84-538: The Taipei Symphony Orchestra (TSO, Chinese: 台北市立交響樂團 ; pinyin: Táiběi Shìlì Jiāoxiǎng Yuètuán ), founded in 1969, is one of the leading orchestras based in Taipei , Taiwan. TSO works with European music directors and conductors, such as Reinhard Goebel , Martin Fischer-Dieskau , and Maurice Steger . Under the direction of Felix Chen from 1986 to 2003, the orchestra grew in size and strength, and
168-575: A broad saddle between two mountains, the area also contains the marshy Datun Pond. To the southeast of the city lie the Songshan Hills and the Qingshui Ravine, which form a barrier of lush woods. Taipei has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ). Summers are long-lasting, very hot and humid, and accompanied by occasional heavy rainstorms and typhoons; while winters are short, generally warm and generally very foggy due to
252-509: A continuing Republic of China. Taipei expanded greatly in the decades after 1949, and as approved on 30 December 1966, by the Executive Yuan , Taipei was declared a special municipality on 1 July 1967. In the following year, Taipei City expanded again by annexing Shilin , Beitou , Neihu , Nangang , Jingmei , and Muzha . At that time, the city's total area increased fourfold by absorbing several outlying towns and villages and
336-635: A high-tech industrial area. Railways , highways , airports and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Songshan and Taoyuan . The municipality is home to architectural and cultural landmarks, including Taipei 101 (which was formerly the tallest building in the world), Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall , Dalongdong Baoan Temple , Hsing Tian Kong , Lungshan Temple of Manka , National Palace Museum , Presidential Office Building , Taipei Guest House and Zhinan Temple . Shopping districts including Ximending as well as several night markets dispersed throughout
420-535: A historic cinema, and the Red House Theater . Modern structures house karaoke businesses, art film cinemas, wide-release movie cinemas, electronic stores, and a wide variety of restaurants and fashion clothing stores. The pedestrian area is especially popular with teens and has been called the " Harajuku " of Taipei. The newly developed Xinyi District is popular with tourists and locals alike for its many entertainment and shopping venues, as well as being
504-464: A new administrative entity of the Qing dynasty. Having been established adjoining the flourishing townships of Bangka , Dalongdong , and Twatutia , the new prefectural capital was known as Chengnei ( Chinese : 城內 ; pinyin : chéngnèi ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : siâⁿ-lāi ), "the inner city", and government buildings were erected there. From 1875 until the beginning of Japanese rule in 1895, Taipei
588-420: A province. In 1887, the island was designated as a province (officially "Fujian-Taiwan Province"; Chinese: 福建臺灣省 ), with Liu as the first governor. The province was also reorganized into four prefectures, eleven districts, and three sub-prefectures. The provincial capital, or "Taiwan-fu", was intended to be moved from the south (modern-day Tainan ) to the more central area of Toatun (modern-day Taichung ) in
672-562: A range of multimedia displays. The Taipei Fine Arts Museum was established in 1983 as the first museum in Taiwan dedicated to modern art . The museum is housed in a building designed for the purpose that takes inspiration from Japanese designs. Most art in the collection is by Taiwanese artists since 1940. Over 3,000 art works are organized into 13 groups. The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 in Xinyi District
756-875: A relatively small area around the Neo19, ATT 4 FUN and Taipei 101 buildings. The thriving shopping area around Taipei Main Station includes the Taipei Underground Market and the original Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store at Shin Kong Life Tower . Other popular shopping destinations include the Zhongshan Metro Mall , Dihua Street and the Guang Hua Digital Plaza . The Miramar Entertainment Park
840-528: A result of the 28 February Incident , which began with incidents in Taipei but led to an island-wide crackdown on the local population by forces loyal to Chiang. Two years later, on 7 December 1949, Chiang and the Kuomintang forces were forced to flee mainland China after the defeat by Communist revolutionaries. The KMT-led national government that fled to Taiwan declared Taipei to be the provisional capital of
924-501: Is Taiwan 's oldest, founded on 24 October 1908 by Taiwan's Japanese colonial government (1895–1945) as the Taiwan Governor's Museum. It was launched with a collection of 10,000 items to celebrate the opening of the island's North–South Railway. In 1915 a new museum building opened its doors in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park . This structure and the adjacent governor's office (now Presidential Office Building ), served as
SECTION 10
#17327795104051008-660: Is twinned with 42 U.S. states : The People's Republic of China (PRC) regards itself as the " successor state " of the Republic of China (ROC), which the PRC claims no longer legitimately exists, following establishment of the PRC on Mainland China . The PRC asserts itself to be the sole legitimate government of China , and claims Taiwan as its 23rd province , even though the PRC itself has never had control of Taiwan or other ROC-held territories. The ROC disputes this position , maintaining that it still legitimately exists and that
