View source for Penghu

{{Short description|Island group and county of Taiwan}}
{{hatnote|"Pescadores" redirects here. For the Ecuadorian socio-ethnic group, see [[Cholos pescadores]]. For the 1938 Mexican film, see [[Pescadores de perlas]]. It is not to be confused with [[Pescador]] or [[Pescador Island]].}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                   = Penghu Islands
| official_name          = Penghu County
| native_name            = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-hant|澎湖縣}}}}
| other_name             = Pescadores
| settlement_type        = [[County (Taiwan)|County]]
| image_skyline          = Penghu County Montage.png
| image_caption          = Clockwise from the top: A night view of Xiying Rainbow Bridge, Zhongyang Old Street, [[Double-Heart of Stacked Stones|Qimei Double-Heart of Stacked Stones]], Baisha Beach, [[Penghu Tianhou Temple]], Budai Harbor
| image_flag             = Flag of Penghu County.svg
| image_seal             = Seal of Penghu County.svg
| seal_type              = Logo
| image_map              = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=260|frame-align=center||plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8}}
| image_map1             = Taiwan ROC political division map Penghu County.svg
| map_caption1           = 
| coordinates            = {{Coord|23|34|03|N|119|34|39|E|region:TW_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type       = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name       = {{ROC-TW}}
| subdivision_type1      = [[List of administrative divisions of Taiwan|Province]]
| subdivision_name1      = [[Taiwan Province]] (streamlined)
| iso_code               = TW-PEN
| seat_type              = Seat
| seat                   = [[Magong|Magong City]]
| seat1_type             = Largest city
| seat1                  = Magong
| parts                  = One city, five rural townships
| governing_body         = {{unbulleted list
 |[[Penghu County Government]]
 |[[Penghu County Council]]}}
| leader_party           = [[Democratic Progressive Party|DPP]]
| leader_title           = County Magistrate
| leader_name            = [[Chen Kuang-fu]]
| area_total_km2         = 141.052
| area_water_percent     = 0
| area_rank              = [[List of administrative divisions of Taiwan|22 of 22]]
| population_total       = 101,758
| population_as_of       = December 2014
| population_rank        = [[List of administrative divisions of Taiwan|21 of 22]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone               = [[National Standard Time]]
| utc_offset             = +8
| website                = {{url|www.penghu.gov.tw/en/|www.penghu.gov.tw}}
| module                 = {{Infobox place symbols
 |embedded = yes
 |flower = [[Gaillardia pulchella|Firewheel]] (''Gaillardia pulchella'')
 |tree = [[Chinese Banyan]] (''Ficus microcarpa'')
 |bird = [[Alauda gulgula|Small Skylark]] (''Alauda gulgula'')
 }}
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|title = Penghu Islands
|t = {{linktext|澎湖群島}}
<!--|s = {{linktext|澎湖群岛}}-->
|psp = Pescadores Islands
|p = Pénghú Qúndǎo
|mi = {{IPAc-cmn|p|eng|2|.|h|u|2|-|qun|2|.|d|ao|3}}
|tp = Pénghú Cyúndǎo
|w = Pʻêng<sup>2</sup>-hu<sup>2</sup> Chʻün<sup>2</sup>-tao<sup>3</sup>
|myr = Pénghú Chyúndǎu
|gr = Pernghwu Chyundao
|mps = Pénghú Chiúndǎu
|bpmf = ㄆㄥˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄏㄨˊ<br/>ㄑㄩㄣˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄉㄠˇ
|poj = Phîⁿ-ô͘-kûn-tó ''or''<br/>Phêⁿ-ô͘-kûn-tó
|tl = Phînn-ôo-kûn-tó ''or''<br/>Phênn-ôo-kûn-tó
|showflag = ppoj
|altname = Penghu Island
|t2 = {{linktext|澎湖島}}
<!--|s2 = {{linktext|澎湖岛}}-->
|p2 = Pénghú Dǎo
|mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|p|eng|2|.|h|u|2|-|d|ao|3}}
|tp2 = Pénghú Dǎo
|w2 = Pʻêng<sup>2</sup>-hu<sup>2</sup> Tao<sup>3</sup>
|myr2 = Pénghú Dǎu
|gr2 = Pernghwu Dao
|mps2 = Pénghú Dǎu
|bpmf2 = ㄆㄥˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄏㄨˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄉㄠˇ
|poj2 = Phîⁿ-ô͘-tó ''or''<br/>Phêⁿ-ô͘-tó
|tl2 = Phînn-ôo-tó ''or''<br/>Phênn-ôo-tó
|altname3 = Penghu County
|t3 = {{linktext|澎湖|縣}}
<!--|s3 = {{linktext|澎湖|县}}-->
|p3 = Pénghú Xiàn
|mi3 = {{IPAc-cmn|p|eng|2|.|h|u|2|-|x|yan|4}}
|w3 = Pʻêng<sup>2</sup>-hu<sup>2</sup> Hsien<sup>4</sup>
|tp3 = Pénghú Siàn
|gr3 = Pernghwu Shiann
|mps3 = Pénghú Shiàn
|myr3 = Pénghú Syàn
|bpmf3 = ㄆㄥˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄏㄨˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄒㄧㄢˋ
|poj3 = Phîⁿ-ô͘-koān ''or''<br/>Phêⁿ-ô͘-koān
|tl3 = Phînn-ôo-kuān ''or''<br/>Phênn-ôo-kuān
|phfs3 = Phàng-fù-yen
}}
{{Quote box |width=24em |align=right |bgcolor=#EBEBFF
|title=Historical affiliations
|fontsize=90% |quote=

