Taibei (Chinese: 臺北 or 台北; Pinyin: Táiběi; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak; literally "North of Taiwan"), is the capital city and a special municipality of Taiwan Province, Republic of China, situated at the northern tip of the island of Taiwan. It is about 16 miles (25.75 kilometers) southwest of the northern port city Jilong. The city is located on the Taibei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by the two relatively narrow valleys of the Jilong and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Danshui River along the city's western border. The city proper is home to an estimated population of 2,693,672 in 2009, forming the core part of the Taibei–Jilong metropolitan area which includes the nearby city of Jilong with a population of 6,900,273, the 40th most-populous urban area in the world. The term "Taibei" can be either referred to the whole metropolitan area or city proper itself.
Before the city was founded by Chinese immigrants in the early 18th century, the region of Taibei Basin was mainly inhabited by the indigenous people known as the Ketagalan. In the 19th century, the city rapidly grew in importance due to significant growth of international trades. Taibei Prefecture was created in 1875 by the Qing Dynasty of China and was formally made provincial capital of Taiwan in 1894. Following the annexation of Taiwan by Japan in 1895, Japan retained Taibei as capital of the island and embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning. A number of Taibei landmarks and cultural institutions date from this period. The Republic of China took over the island in 194? following Japan's surrender.
Taibei is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan. Considered to be a global city, Taibei is part of a major high-tech industrial area. Railways, high-speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taibei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taibei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan. Taibei is home to various world-famous architectural or cultural landmarks which include Taibei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Xingtian Gong, Mengjia Longshan Temple, National Palace Museum, Presidential Office Building, Night markets, and Ximending. Its natural features such as Maokong, Yangmingshan, and hot springs are also well known to international visitors.
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