1092-659: Is 5th highest in East Asia, behind Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka, and Hong Kong, but ahead of Seoul, as well as London and Paris, according to The Economist . GDP per capita based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in Taipei in 2015 was US$ 44,173, behind that of Singapore (US$ 90,151 in 2016 from the IMF) and Hong Kong (US$ 58,322 in 2016 from the IMF; also based on PPP). The Financial Times ranked Taipei highly in economic potential (2nd, behind Tokyo) and business friendliness (4th) in 2015. The city
1176-573: Is Google's biggest engineering site in Asia. IBM also announced in 2018 that it will develop a cloud research lab and expand its R&D center in Taipei with eyes on artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and cloud computing. According to the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Development Index, Taipei's entrepreneurial spirit ranks 6th worldwide and 1st in Asia. Taipei has more than 400 startups and numerous incubation centers, accelerators, venture capitals, and angel investors. The city's startup ecosystem
1260-678: Is also an important musical event on the island. The TSO has performed such works as La traviata , Faust , Carmen , Turandot , La bohème , Aida , Madama Butterfly , Cavalleria rusticana , Pagliacci , Otello , The Flying Dutchman , and Salome . Recently, the TSO has featured operas by Carl Orff , having performed his Die Kluge in 2016, with a performance of Der Mond in August 2017. Taipei Taipei ( / ˌ t aɪ ˈ p eɪ / ; Chinese : 臺北 ; pinyin : Táiběi ), officially Taipei City ,
1344-404: Is composed of four major ethnic subgroups: Hoklos , Waishengren , Hakkas , and aborigines . Although Hoklos and Waishengren form the majority of the population of the city, in recent decades many Hakkas have moved into the city. The aboriginal population in the city stands at 16,713 at the end of 2018 (<1%), concentrated mostly in the suburban districts. Foreigners (mainly from Indonesia ,
1428-425: Is extremely common and there is poor visibility throughout the city after rainless days. Motor vehicle engine exhaust, particularly from motor scooters, is a source of air pollution in Taipei. There are higher levels of fine particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mornings because of less air movement; sunlight reduces some pollution. While Taipei City is home to 2,524,393 people (2022),
1512-664: Is home to 30 billionaires, the 16th most in the world, ahead of many global cities such as Los Angeles and Sydney. Business Insider also ranks Taipei the 5th most high-tech city globally, the highest in Asia, in 2017. While the IESE Cities in Motion Index 2017 ranks Taipei as the smartest technology city globally. Taipei's main development fields include the information and communications technology (hardware and software), biotechnology, general merchandizing (wholesale/retail), financial services, and MICE industries. Most of
1596-557: Is housed in a building that formerly housed Taipei City government offices. Taipei 101 is a 101-floor landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of world's tallest building when it opened in 2004, a title it held for six years before the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was completed. Designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and constructed by KTRT Joint Venture , Taipei 101 measures 509 m (1,670 ft) from ground to top, making it
1680-643: Is known for its large Ferris wheel and IMAX theater. Taiwan Province Taiwan Province ( Chinese : 臺灣省 ; pinyin : Táiwān Shěng ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tâi-oân-séng ; PFS : Thòi-vàn-sén or Thòi-vân-sén ) is a de jure administrative division of the Republic of China (ROC). Provinces remain a titular division as a part of the Constitution of the Republic of China , but are no longer considered to have any administrative function practically. Taiwan Province covers approximately 69% of
1764-474: Is named in honor of a founding father of the Republic of China , Sun Yat-sen . The hall, completed on 16 May 1972, originally featured exhibits that depicted revolutionary events in the Republican period of China . Today it functions as multi-purpose social , educational , concert and cultural center for Taiwan's citizens. In 2001 a new museum opened as Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei . The museum
SECTION 20
#17327795104051848-478: Is near the Shilin Night Market and houses three theaters for events with multi-week runs. The architectural design, by Rem Koolhaas and OMA , was determined in 2009 in an international competition. The same design process is also in place for a new Taipei Center for Popular Music and Taipei City Museum . Taipei is known for its many night markets , which include the Shilin Night Market in
1932-408: Is nominally divided into 11 counties and 3 cities . All divisions are directly administered by the central government in practice. Note that the special municipalities of Kaohsiung , New Taipei , Taichung , Tainan , Taipei , and Taoyuan are both nominally under and directly administered by the central government . They are not parts of any province. Taiwan Province