[[Song dynasty]] (1170–1279)<br/>[[Yuan dynasty]] (1281–1368)<br/>[[Ming dynasty]] (1368–1622, 1624–1644)<br/>{{flagdeco|Netherlands}} [[Fengguiwei Fort|Dutch Empire]] (1622–1624)<br/>{{flagicon image|Flag of Ming Cheng.svg}} [[Kingdom of Tungning]] (1661–1683)<br/>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Qing Dynasty (1889-1912).svg}} [[Qing dynasty]] (1683–1895)<br/>{{flagdeco|Japan|1870}} [[Empire of Japan]] (1895–1945)<br/>{{flagdeco|ROC}} [[History of Taiwan (1945–present)|Republic of China]] (1945–present)
}}
[[File:Penghu 201506.jpg|thumb|250px|Northern islands of Penghu (the Pescadores)]]
The '''Penghu''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ʌ|ŋ|ˈ|h|uː}} {{respell|PUNG|HOO}},<ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Penghu}}</ref> [[Hokkien]] [[Pe̍h-ōe-jī|POJ]]: ''Phîⁿ-ô͘''&nbsp;&nbsp;or ''Phêⁿ-ô͘'' ) or '''Pescadores Islands''' are an [[archipelago]] of 90 islands and [[islet]]s in the [[Taiwan Strait]], about {{convert|50|km|nmi|abbr=off|round=5}} west of the main [[island of Taiwan]] across the [[Penghu Channel]], covering an area of {{convert|141|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. The archipelago collectively forms {{nowrap|'''Penghu County'''}}. The largest city is [[Magong]], on the largest island, which is also named Magong.

