Greater Tainan’s population has increased by more than 9,000 during the past three years. Although its overall population growth rate is higher than Greater Kaohsiung, 27 of its 37 administrative districts (70 percent) have shown negative growth, which is mostly concentrated around the area north of Tsengwen River. This exemplifies how the rural-urban divide brought on by urbanization is still a significant problem for the local government.
Bureau of Civil Affairs Director Chen Tsung-yen says that having smaller populations in the area north of the river has been that way for years, adding that it was not caused by the municipal merger of the former Tainan city and county. Social factors such as natural deaths and people moving away have caused the demographic changes, Chen says. While negative population growth is common in many areas, Greater Tainan’s total population growth rate has still exceeded that of Greater Kaohsiung since 2011. Greater Tainan’s growth rate of 0.83 percent last year was higher than Greater Kaohsiung’s 0.44 percent, showing that Greater Tainan is the top spot for people relocating to southern Taiwan.
Analysis of the population for each district shows that Yongkang District has the largest population, followed by Eastern and Annan districts. The districts with the smallest populations are Longci, Zuojhen and Shanshang respectively. Yongkang District also seen the largest increase in population growth and exceeded the 10,000 mark. Eastern District has had the greatest negative population growth, losing 2,600 residents.
Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者洪瑞琴
Demographic analysis is primarily used for policymaking and evaluated by industries for distribution and development purposes, Chen says. The Greater Tainan Government is working with National Cheng Kung University’s Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences on a human innovation and social activity research project for the National Science Council, using basic data to upgrade demographic analysis methods, finding each district’s development features and adjusting policy instruments for long-term care and labor demand to effectively bring about a more balanced development.
Urban polarization is a trend throughout the world, says Greater Tainan Bureau of Urban Development Commissioner Wu Hsin-hsiu. The local government is working hard to improve the quality of public services and to promote the use of fallow land to effectively lessen the rural-urban divide by creating unique regional characteristics, such as the development of land around Taiwan Sugar Co’s Sugar Factory in Sinying District, which is meant to help develop the area north of the river, Wu says.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
Photo courtesy of the Greater Kaohsiung Government
照片由高雄市政府提供
台南全市近三年人口數增加九千多人,總人口成長率還勝過高雄市,不過全市三十七個行政區中,有廿七區呈負成長、占七成,且大都集中在溪北地區,顯示都市化趨勢所帶來的城鄉差距,仍是市政一大考驗。
台南民政局長陳宗彥表示,溪北地區人口偏少是長年來情況,並非合併升格造成,人口消長因素,包括生死自然因素、人口移動等社會因素,在各地普遍人口負成長情況下,南市總人口的成長率,自二0一一年起即高過高雄市,去年百分之零點八三超越高雄的百分之零點四四,顯示人口移入比率在南台灣居首。
若以各區人口數分析,永康區人口數居冠,其次東區、安南區,人口數最少的是龍崎、左鎮、山上區;而人口增加最多的也是永康區,突破一萬大關,人口減少最多的行政區則是東區,少了二千六百餘人。
陳宗彥表示,人口變化分析主要在於政策研擬參考及產業分佈發展評估,市府正與成功大學人文社會科學中心合作「國科會人文創新與社會實踐計畫」,透過數據基礎資料讓人口分析升級,找出各區發展特色,並研擬長期照護、勞動需求等政策工具調整,以利均衡發展。
台南都發局長吳欣修表示,都市人口極化現象是全世界趨勢,市府努力提升公共服務品質、促進土地活化,創造區域特色以降低城鄉差距,例如台南新營區糖廠土地開發利用,即為溪北發展為思考主軸。
(自由時報記者洪瑞琴)
Tangbao are one of the most internationally renowned delicacies, that win the hearts of both locals and tourists. Their charm lies in the paper-thin flour wrapper that needs to be folded evenly almost 20 times. Folding a tangbao requires skill to deal with a bulging filling and a thin wrapper. Tangbao are served in a bamboo steamer in which they are steamed, not only adding to the visual appearance, but ensuring they do not get cold before reaching the table. The best way to enjoy a tangbao is to dip it in a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce with
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) announced a seismic change in direction on March 19, hiking interest rates for the first time in 17 years. The move represents an unwinding of an ultra-loose — and maverick -- policy aimed at putting Japan’s “lost decades” of stagnation and deflation behind it. The last time the BoJ raised interest rates was in 2007, but its war against deflation began in earnest in 2013 under then-prime minister Shinzo Abe. “Abenomics” combined generous government spending and central bank monetary easing. The BoJ spent vast amounts on bonds and other assets to pump liquidity into the
Have you ever wished for an extra hour to prepare for exams or finish homework? In some countries, people actually adjust their clocks to gain or lose an hour, all for the sake of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Specifically, clocks are set forward by an hour in March and then set back in November. One of the primary reasons for implementing DST is to make better use of natural daylight so that people can reduce energy consumption. The concept originated with Benjamin Franklin in 1784 and became widely adopted during World War I. Today, this system is in place
A: Wow, YouTuber Xander 73’s channel “73_Tricking” now has over 10 million subscribers, making him Taiwan’s first 10-million YTR. B: Cool! But what’s “tricking?” A: Basically, it’s a sport derived from extreme martial arts. B: Xander 73’s income is as high as NT$600,000 per month. What’s the secret of his success? A: He often uses English catchphrases in his videos to attract more viewers from around the world. This shows how important English is. A: 哇,YouTuber奇軒的「奇軒Tricking」頻道訂閱突破千萬人, 成為台灣首位千萬YTR! B: 好厲害,但什麼是tricking啊? A: 聽說是極限武術所衍生的運動。 B: 奇軒月入60萬,成功的秘訣是什麼呢? A: 他常使用英文標語,所以能吸引全球觀眾,可見英文多重要。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)