Geographical Environment

Taoyuan Terrace, Linkou Terrace, Dahan River Basin, and the northern side of Snow Mountain as well as the large number of artificial ponds on the slopes are the geographic feature in the area. In Taoyuan, the southeastern side is higher and the terrain is lower at its northwest. The terrace covers most part of Taoyuan, from north to south are Taoyuan Terrace, Jhongli Terrace, Pingjen Terrace, Buogonggang Terrace and Hokou Terrace. These terraces are parts of the Quaternary terrace in western Taiwan. Dahan River passes Taoyuan County and divides the county into two parts: southeast and northwest. Southeastern Taoyuan is a mountainous area where average altitude ranges from 300 to 2000 meters. The mountains are parts of Snow Mountains with steep slopes and narrow river valleys. Northwestern is smoother with hills and terrains. Taoyuan City is located on Taoyuan Terrace and is a part of Shihman Alluvial Fan. The average altitude of this smooth plain is 0-1 meter. Some hills are placed at the northeastern tip of the plain, and are named “Hutoushan [the hills that resembles the head of a tiger]”.

The slopes in Taoyuan
62.14% of the land areas in Taoyuan have a gradient of lower than 5%. 90% of the lands in the following townships have a gradient of 5%: Sinwu Township, Bade City, Dayuan Township, Jhongli City, Huanyin Township and Taoyuan City.

The landforms of Taoyuan
Taoyuan County is long and narrow, and its landforms include a coastal plain, hills and mountains. From Dayuan Township, Guanyin Township to Sinwu Township is a long and narrow plain. Off shore are some coastal sandbanks that are 2 kilometer wide. The sandbanks are lined from northeast to southwest. The mountains are located in Fuhsing Township, which is surrounded by mountains higher than 1,000-2,000 meters, for instance, Lalashan, Najieshan, Niaojueishan, Babokulushan. The hills are located between the mountains and the plain as a belt in the west of Linkou Terrace, Taoyuan City, and eastern Jhongli City. The belt turns north northwest at Shihmen Reservoir, and stretches to the west at an average altitude of 150 meters.