The Penghu islands first appear in the historical record in the [[Tang dynasty]] and were inhabited by Chinese people under the [[Southern Song dynasty]], during which they were attached to [[Jinjiang, Fujian|Jinjiang County]] of [[Fujian Circuit|Fujian]].{{sfn|Liu|2012|p=167-168}} The archipelago was formally incorporated as an administrative unit of China in 1281 under [[Tong'an]] County of [[Jiangzhe Province]] in the [[Yuan dynasty]].<ref name="官網歷史沿革"/> It continued to be controlled by Imperial China with brief European occupations by the [[Dutch Empire]] (1622–1624) and [[Second French colonial empire]] (1885), until it was ceded to the [[Empire of Japan]] in 1895. [[Surrender of Japan|Japan’s surrender in 1945]] ended its colonial rule over the Islands, which has since then been governed by the [[Republic of China]] (ROC). Under the terms of the [[Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty]] and the subsequent [[Taiwan Relations Act]] between the ROC and the [[United States]], Penghu is defined and geographically acknowledged as part of Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ait.org.tw/taiwan-relations-act-public-law-96-8-22-u-s-c-3301-et-seq/ |publisher=[[American Institute in Taiwan]] |title=Taiwan Relations Act |website=ait.org.tw |date=30 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819023930/https://www.ait.org.tw/taiwan-relations-act-public-law-96-8-22-u-s-c-3301-et-seq/ |archive-date=19 August 2022 |access-date=14 December 2022 |quote=...Section. 15. For purposes of this Act- 2. the term “Taiwan” includes, as the context may require, the islands of Taiwan and the Pescadores (Penghu). |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://web-archive-2017.ait.org.tw/en/sino-us-mutual-defense-treaty-1954.html |publisher=[[American Institute in Taiwan]] |title=Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty |website=ait.org.tw |date=1954 |access-date=14 December 2022 |quote=ARTICLE VI. For the purposes of Articles II and V, the terms "territorial" and "territories" shall mean in respect of the Republic of China, Taiwan and the Pescadores: and in respect of the United States of America, the island territories in the West Pacific under its jurisdiction. |archive-date=24 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224145910/https://web-archive-2017.ait.org.tw/en/sino-us-mutual-defense-treaty-1954.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Penghu Islands rely solely on sea and air transportation, with air transport having a significant role in outside access. The islands are served by three local domestic airports: [[Penghu Airport]], [[Qimei Airport]], and [[Wang-an Airport]]. The [[Penghu National Scenic Area]] comprises most of the islands and islets of the archipelago. It is also renowned for its unique natural feature of [[Columnar jointing|columnar basalt]] landscape. [[Tourism in Taiwan|Tourism]] is one of the main sources of income to the county.

==Name==

The "Penghu" islands were mentioned in a series of poems from the [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907). In the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279), it was mentioned that in the Tang period, "Pinghu" barbarians from beyond [[Quanzhou]] had laid siege to [[Fuzhou]], now the capital of [[Fujian Province]].{{sfn|Liu|2012|p=167-168}} In 1171, poet {{ILL|Lou Yue (poet)|zh|%E6%A5%BC%E9%92%A5|lt=Lou Yue}} described a place across the sea from [[Quanzhou]], identified as Penghu, that had thousands of sandbars called "Pinghu" (flat lake) because of the "encircling shape of its inner coastline".<ref>Asian & Pacific Quarterly of Cultural and Social Affairs:15-16, p. 43</ref> Song sources describe migrants from Fujian cultivating land on Pinghu.{{sfn|Liu|2012|p=168}} In 1225, the Song historian [[Zhao Rukuo]] called the islands attached to [[Jinjiang, Fujian|Jinjiang]] County "Penghu".<ref name="fanghao"/> In 1227, Wang Xiangzhi described Penghu as a group of 36 islands in an "outlying region" which took three days to reach by sailing from Jinjiang.{{sfn|Knapp|1980|p=6}} In the [[Southern Min]] language, both Pinghu and Penghu are pronounced similarly, and scholars in Taiwan believe them to be the same place.<ref name="fanghao">方豪，1994，《台灣早期史綱》，頁33-34，台北：學生書局. {{ISBN|957-15-0631-1}}.</ref> In Southern Min it is pronounced ''Phêⁿ-ô·''.<ref name="campbell"/>

