Counties of Taiwan

Counties (Traditional Chinese: 縣, Pinyin: Xiàn),are ROC's administrative divisions. They are officially found in the second level. However, the streamlining of Taiwan Province and Fujian Province has effectively promoted the county the first level below the Republic of China central government's rule. There are currently 18 counties administered by the Republic of China, also known as "Taiwan".

In older context, "prefecture" and "district" are alternative terms to refer to 縣 (xiàn) before the establishment of the Republic of China. The English nomenclature "County" was adopted following the establishment of the ROC. Counties in older document sometimes romanized to Sien or Hsien.

In Taiwanese law, counties with its population over two million, can become a quasi-municipality (準直轄市). Taipei County uses this rule since October, 2007, Taoyuan County will also become a quasi-municipality since 2011.

Taiwan Province

There are 16 counties under Taiwan Province now. In December 25, 2010, four counties will upgrade to direct-controlled municipalities, these counties are Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung.

Romanization	Chinese	Hanyu Pinyin	Wade-Giles	Pe̍h-ōe-jī	Pha̍k-fa-sṳ	Capital	Capital in Chinese
Changhua County	彰化縣	Zhānghuà	Chang1-hua4	Chiong-hoà	Chông-fa	Changhua City	彰化市
Chiayi County	嘉義縣	Jiāyì	Chia1-i4	Ka-gī	Kâ-ngi	Taibao City	太保市
Hsinchu County	新竹縣	Xīnzhú	Hsin1-chu2	Sin-tek	Sîn-tsuk	Zhubei City	竹北市
Hualien County	花蓮縣	Huālián	Hua1-lien2	Hoa-liân	Fâ-lièn	Hualien City	花蓮市
Kaohsiung County	高雄縣	Gāoxióng	Kao1-hsiung2	Ko-hiông	Kô-hiùng	Fengshan City	鳳山市
Miaoli County	苗栗縣	Miáolì	Miao2-li4	Biâu-le̍k	Mèu-li̍t	Miaoli City	苗栗市
Nantou County	南投縣	Nántóu	Nan2-t'ou2	Lâm-tâu	Nàm-thèu	Nantou City	南投市
Penghu County	澎湖縣	Pénghú	P'eng2-hu2	Phêⁿ-ô͘	Phàng-fù	Magong City	馬公市
Pingtung County	屏東縣	Píngdōng	P'ing2-tung1	Pîn-tong	Phìn-tûng	Pingtung City	屏東市
Taichung County	臺中縣 or 台中縣	Táizhōng	T'ai2-chung1	Tâi-tiong	Thòi-chûng	Fengyuan City	豐原市
Tainan County	臺南縣 or 台南縣	Táinán	T'ai2-nan2	Tâi-lâm	Thòi-nàm	Xinying City	新營市
Taipei County	臺北縣 or 台北縣	Táiběi	T'ai2-pei3	Tâi-pak	Thòi-pet	Banqiao City	板橋市
Taitung County	臺東縣 or 台東縣	Táidōng	T'ai2-tung1	Tâi-tang	Thòi-tûng	Taitung City	臺東市
Taoyuan County	桃園縣	Táoyuán	T'ao2-yuan2	Thô-hn̂g	Thò-yèn	Taoyuan City	桃園市
Yilan County	宜蘭縣	Yílán	I2-lan2	Gî-lân	Ngì-làn	Yilan City	宜蘭市
Yunlin County	雲林縣	Yúnlín	Yun2-lin2	Hûn-lîm	Yùn-lìm	Douliu City	斗六市

Fujian Province

Fujian has various romanizations: Fuchien in Wade-Giles,and Fukien in Postal Romanization

Romanization	Chinese	Hanyu Pinyin	Wade-Giles	Pe̍h-ōe-jī	Pha̍k-fa-sṳ	Capital	Capital in Chinese
Lienchiang County (Matsu)	連江縣	Liánjiāng	Lien2-chiang1	Liân-kang	Lièn-kông	Nangan Township	南竿鄉
Kinmen County	金門縣	Jīnmén	Chin1-men2	Kim-mn̂g	Kîm-mùn	Jincheng Township	金城鎮

See also

• Administrative divisions of the Republic of China
• List of Taiwanese counties by area
• List of Taiwanese counties by population
• List of Taiwanese counties by population density