2016-606: Is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan . Located in Northern Taiwan , Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city of Keelung . Most of the city rests on the Taipei Basin , an ancient lakebed. The basin is bounded by the relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers , which join to form
2100-482: Is valued at US$ 580 million by Startup Genome in 2018. Tourism is a small but significant component of the local economy with international visitors totaling almost 3 million in 2008. Taipei has many top tourist attractions and contributes a significant amount to the US$ 6.8 billion tourism industry in Taiwan. Tourism is a major part of Taipei's economy. In 2013, over 6.3 million overseas visitors visited Taipei, making
2184-653: The Allies during 1945, effective control of Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China (ROC) . After facing defeat from Communist forces, the ruling Kuomintang relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the ROC in December 1949. Taiwan's Kuomintang rulers regarded the city as the capital of Taiwan Province and their control as mandated by General Order No. 1 . In 1990, Taipei provided
2268-577: The Kingdom of Tungning and a grandson of Koxinga ), surrendered to the Qing Empire following a naval engagement with Admiral Shi Lang . The Qing then ruled the Taiwanese archipelago (including Penghu ) as Taiwan Prefecture of Fujian Province . In 1875, Taipeh Prefecture was separated from Taiwan Prefecture. In 1885, work commenced under the auspices of Liu Ming-chuan to develop Taiwan into
2352-700: The Kuomintang and have lost much of their original character. As settlement for losing the First Sino-Japanese War , China ceded the island of Taiwan to the Empire of Japan in 1895 as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki . After the Japanese takeover, Taipei, romanized into English as Taihoku following the Japanese language pronunciation, was retained as the capital. It subsequently emerged as
2436-695: The National Development Council and other ministries of the Executive Yuan. The Taiwan Provincial Government was located in Zhongxing New Village , Nantou City , Nantou County between 1957 and 2018. In October 1945, The Government of the Republic of China reformed the eight(8) Japanese prefectures under the Government-General of Taiwan into 8 counties and 9 cities . Taiwan Province
2520-677: The Olympics . The spellings Taipei and Tʻai-pei derive from the Wade–Giles romanization Tʻai²-pei³ which means the North of Taiwan in Chinese. The name could be also romanized as Táiběi according to Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin . The city has also been known as Tai-pak (derived from Taiwanese Hokkien ) and Taipeh . During the Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945, Taipei
2604-486: The Philippines , and Japan ) numbered 71,858 at the end of 2022. As Taiwan's business, financial, and technology hub, Taipei has been at the center of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in technology and electronics. This development is part of the so-called Taiwan Economic Miracle which has seen dramatic growth in the city following foreign direct investment in
Taipei Symphony Orchestra - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-526: The Shilin District . The surrounding streets by Shilin Night Market are extremely crowded during the evening, usually opening late afternoon and operating well past midnight. Most night markets feature individual stalls selling a mixture of food, clothing, and consumer goods. Ximending has been an area for shopping and entertainment since the 1930s. Historic structures include a concert hall,
2772-417: The Taipei Basin as well as differing times of settlement and differing degrees of economic development of its districts, Taipei's population is not evenly distributed. The districts of Daan , Songshan , and Datong are the most densely populated. These districts, along with adjacent communities such as Yonghe and Zhonghe , contain some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world. In 2008,
2856-545: The Tamsui River along the city's western border. The municipality of Taipei is home to an estimated population of 2,494,813 (March 2023), forming the core part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area , also known as "Greater Taipei", which includes the nearby cities of New Taipei and Keelung with a population of 7,047,559, the 40th most-populous urban area in the world—roughly one-third of Taiwanese citizens live in
2940-406: The crude birth rate stood at 7.88%, while the mortality rate stood at 5.94%. A decreasing and rapidly aging population is an important issue for the city. By the end of 2009, one in ten people in Taipei was over 65 years of age. Residents who had obtained a college education or higher accounted for 43.48% of the population, and the literacy rate stood at 99.18%. Like the rest of Taiwan, Taipei
3024-467: The island of Taiwan , and comprises around 31% of the total population . The province initially covered the entire island of Taiwan (Formosa), Penghu (the Pescadores), Orchid Island , Green Island , Xiaoliuqiu Island , and their surrounding islands . Between 1967 and 2014, six special municipalities ( Kaohsiung , New Taipei , Taichung , Tainan , Taipei and Taoyuan ) were split off from
