Pingtung City
Pingtung City (Mandarin Pīnyīn: Píngdōng Shì; Hokkien POJ: Pîn-tong-chhī) is a county-administered city and the county seat of Pingtung County, Taiwan.
Pingtung 屏東市 | |
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County-administered city | |
Old city gate in Pingtung Park | |
Pingtung City in Pingtung County | |
Country | Republic of China (Taiwan) |
County | Pingtung County |
Capital | North West District (西北區) |
Government | |
• Mayor | Lin Ya-chun (林亞蒓)[1] |
Area | |
• Total | 66.03 km2 (25.49 sq mi) |
Population (December 2014) | |
• Total | 203,866 |
• Density | 3,100/km2 (8,000/sq mi) |
Website | http://www.ptcg.gov.tw/ |
Pingtung City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Traditional Chinese | 屏東市 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 屏东市 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
The area of modern-day Pingtung City was originally a village of the Taiwanese Plains Aborigines which they called "Akau",[2] which means "the forest". After the expulsion of the Dutch, the village grew into a Chinese market-town called "A-kau" (Chinese: 阿猴; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: A-kâu).
Empire of Japan
In 1901, during the Japanese era, Akō Chō (Japanese: 阿猴廳) was one of twenty local administrative offices established. In 1909, this unit was merged with Banshoryō Chō (蕃薯寮廳) and Kōshun Chō (恆春廳) to form Akō Chō (阿緱廳). Beginning in 1920, the name was changed to Heitō Town (屏東街), governed under Takao Prefecture. In 1933, the town was upgraded to City status.
Republic of China
After the handover of Taiwan to the Republic of China from Japan on 25 October 1945, Pingtung City was established as a provincial city of Taiwan Province in December the same year. On 1 December 1951, it was downgraded to a county-controlled city of Pingtung County until today.
Geography
Pingtung City is located northwestern Pingtung County. It is centered between the western coast and the eastern mountain range on the Pingtung Plain. Many residents work in Kaohsiung and commute daily by train.
Climate
Pingtung City is located within the tropics and has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical monsoon climate, as of the rest of Taiwan, the warmest month is July and the coldest month is January, but the weather is hot starting from mid March to late November with an average daytime temperature peeking above 30 degrees Celsius, while the short cooler season starts from mid December and lasts till late February featuring relatively warm days and cool nights with temperatures ranging from 15-27 degrees Celsius. Pingtung county is known to be the hottest county of Taiwan and Pingtung city is well known of having high daytime temperatures typically year round.
Climate data for Pingtung city (2010-2014) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) |
27.5 (81.5) |
28.5 (83.3) |
30.2 (86.4) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.2 (91.8) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.4 (90.3) |
31.3 (88.3) |
29.1 (84.4) |
26.1 (79.0) |
30.1 (86.2) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.9 (67.8) |
22.0 (71.6) |
23.6 (74.5) |
25.6 (78.1) |
28.1 (82.6) |
29.1 (84.4) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.0 (84.2) |
28.5 (83.3) |
27.0 (80.6) |
24.5 (76.1) |
20.5 (68.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
Average low °C (°F) | 14.7 (58.5) |
17.0 (62.6) |
19.0 (66.2) |
22.5 (72.5) |
24.5 (76.1) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
25.0 (77.0) |
23.2 (73.8) |
20.5 (68.9) |
16.1 (61.0) |
21.6 (70.9) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 6.5 (0.26) |
11.5 (0.45) |
17.0 (0.67) |
64.0 (2.52) |
211.4 (8.32) |
536.1 (21.11) |
510.7 (20.11) |
676.1 (26.62) |
370.1 (14.57) |
75.0 (2.95) |
43.0 (1.69) |
16.3 (0.64) |
2,537.7 (99.91) |
Source: Wunderground.[3] Rain data from 2006-2014, Central Weather Bureau. Rain data does not include 2013 August to November due to Typhoon Morakot.[4] |
Administrative divisions
The city is administered as 79 villages: Anle, Anzeng, Beishi, Beixing, Bixin, Chonglan, Chongli, Chongwu, Chongzhi, Dahu, Dalian, Dapu, Datong, Dawu, Dazhou, Dingliu, Dingzhai, Duanzheng, Fengrong, Fengtian, Fengyuan, Fufeng, Gongguan, Goumei, Guanghua, Guangrong, Guangxing, Guixin, Haifeng, Hexing, Housheng, Huashan, Hunan, Huxi, Jianguo, Jinquan, Kongxiang, Lingyun, Longhua, Mingzheng, Minquan, Nanshu, Pengcheng, Pinghe, Qianjin, Qiaobei, Qiaonan, Qingchun, Qingxi, Renai, Renyi, Ruiguang, Sanshan, Shengfeng, Shengli, Siwen, Taian, Taiping, Tanqi, Wannian, Weixin, Wenming, Wumiao, Xingle, Xinhe, Xinsheng, Xinxing, Yixin, Yiyong, Yongan, Yongchang, Yongcheng, Yongguang, Yongshun, Yucheng, Zeren, Zhangan, Zhangchun and Zhongzheng.
Education
- National Pingtung University
- National Pingtung Senior High School
- 國立屏東女中 National Pingtung Girls' Senior High School
- 國立屏東高工 National Pingtung Industrial Vocational Senior High School
- 縣立大同中學 Pingtung County Tah-Tung Senior High School
- 私立屏榮高中 Private Ping-Jung High School
- 私立陸興中學 Private Loo-Hsing High School
- 私立華洲工家職業學校 Private Hua-Chou Senior Industrial & Domestic Science Vocational School
- 私立民生家商職業學校 Private Minsheng Economics & Commercial Vocational High School
Tourist attractions
Transportation
Rail
Pingtung City is served by Guilai Station, Liukuaicuo and Pingtung Station.
Bus
Pingtung Bus (屏東客運), UBus (統聯客運) and Kuo-Kuang Bus operate services from Pingtung Bus station near Pingtung Rail Station.
Notable natives
- Fu-Te Ni, baseball player
- Hope Lin, actress
- Pan Wei-lun, baseball player
- Su Tseng-chang, Premier of the Republic of China
- Ang Lee, director of Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi
- Ella Chen, singer and actress
- Shino Lin, singer and actress
References
- Kuo, Chu-chen; Hsu, Elizabeth (11 December 2015). "Pingtung City mayor indicted on corruption charges". Central News Agency. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
- Campbell (1903), p. 538. alternate spellings include Akou, Acouw, and Akauw
- "Climate". Wunderground.
- http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V7/climate/dailyPrecipitation/dP.htm
Bibliography
- Campbell, William (1903). "Explanatory Notes". Formosa under the Dutch: described from contemporary records, with explanatory notes and a bibliography of the island. London: Kegan Paul. LCCN 04007338.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pingtung City. |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Pingtung. |
- Website of Pingtung City Office
Geographic data related to Pingtung City at OpenStreetMap