Geography and natural ecosystems

Hualien County is approximately 4628 square kilometers, facing the immense Pacific Ocean in the east and leaning against the grand Central Mountain Range in the west. It is famous for its beautiful scenery. The East Coast is situated where the Philippine Oceanic Plate and Euro-Asian Continental Plate meet. Weathering, erosion, and accumulation have produced a wide range of landforms here.

To the east of Hualien, with the Pacific Ocean nearby, the weather feels like spring throughout the year. To the west, the grand Central Mountain Range holds back the chill of winter. Therefore, it is very comfortable to live in Hualien because of its weather. Natural resources in Taroko National Park, East Coast National Scenic Area, East Rift Valley Scenic Area and Yushan National Park make Hualien the most beautiful county in Taiwan.

The central mountain range is primarily covered with forest. Therefore, plenty of water is stored in the mountains, which flows down the valley to form a river.

There are roadways, aviation and sea transportation in Hualien. The earliest railroad was built in 1908. There are six main roads in Hualien County, (a) Suhua (b) HuaDong (c) Central HengGuan (d) the Coast (e) GuangFu (f) DongFu. Hualien has a recently renovated commercial airport that serves domestic flights and international charters.

The East Coast is bounded by the Pacific Ocean, with more than 300 kilometers of coast line. In addition, the Coast is rich in marine ecology. Schools of Bottlenose dolphins, Spinner dolphins, Risso's dolphins, Fraser? dolphins, and Pantropical spotted dolphins hurling upward from the water and then plopping back, leave every visitor with fantastic impressions.

The "International Stone Carving Festival??has been improved, updated and changed throughout these 10 years. This successfully brings local art to the international stage. Therefore, it has become one of the most significant art and literature events in Hualien County, once every two years.

The international Marathon in Taroko has been held annually since 2000; this year will be the seventh year. Taroko has several special natural resources in the Hualien region. It is one of Hualien? tourist spots.

International boating matches are held on the Hsiukuluan River during spring and summer. Everyone is fascinated by this exciting sport. The Hsiugulan River flows from Jhuosi Township, located in the Central Mountain Range of Hualien County, which is 104 kilometers long. It is the longest river in the eastern Taiwan region where the amount of water is sufficient throughout the year.