3108-586: The 1940s as a result of the Chinese Civil War . The National Palace Museum in Taipei now boasts a truly international collection while housing one of the world's largest collections of artifacts from ancient China. The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines stands just 200 m (660 ft) across the road from the National Palace Museum. The museum offers displays of art and historical items by Taiwanese aborigines along with
3192-453: The 1960s. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of over US$ 403 billion as of December 2012. Despite the Asian financial crisis , the economy continues to expand at about 5% per year, with virtually full employment and low inflation. The city's GDP stand at US$ 327 billion in 2014. As of 2013 , the nominal GDP per capita in Taipei city
3276-558: The Japanese defeat following the nuclear bomb destruction of Hiroshima and its consequent surrender in August 1945, the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) assumed control of Taiwan. Subsequently, Taipei was established as a provincial city and a temporary Office of the Taiwan Province Administrative Governor was established in it. In 1947 the Kuomintang (KMT) government under Chiang Kai-shek declared island-wide martial law in Taiwan as
3360-418: The Japanese reading of the two characters. The writing in Chinese characters remained unaltered. Under Japanese rule, the city was administered under Taihoku Prefecture . Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links. A number of Taipei landmarks and cultural institutions date from this period. Following the surrender of Japan to
3444-404: The Japanese rule . The city has been the national seat of the ROC central government since 1949, it became the nation's special municipality (then known as Yuan-controlled municipality) on 1 July 1967 from provincial city status. Taipei is the economic , political , educational and cultural center of Taiwan. It has been rated an "Alpha − City" by GaWC . Taipei also forms a major part of
Taipei Symphony Orchestra - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-506: The PRC has not succeeded it. The PRC claims the entirety of the island of Taiwan and its nearby islands and islets, including the Penghu , as parts of its Taiwan Province, corresponding to the ROC's Taiwan Province before the special municipalities were split off. The PRC claims that Taiwan is a part of China, that the PRC succeeded the ROC as the sole legitimate authority in all of China upon its founding in 1949, and that therefore Taiwan
3612-574: The Pacific Ocean, it is affected by the Pacific typhoon season, which occurs between June and October. In comparison to other Asian cities, Taipei has "excellent" capabilities for managing air quality in the city. Its rainy climate, location near the coast, and strong environmental regulations have prevented air pollution from becoming a substantial health issue, at least compared to cities in southeast Asia and industrial China. However, smog
3696-650: The ROC authorities decided to downsize the provincial structure to solve the problem of overlapping personnel and administrative resources between the provincial and central governments, and cut excessive public spending. The provinces were streamlined and ceased to be self-governing bodies in December 1998, with their administrative functions transferred to the Executive Yuan 's subsidiary National Development Council , as well as second-tier local governments such as counties . In July 2018, all provincial governmental organs were formally abolished, with their budget and personnel removed. In 1683, Zheng Keshuang (third ruler of
3780-488: The Taipei Basin in 1709. In the late 19th century, the Taipei area, where the major Han Chinese settlements in northern Taiwan and one of the designated overseas trade ports, Tamsui , were located, gained economic importance due to the booming overseas trade, especially that of tea export. In 1875, the northern part of Taiwan was separated from Taiwan Prefecture and incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture as
3864-488: The area. In 1875, the northern part of the island was incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture . It was formerly established as Taipeh-fu and was the temporary capital of the island in 1887 when it was declared a province ( Fukien-Taiwan Province ). Taipeh was formally made the provincial capital in 1894. The romanized transcription of Taipeh was changed to Taihoku in 1895 when the Empire of Japan annexed Taiwan, based on
3948-595: The area. Meanwhile, technology and electronics companies are often co-located in the Neihu Technology Park or the Nankang Software Park . The startup and innovation scene in Taipei is also very vibrant. In 2018 alone, Microsoft announced plans to invest US$ 34 million to create an artificial intelligence R&D center in Taipei, while Google announced it will hire 300 people and train 5,000 more in artificial intelligence for machines. Taipei
4032-485: The auspices of Liu Ming-chuan , a plan was commenced to develop Taiwan into a stand-alone division. In 1887, Taiwan was designated as a distinct province (namely "Fujian-Taiwan Province"; Chinese : 福建臺灣省 ), with Liu as the first governor, but the island was then ceded to the Empire of Japan in 1895, following China's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War . After the surrender of Japan in World War II ,
