Nantou is the second largest county of Taiwan by area. Located in the central part of the island, and containing its geographic center, it is the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its landscape is mountainous, with the east containing parts of the Central Mountain Range, including Taiwan's highest mountain, Yu Shan. The diverse landscape supports rare species such as the Taiwanese pangolin and leopard cat, and the county remains home to some of the Taiwanese Indigenous peoples.
What is now Nantou supported a number of indigenous groups that retained autonomy from central government during Qing rule of the island. Settlement was initially banned, but in the late 19th century it was encouraged. Many Hoklo and Hakka people moved in during this period. Under Japanese rule, the area was brought fully under government control, a sometimes violent process that shaped local ethnic identities. The region began to industralize, while also seeing increased agricultural production. Following the retrocession of Taiwan, Nantou County was separated from Taichung County. In the late 20th century, the area saw an increase in tourism, which has become a prominent part of the local economy. Famous sites include Sun Moon Lake, the largest lake in Taiwan.
The county is home to the Thao people, who live around Sun Moon Lake. Other indigenous groups with communities in the area include the Atayal, Bunun, Seediq, Tsou, and various Plains Indigenous peoples. Two of the county's townships are classified as indigenous townships. The total population of the county is around 470,000.
The county is led by a magistrate, who heads the Nantou County Government. The economy still includes extensive agricultural components in addition to tourism, and the region produces hydroelectric power. In modern times, the indigenous people are reflected in the education system, and retain their own cultural practices.
History
Early history
Before the arrival of Han Chinese to Nantou, the Atayal, Bunun and Tsou tribes were distributed throughout the northern and central Nantou. These groups pioneered the early development of mountain regions in Nantou. The name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau.
Kingdom of Tungning
In 1677, Lin Yi (), a general under the command of Koxinga, led soldiers to establish residence in ' (modern-day Zhushan). The Han Chinese began to enter Nantou via two main routes, the Zhuoshui River and Maoluo River. However, actual control was limited, with indigenous populations in the area remaining largely isolated. In 1740, Qing authorities assigned the indigenous people the surname Pan. Contact between these people and Han Chinese settlers often resulted in violence. Stone border markers may have been in place as early as 1713.
In 1744, Qing authorities banned Han land claims in indigenous land, and in 1752 set out formal border markers which Han Chinese were not allowed to pass. Detailed mapping in 1790 led to further demarcation.
thumb|alt=A chinese character contract signed with four hand prints|A settlement contract from when the [[Plains Indigenous peoples moved into the Puli Basin]]
The Puli basin became an important area for indigenous peoples. In 1814, a group of over 100 Han Chinese led by Guo Bainian<!--郭百年--> massacred indigenous people living in the Puli basin. Around 3,000 settlement contracts are known from the Puli basin. From 1850 to 1874, there are three recorded official movements of Thao people from other areas to Sun Moon Lake, and new settlements were established.
In 1848, the local government began to more actively develop the area. Water infrastructure was developed to improve agriculture, and a small number of Han settlers began to enter the area. The ban on Han settlement was removed in 1874. Those who were not given last names under Qing rule were given last names by the Japanese authorities. The construction of the Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant also saw the construction of the Jiji line. Finished in 1922, this line significant enhanced the capacity of goods transport between the interior and the coast. Economic growth occurred along the line. The Jiji line and a sugar line both had a western terminus at Ershui railway station, and ran parallel until Zhuoshui railway station. From there, the sugar line went north towards Nantou City, while the Jiji line continued east into the interior. Banana exporting peaked in 1930. This wood was also exported, with a torii at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine being built with wood from Danda. Checheng's forestry sector significantly expanded.
Republic of China
After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 October 1945, the present day area of Nantou County was administered under Taichung County of Taiwan Province. Settlements in what became the county were affected by the February 28 incident. Nantou County was established by its separation from Taichung County, and Nantou Township was designed as the county seat. The Nantou County Government was created on 21 October, with the first elections taking place the next year. Taichung continued to provide Prosecutors Office service, although this office opened a branch in Nantou County in 1982. An independent Nantou Prosecutors Office was only set up on 1 July 1994.
On 1 July 1957, the Zhongxing New Village in Nantou Township was designated as the capital of Taiwan Province, replacing the former capital Taipei. It remained the capital until the province was reorganized in 1997. Railway tourists brought a new economic lease of life to the declining towns along the railway. The Thao community organized to assist in reconstruction, and also pushed for reconstruction to be done in a way that restored their culture. In 2001, the Thao people were recognized as Taiwan's 10th indigenous group.
Geography
thumb|[[Hehuanshan is one of the higher mountains in Nantou County.]]
Nantou County has an area of with a width of and length of . It is the second largest county in Taiwan after Hualien County. Located at the middle of the island, The tallest is Yu shan in Xinyi Township, the highest peak in Taiwan with a height of . Around 83% of Nantou County area is covered by hills and mountains. The sanctuary treats injured wildlife, notably the endangered Taiwanese pangolin and leopard cat. Other species include sparrows, swifts, black-faced spoonbills, collared scops owls, masked palm civets, Formosan ferret-badgers, crested goshawks, and black-crowned night herons. Puli was once a famous butterfly collection spot. The subspecies Papilio machaon sylvina present on the island may have become extinct due to the 1999 Jiji earthquake.
Climate
The mountainous geography of the county has created multiple climatic zones.
Administrative divisions
thumb|Nantou County Administrative Divisions
Nantou County consists of 1 city, 4 urban townships, 6 rural townships, 2 mountain indigenous townships, 128 villages and 133 neighborhoods.
{|class=wikitable
!Type!!Name While there are no county-wide KMT factions, there is internal factional politics at the town and city level.
Nantou County voted for KMT legislators in both of its seats during the 2016 Republic of China legislative election.
The saw a Democratic Progressive Party candidate elected by 1,925 votes.
Demographics
thumb|[[Nantou City, the county seat of Nantou County]]
The county remains home to a large number of ethnic groups,
The largest population of Atayal people is in Ren'ai. Many Bunun people live in Ren'ai and Xinyi. Xinyi also has a distinct Tsou population. The Yuchi and Shuili townships are home to the Thao people. The county is the only place where the Thao language is spoken. Other aboriginal languages include Atayal, Bunun, and Tsou. Other important industries in the county include forestry, fishery, and animal husbandry. Tourism and manufacturing are also important.
As of 2016, there are 28,000 registered businesses and 5,205 registered companies in the county with a total capital of NT$5,609 million and NT$80,024 million respectively. There are 938 factories operating in the county as of 2015.
Many areas along the Jiji line are still agricultural. While banana production has decreased from historical levels, other crops include dragon fruit and oranges.
Sun Moon Lake also supports a small fishery, holding sharpbelly and predatory carp. Sharpbelly are a traditional part of the Thao diet. As the fish are small, it is common to salt or deep fry them. Predatory carp are larger, reaching . They became known as "President's Fish" as Chiang Kai-shek was known to eat them whenever visiting the lake. This changed to 2 colleges, 15 high schools, 23 junior high school schools, 139 elementary schools, and 180 kindergartens in January 2024. In preschools linked to elementary schools, there is a student-teacher ratio of 12:1. There are plans to directly connect the Jiji line to Changhua HSR station. It has also been proposed to extend the Taichung MRT to Zhongxing New Village in Nantou County.