first arrived to mine for sand gold and called the area "Turumoan"
Hualien was one of the last places on Taiwan to be settled by the Han Chinese during Qing Dynasty in 1851 because of its isolated location. Before the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II in 1945, the Governor-General of Taiwan migrated a large number of Japanese here for the improvement of agriculture and farming.
After the Taiwan Retrocession, the government of Republic of China reinstituted the political system followed by the Constitution of the Republic of China. In 1951, Hualien was the first county in Taiwan to carry out the local autonomy law.
It was mostly modernized in the 1960s. For now, Hualien is the most important region in eastern Taiwan as well as the one of five main life circle regions in Taiwan. (Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung)
Population
Hualien County has 340,000 inhabitants and is divided into 1 city and 12 townships. Its late development means that many aboriginal cultures such as Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Truku, Sakizaya and Kavalan are well-preserved. Aborigines make up one-forth of the population of Hualien County (about 90,000). The Hakka people comprise about 30% of inhabitants.
Hualien County has 340,000 inhabitants and is divided into 1 city and 12 townships. Its late development means that many aboriginal cultures such as Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Truku, Sakizaya and Kavalan are well-preserved. Aborigines make up one-forth of the population of Hualien County (about 90,000). The Hakka people comprise about 30% of inhabitants.
[edit]Administration
Some towns have Japanese names because these towns were named by Japanese during the Japanese ruling period from 1895 to 1945.