4116-515: The backdrop for the Wild Lily student rallies that moved Taiwanese society from one-party rule to multi-party democracy by 1996 . The city has served as the seat of Taiwan's democratically elected national government ever since. Prior to the 18th century, the region known as the Taipei Basin was home to Ketagalan tribes. Han Chinese colonists from Dabu County , Yongding County , Anxi and Tong'an of Southern Fujian began to settle in
4200-497: The city the 15th most visited globally. The influx of visitors contributed US$ 10.8 billion to the city's economy in 2013, the 9th highest in the world and the most of any city in the Chinese-speaking world. The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a monument, landmark and tourist attraction that was erected in memory of General Chiang Kai-shek , former President of the Republic of China . The structure stands at
4284-619: The city. Natural features include Maokong , Yangmingshan and hot springs . In English-language news reports, the name Taipei often serves as a synecdoche referring to the central government that controls the Taiwan Area . Due to the ambiguous political status of Taiwan internationally, the term Chinese Taipei is also frequently used as a synonym for the entire country, as when Taiwan's governmental representatives participate in international organizations or when Taiwan's athletes compete in international sporting events, including
SECTION 50
#17327795104054368-467: The country's major firms are based there including Acer Computers , Asus , CTBC Bank , Fubon Financial Holding , Tatung Company , D-Link , and others. 5 Global Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Taipei. The city also attracts many multi-national corporations, international financial institutions, foreign consulates, and business organizations to set up base there. Thus, Taipei has nearly 3,500 registered foreign businesses and attracts over 50% of
4452-405: The daily temperature by 3 to 5 °C (5.4 to 9.0 °F), though temperatures rarely drop below 10 °C (50 °F). Extreme temperatures ranged from −0.2 °C (31.6 °F) on 13 February 1901 to 39.7 °C (103.5 °F) on 24 July 2020, while snow has never been recorded in the city besides on mountains located within the city limit such as Yangmingshan . Due to Taiwan's location in
4536-484: The east end of Memorial Hall Square, site of the National Concert Hall and National Theater and their adjacent parks as well as the memorial. The landmarks of Liberty Square stand within sight of Taiwan's Presidential Office Building in Taipei's Zhongzheng District . The National Taiwan Museum sits nearby in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park and has worn its present name since 1999. The museum
4620-466: The first skyscraper in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height. Built to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors, its design incorporates many engineering innovations and has won numerous international awards. Today, the Taipei 101 remains one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and holds LEED 's certification as the world's largest "green" building. Its shopping mall and its indoor and outdoor observatories draws visitors from all over
4704-414: The governor of Taiwan province was appointed by the ROC central government. The office was often a stepping stone to higher office. In 1992, the post of the governor of the province was opened to election. The then-opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) agreed to retain the province with an elected governor in the hopes of creating a " Yeltsin effect" in which a popular local leader could overwhelm
4788-466: The greater metropolitan area has a population of 7,047,559 people. Even though the population of the city has been decreasing in recent years, the population of adjacent New Taipei has been increasing. The population loss, while rapid in its early years, was slowed by lower density development and campaigns designed to increase the birthrate in the city in the 2010s. As a result, the population rose 2010–2015. Due to Taipei's geography and location in
4872-562: The highest (dormant) volcano in Taiwan in Yangmingshan National Park . The northern districts of Shilin and Beitou extend north of the Keelung River and are bordered by Yangmingshan National Park. The Taipei city limits cover an area of 271.7997 km (104.9425 sq mi), ranking sixteenth of twenty-five among all counties and cities in Taiwan . Two peaks, Qixing Mountain and Mt. Datun, rise to
4956-603: The home of Taipei 101 , a prime tourist attraction. Malls in the area include the sprawling Shin Kong Mitsukoshi complex, Breeze Center, Bellavita, Taipei 101 mall, Eslite Bookstore 's flagship store (which includes a boutique mall), The Living Mall, ATT shopping mall, and the Vieshow Cinemas (formerly known as Warner Village). The Xinyi district also serves as the center of Taipei's active nightlife, with several popular lounge bars and nightclubs concentrated in
