New Taipei City

New Taipei City, Wade-Giles romanization Hsin T’ai-pei Shih, Pinyin Xin Taibei Shi, also known as (Wade-Giles romanization) Hsin-pei, Pinyin Xinbei, special municipality (chih-hsia shih, or zhizia shi), northern Taiwan. It was created in 2010 when the former T’ai-pei county was administratively reorganized, and it has the status of a county.

New Taipei City is bordered by I-lan (Yilan) county to the southeast, T’ao-yüan (Taoyuan) county to the southwest, and the East China Sea to the north. The special municipality of Taipei and the municipality of Chi-lung (Jilong, or Keelung), both administratively independent, are located within the northern part of New Taipei City. The Hsüeh-shan (Xueshan) Mountains in the southeast, with an average elevation of 4,590 feet (1,400 metres), gradually gives way to the alluvial river basins and coastal plains in the north. In the extreme north the Ch’i-hsing (Qixing) Mountains rise to 3,675 feet (1,120 metres).

The T’ai-pei basin, drained by the Tan-shui (Danshui, or Tamsui) River, is fertile; citrus fruits, tea, rice, and sweet potatoes are grown. The Chi-lung and T’ai-pei coalfields are in the central part of the special municipality; bauxite, clay, sulfur, iron-ore, copper, and mercury deposits are also worked. Industries produce wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, chemicals, canned food, and fertilizers. Three nuclear reactors are located in the northern coastal belt and provide a major portion of Taiwan’s electricity.

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The former T’ai-pei county developed rapidly after it became the refuge and headquarters of Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Chinese regime in 1949 following its defeat in the Chinese revolution. The Lin-k’ou (Linkou) and Jui-fang (Ruifang) industrial parks are near Taipei city. Yeh-liu (Yeliu) Sea Park is on New Taipei City’s northern coast, and Wu-lai (Wulai) Forest Recreational Area, with Taiwan’s only passenger cableway, is 18 miles (30 km) south of Taipei city. Former cities in the county (now city districts in the special municipality) include Pan-ch’iao (Banqiao), San-ch’ung (Sanchong), Tan-shui (Danshui), and Yung-ho (Yonghe). Pop. (2015 est.) 3,970,664.