Kaohsiung, Special municipality in southern Taiwan.
Kaohsiung is a special municipality in southern Taiwan that stretches from the coast through urban areas to the mountains and is home to more than two million people. The settlement includes port facilities, industrial parks, residential neighborhoods, and forested hills, all grouped within the same administrative unit.
A trading post called Takau arose here in the 1600s and attracted merchants from the China coast. Under Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945, the settlement was transformed into an industrial port that later became the main seaport of Taiwan.
In the streets, Chinese temple ceremonies blend with the routines of modern residents, and many shops still follow the lunar calendar for festivals and holidays. Hawker markets open in the evening and sell local dishes that reflect the different groups who have lived here for generations.
The metro connects the high-speed rail station in Zuoying district with the center and the main residential areas, and buses run to the more remote neighborhoods. English signage is found at most stations and stops, but outside the central area, Mandarin Chinese is the main language.
The port uses a natural deepwater basin and is now the largest facility for cargo traffic on the island, handling containers and bulk goods from around the world. Visitors can see containers stacked on the piers from the edge of the port area and watch the constant arrival and departure of cargo ships.
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