5040-702: The island of Taiwan. Over the years, the festival has been recognized worldwide for its successful performances and international roster of artists, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , Israel Philharmonic Orchestra , Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra , Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic , Bamberg Symphony , Budapest Symphony Orchestra , Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra , Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France , and Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra . The annual opera produced by TSO every year
5124-476: The length of the season expanded. Chen also broadened the orchestra's repertoire by introducing new and unfamiliar works from all music styles and periods. For the 2004 season, the Taipei City Government nominated bassoonist Chia-Chu Hsu as the general director. In 1979, Taipei Music Festival, instructed by former Taipei City mayor Lee Teng-hui , was created to promote cultural activity within
SECTION 60
#17327795104055208-432: The metro areas. The name "Taipei" can refer either to the whole metropolitan area or just the municipality alone. Taipei has been the political center of the island since 1887, when it first became the seat of Taiwan Province by the Qing dynasty until 1895 and again from 1945 to 1956 by the Republic of China (ROC) government , with an interregnum from 1895 to 1945 as the seat of the Government-General of Taiwan during
5292-443: The national government. The seat of the provincial government was moved from Taipei to Zhongxing New Village in 1956. Historically, Taiwan Province covers the entire island of Taiwan and all its associated islands. The city of Taipei was split off to become a province-level special municipality in 1967, and the city of Kaohsiung was split off in 1979 to become another special municipality. In December 2010, Kaohsiung County left
5376-517: The national government. These hopes proved unfulfilled as then-Kuomintang member James Soong was elected governor of Taiwan province, defeating the DPP candidate Chen Ding-nan . In 1997, as the result of an agreement between the KMT and the DPP, the powers of the provincial government were curtailed by constitutional amendments. The post of provincial governor was abolished. In addition, the provincial council
5460-492: The northeast of the city. Qixing Mountain is located on the Tatun Volcanic Group ; its 1,120 m (3,670 ft)-high main peak renders it the tallest mountain at the rim of the Taipei Basin; 1,092 m (3,583 ft)-high Mt. Datun is a close runner up. These former volcanoes make up the western section of Yangmingshan National Park, extending from Mt. Datun northward to Mt. Caigongkeng ( 菜公坑山 ). Located on
5544-419: The northeasterly winds from the vast Siberian High being intensified by the pooling of this cooler air in the Taipei Basin. As in the rest of Northern Taiwan, daytime temperatures of Taipei can often peak above 26 °C (79 °F) during a warm winter day, while they can dip below that same level during afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the summer. Occasional cold fronts during the winter months can drop
5628-708: The political center of the Japanese Colonial Government. During that time the city acquired the characteristics of an administrative center, including many new public buildings and housing for civil servants . Much of the architecture of Taipei dates from the period of Japanese rule , including the Presidential Office Building which was the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan . During Japanese rule, Taihoku
5712-440: The population continued to increase in the region surrounding the city, notably along the corridor between Taipei and Keelung . In 1990, Taipei's 16 districts were consolidated into the current 12 districts. Mass democracy rallies that year in the plaza around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall led to an island-wide transition to multi-party democracy , where legislators are chosen via regularly scheduled popular elections, during
5796-406: The population increased to 1.56 million people. The city's population, which had reached one million in the early 1960s, also expanded rapidly after 1967, exceeding two million by the mid-1970s. Although growth within the city itself gradually slowed thereafter — its population had become relatively stable by the mid-1990s – Taipei remained one of the world's most densely populated urban areas, and
5880-486: The presidency of Lee Teng-Hui . Taipei City is located in the Taipei Basin in northern Taiwan . It is bordered by the Xindian River on the south and the Tamsui River on the west. The generally low-lying terrain of the central areas on the western side of the municipality slopes upward to the south and east and especially to the north, where it reaches the 1,120 m (3,670 ft)-tall Qixing Mountain ,
5964-419: The province and merged with the original Kaohsiung City to become an expanded Kaohsiung City, Taipei County became the special municipality named New Taipei City . The cities and counties of Taichung and Tainan were also merged, respectively, and elevated to special municipality. On 25 December 2014, Taoyuan County was upgraded into a special municipality and split off from Taiwan Province. Until 1992,
6048-636: The province became the primary administrative divisions of the country. The position of the Chairperson of the Provincial Government, appointed by the central government , is retained to comply with the Constitution . The major operations of the provincial government, such as managing provincial highways and the Bank of Taiwan , have been transferred to the Executive Yuan since 1998. In July 2018, all remaining duties were transferred to
