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Taipei has been the de facto capital

of the Republic of China (ROC) , commonly known as Taiwan, since 1949. It is situated on the Danshui River, almost at the northern tip of the country, about 25 km southwest of Keelung, which is its port on the Pacific Ocean. Another coastal city, Danshui, is about 20 km northwest at the river’s mouth on the Taiwan Strait. Taipei lies in the relatively narrow, bowl-shaped valley of the Danshui and two of its main tributaries, the Jilong (Keelung) and Xindian (Sindian) rivers. 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 1,120 metres at Mount Qixing. The climate is humid subtropical, with hot, muggy, rainy summers and cool, damp winters. It is also the political, economic, and cultural center of the country.

Taipei City, Taipei County, and Keelung City together form the Taipei metropolitan area but are administered under different local government bodies. Taipei City is a special municipality administered directly under the Executive Yuan, while Taipei County and Keelung City are administered as part of Taiwan Province. Taipei commonly refers to the whole metropolitan area, while Taipei City refers to the city proper. Taipei’s city government is headed by a mayor who is elected by direct popular vote. A secretary-general assists the mayor. Taipei is part of a major industrial area. Most of Taiwan’s textile factories are here, and other products include electronics, electrical machinery and appliances, wires and cables, and refrigeration equipment. Shipbuilding, including yachts and other pleasure craft, is done in the port of Keelung east of the city. Railways and bus lines

connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport west of the city in Taoyuan. The freeway system is excellent. Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Japanese acquired Taiwan island in 1895 after the Sino-Japanese War and made Taipei the island’s capital. The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 after Japan’s defeat in World War II. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949 after Kuomintang (KMT) was defeated by Communists during the Chinese Civil War. The KMT retreated to Taiwan and the jurisdiction of the Republic of China was limited to Taiwan while the Communist Party founded People’s Republic of China on mainland China.

• Taipei 101 • Tamshui Ferry Terminal

Sights—The changing of the guard

at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park; city views from Taipei 101 and the Miramar Ferris Wheel; religious ceremonies at Longshan and Baoan temples.

Museums—Chinese artifacts at the National Palace Museum; local and international works at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum; contemporary pieces and conceptual art at the Museum of Contemporary Art; cultural displays at the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines.

• Martyrs’ Shrine • Yangming Park • Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall • Chang Foundation Museum • Dan Shui Riverside Cycle Path • Taipei City Zoo • Shin Kong Observatory • Bao-an Temple

Memorable Meals—A traditional

spicy hot-pot meal at Tian Wai Tian; traditional tea at Wisteria Teahouse; excellent seafood at one of Xin Pu Yuan's revolving tables; the vendors at Shilin night market.

Late Night—Dinner and drinks at

Fifi's lounge bar; late-night dancing and mingling with local celebrities at Mint or Barcode.

• Mid-Autumn Festival • Lin An Tai Ancestral House • Botanical Gardens • Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Welcome to Taipei City

Attraction List

Taipei City is located in the valley of the Tanshui River in northern Taiwan. It is the nation's capital, as well as its busy center of commerce, government and culture. Taipei City itself has a population of almost 3 million. Today the city has expanded into surrounding towns in the Taipei County, and this makes the Greater Taipei's population reach approximately 6 million. While Taipei City proper covers only 272 square kilometers of land, statistics in 2003 shows that every square kilometer of land is occupied by approximately 9,720 persons. This means that Taipei City has the second highest population density among the largest cities in Taiwan, just behind that of Kaohsiung City (which has 9,827 persons per square kilometer). The significant population growth in Greater Taipei is the result of people moving to the city in search for better economic and educational opportunities in the past several decades. The increase of population leads to rising land prices and less job vacancies, so that it has become more difficult in recent years to find a place to live and work in the city.