Hsinchu
Hsinchu (/ˈʃɪnˈdʒuː/,), formerly known as Shinchiku during Japanese rule, is a city located in northwestern Taiwan. It is the most populous city in Taiwan that is not a special municipality, with estimated 450,655 inhabitants. Hsinchu is a coastal city bordering the Taiwan Strait to the west, Hsinchu County to the north and east, and Miaoli County to the south. Hsinchu is nicknamed the Windy City for its strong northeastern monsoon during the autumn and winter seasons.
Hsinchu
新竹 Shinchiku | |
|---|---|
City | |
| Hsinchu City | |
Clockwise from top: Hsinchu Railway Station, Hsinchu City Government Building, Hsinchu City East Gate, Hsinchu Chenghuang Temple, Hsinchu Zoo, Hsinchu City Moat Park, Hsinchu City Art Gallery and Reclamation Hall | |
|
Flag Logo | |
| Nickname: Windy City (風城) or Chu City (竹市) | |
Hsinchu Location within Taiwan | |
| Coordinates: 24°49′N 120°59′E | |
| Country | Republic of China (Taiwan) |
| Province | Taiwan Province (government suspended) |
| Region | Northern Taiwan |
| First mentioned as Tek-kham | 1626 |
| City established | 1711 |
| Renamed to Hsinchu | 1878 |
| Part of Shinchiku Prefecture | 17 April 1895 |
| Reconstituted as a provincial city | 9 November 1945 |
| Demoted to county-administered city within Hsinchu County | 1 December 1951 |
| Provincial city status restored | 1 July 1982 |
| Seat | North District |
| Districts | 3 districts
|
| Government | |
| • Body | |
| • Mayor | Ann Kao (TPP) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 104.15 km2 (40.21 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 20 out of 22 |
| Population (March 2023) | |
| • Total | 453,536 |
| • Rank | 15 of 22 |
| • Density | 4,400/km2 (11,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (National Standard Time) |
| Postal code | 300 |
| Area code | (0)3 |
| ISO 3166 code | TW-HSZ |
| Bird | Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) |
| Flower | Azalea |
| Website | www |
| Hsinchu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 新竹 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | New Bamboo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kanji | 新竹 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hiragana | しんちく | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Katakana | シンチク | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former names | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhuqian | |||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 竹塹 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Bamboo natural barrier | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Nicknames | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windy City | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 風城 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
The area was originally settled by the Austronesian Taiwanese indigenous peoples, with the settlement being named "Tek-kham" by the Hoklo immigrants. The city was founded by Han Chinese settlers in 1711, and renamed as Hsinchu in 1878. During the Japanese era, the city was the seat of Shinchiku Prefecture, named after the city. The prefecture encompassed present-day Hsinchu City and County, as well as entire Taoyuan and Miaoli. After the ROC rule in 1945, the urban area of Hsinchu was organized as a provincial city.
In 1980, the Taiwanese government established the Hsinchu Science Park, a major industrial park, a significant centre for semiconductor manufacturing, industrial and computer technology development. The park contributes a major proportion of Taiwan's GDP. This made Hsinchu a vital economic hub for its economy; the headquarters of TSMC, world's largest independent semiconductor foundry, MediaTek and United Microelectronics Corporation, are all located in the park.
Besides its industry, Hsinchu is also an important cultural center of Taiwan with an abundance of heritage sites. The Chenghuang Temple of Hsinchu, built in 1747, is a common prayer destination. The research institutions of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and National Tsing Hua University are both located near the science park.