6132-461: The province was re-established on Taiwan by the Kuomintang (KMT)-led Nationalist Government in September 1945 and it became the last stronghold of the KMT government after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War . The provincial capital of Taipei has correspondingly become the provisional capital of the ROC central government since 1949. During the constitutional reform initiated in 1996,
6216-570: The province, all in the most populous regions. Taiwan was initially made a prefecture of Fujian Province by the Qing dynasty of China after its conquest of the Kingdom of Tungning in 1683. Following the French offensive in northern Taiwan during the Sino-French War , the island's strategic position in maritime security and defence was re-evaluated and given prominence by the Qing. Under
6300-411: The revamped Taiwan Prefecture. As the new central Taiwan-fu was still under construction, the capital was temporarily moved north to Taipeh (modern-day Taipei), which eventually was designated the provincial capital. In 1895, the entire Taiwan Province, including Penghu, was ceded to Japan following the First Sino-Japanese War through the Treaty of Shimonoseki . Under Japanese rule , the province
6384-639: The total foreign investment in Taiwan. Foreign companies with offices or regional headquarters in Taipei include Google , Microsoft , IBM , Intel , HSBC , Citibank , Facebook , Amazon , Apple , JP Morgan , PwC , and many others. Most financial and foreign firms like to reside in the central business district of Taipei, the Xinyi Special District : Citi, JP Morgan, DBS Bank, Cathay Life Insurance, Shin Kong Commercial Bank, and Hua Nan Bank have all established skyscrapers in
6468-538: The two most recognizable public buildings in Taiwan during its period of Japanese rule . The National Palace Museum is a vast art gallery and museum built around a permanent collection centered on ancient Chinese artifacts . It should not be confused with the Palace Museum in Beijing (which it is named after); both institutions trace their origins to the same institution. The collections were divided in
6552-601: The world. Taipei 101's New Year's Eve fireworks display is a regular feature of international broadcasts. The National Theater and Concert Hall stand at Taipei's Liberty Square and host events by foreign and domestic performers. Other leading concert venues include Zhongshan Hall at Ximending and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 . A new venue, the Taipei Performing Arts Center opened in 2022. The venue
6636-556: Was abolished in favour of Japanese-style divisions . After the surrender of Japan in 1945, Taiwan was handed over to the Republic of China (ROC). The ROC government immediately established the Taiwan Provincial Government under first Chief Executive and government-general Chen Yi in September 1945. Chen was extremely unpopular and his rule led to an uprising – the February 28 Incident of 1947. Chen
6720-512: Was also replaced by the Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council . Although the stated purpose was administrative efficiency, Soong and his supporters claim that it was actually intended to impede James Soong 's political life, though it did not have this effect. The provincial administration was downscaled in 1998, most of its power handed to the central government. The counties and provincial cities under
6804-517: Was incorporated in 1920 as part of Taihoku Prefecture . It included Bangka , Twatutia , and Jōnai ( 城內 ) among other small settlements. The eastern village of Matsuyama ( 松山庄 , modern-day Songshan District, Taipei ) was annexed into Taihoku City in 1938. Taihoku and surrounding areas were bombed by Allied forces on several occasions. The largest of these Allied air raids, the Taihoku Air Raid , took place on 31 May 1945. Upon
6888-483: Was known as Taihoku , which is the pronunciation of the Chinese characters ( Kanji : 台北 ) for Taipei in Japanese. Prior to the significant influx of Han Chinese colonists, the region of Taipei Basin was mainly inhabited by the plains aborigines called Ketagalan . The number of Han colonists gradually increased in the early 18th century under Qing Dynasty rule after the government began permitting development in
6972-474: Was part of Tamsui County of Taipeh Prefecture and the prefectural capital. In 1885, as work commenced to govern the island as a province, Taipeh was thus temporarily designated as a provincial capital. The city officially became the capital in 1894. Nowadays, all that remains from the historical period is the north gate. The west gate and city walls were demolished by the Japanese while the south gate, little south gate, and east gate were extensively modified by
7056-576: Was recalled in May 1947 and the government-general position was abolished. When the Republic of China government was relocated to Taipei in 1949 as a result of the Kuomintang 's (KMT) defeat by the Chinese Communist Party forces in the Chinese Civil War , the provincial administration remained in place under the claim that the ROC was still the government of all of China even though the opposition argued that it overlapped inefficiently with
#404595