Nantou City (Mandarin Pīnyīn: Nántóu Shì; Hokkien POJ: Lâm-tâu-chhī, lit. 'South Tou City') is a county-administered city located in the northwest of Nantou County, Taiwan. It lies between the Bagua Mountains and the Maoluo River and is the county seat of Nantou County. Freeway No. 3 serves Nantou City. Its name is a transliteration of the Hoanya word Ramtau with its first character (南; "south") chosen to complement that of Beitou's (北; "north"), a district in Taipei, even though there is no relation between the aboriginal names.
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History
Qing Dynasty
The Han Chinese began arriving in the area during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor of Qing Dynasty. Members of the Zhang clan from Zhangzhou as well as the Jian (簡), Lin and Xiao clans from Nanjing County in Zhangzhou were among the early settlers. A yamen was established in 1759 near the present Nantou Elementary School. In 1898, Nantou Commandery was organized.
Empire of Japan
In 1901, during Japanese rule, Nanto Chō (南投廳) was one of twenty local administrative offices established. In 1909, part of Toroku Chō (斗六廳) was merged into Nanto Chō. In 1920, Nantō Town was governed under Nantō District, Taichū Prefecture.
Republic of China
After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, Nantou County was organized out of Taichung County in 1950, and, in October of the same year, Nantou Township was organized with the county government seated in it. On 1 July 1957, the Taiwan Provincial Government moved to Zhongxing New Village, making Nantou the location of the provincial government. On 25 December 1981, Nantou became a county-administered city from the previous urban township. Due to its location along the Chelungpu Fault, Nantou was strongly affected by the 1999 Jiji earthquake: 92 people died and over 1,000 buildings were damaged
Economy
Nantou City's economy is based on agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing. In 1965, the Nangang Industrial Zone (南崗工業區) was built to balance regional economic and industrial development.
Administrative divisions
Longquan, Kangshou, Sanmin, Renhe, Nantou, Zhangren, Chongwen, Sanxing, Sanhe, Jiaxing, Jiahe, Pinghe, Zhenxing, Qianqiu, Jungong, Tungshan, Yingnan, Yingbei, Neixing, Neixin, Guanghui, Guangrong, Guangming, Guanghua, Zhangxing, Zhanghe, Pingshan, Xinxing, Yongfeng, Fuxing, Fengshan, Yongxing, Fengming and Fushan Village.
Government institutions
Taiwan Provincial Government
Nantou County Government
Nantou County Council
Tourist attractions
Jufang Hall
Nantou County Culture Park
Nantou Peitian Temple
Nantou Longquan Temple
Bus stops
A bus station in the city is the Nantou Bus Station operated by Changhua Bus.
Notable people
Chang Chun-hung, member of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan from 1993 to 2005
Hsu Shu-hua, Mayor of Nantou City from 2006 to 2014
Hung Jui-chen, Taiwanese tennis player
Sonia Sui, Taiwanese model and actress