According to the official ''Penghu County Chronicle'', Penghu's original name had been "Pinghu" (平湖), but as "Ping" (平) sounded similar to "Peng" (彭) in [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Hokkien]], "Pinghu" (平湖) was also written as "Penghu" (彭湖), and ultimately the consensus, is to write "Penghu" (澎湖).<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.penghu.gov.tw/ebook/26/mobile/index.html#p=104 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211113537/https://www.penghu.gov.tw/ebook/26/mobile/index.html#p=104 |archive-date=2022-02-11 |title=宋代對澎湖的認識 |work=《續修澎湖縣志‧地理志》 |editor=顏尚文 |author=中央研究院臺灣史研究所 |pages=92–93 |quote=大正6年（1917），日人藤田豊八在〈南蠻之來襲〉中，認為「平湖」與「澎湖」為同音異字。毛一波由音韻解釋：「平」可作「旁」音讀之。「彭」音「滂」，本與「旁」通，「旁」即是「滂」。「澎」之字音也是從「旁」字而來，是故「平」與「澎」為同音異字。 |access-date=2022-02-11 |url-status=}}</ref><ref name=ph26-31>{{citation |author=曹永和 |title=〈早期臺灣的開發與經營〉，《臺灣早期歷史研究》 |pages=91–92}}</ref> The islands have also been called ''Pehoe'' from the [[Southern Min|Minnan]] name ''Phêⁿ-ô·''.<ref name="campbell">{{cite book |surname=Campbell |given=William |author-link=William Campbell (missionary) |title=Formosa under the Dutch: described from contemporary records, with explanatory notes and a bibliography of the island |year=1903 |publisher=Kegan Paul |location=London |chapter=Explanatory Notes |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/formosaunderdut01campgoog/page/546/mode/1up |page=546 |isbn=978-957-638-083-9}}</ref>

The name "Pescadores" comes from the [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] name ''Ilhas dos Pescadores'' ("Fishermen Islands"). The [[European Portuguese]] pronunciation is {{IPA|pt|pɨʃkɐˈðoɾɨʃ|}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dicionario.priberam.org/pescadores |title=Pescadores |last= |first= |date= |website=dicionario.priberam.org |publisher= |access-date=7 September 2024 |quote= |language=Portuguese}}</ref> but, in English, it is typically closer to {{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɛ|s|k|ə|ˈ|d|ɔː|r|ɪ|z|,_|-|iː|z}}.<ref name="campbell"/>

==History==
===Prehistory===
[[Penghu 1]], a fossil jaw (mandible) dating to the Middle or Late [[Pleistocene]] that belonged to a member of an extinct [[hominin]] species, possibly a [[Denisovan]], was discovered in the [[Penghu Channel]] {{circa|2008}}.<ref name="Changetal2015">{{cite journal |last1=Chang |first1=Chun-Hsiang |last2=Kaifu |first2=Yousuke |last3=Takai |first3=Masanaru |last4=Kono |first4=Reiko T. |last5=Grün |first5=Rainer |last6=Matsu’ura |first6=Shuji |last7=Kinsley |first7=Les |last8=Lin |first8=Liang-Kong |date=2015 |title=The first archaic ''Homo'' from Taiwan |journal=[[Nature Communications]] |volume=6 |pages=6037 |bibcode=2015NatCo...6.6037C |doi=10.1038/ncomms7037 |pmc=4316746 |pmid=25625212 |quote=Older low-sea-level events, 225, 240–280, ?300, 335–360 and 425–450 ka cannot be completely excluded as the age for Penghu 1, but such a situation requires explanation for preservation through repeated sedimentary events and the unusual distribution of ''Crocuta crocuta ultima''. Therefore, Penghu 1 is younger than 450 ka, and most likely 10–70 ka or 130–190 ka.}}</ref>

Finds of fine red [[cord-marked pottery]] at Guoye, [[Huxi, Penghu|Huxi]], indicate that Penghu was visited by [[Austronesian people|Austronesian]]s from southwestern Taiwan around 5,000 years ago, though not settled permanently.<ref name="Reclamation Hall">{{cite web |url=http://phkt.phhcc.gov.tw/english/home.asp |title=Penghu Reclamation Hall |access-date=22 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330230501/http://phkt.phhcc.gov.tw/english/home.asp |archive-date=30 March 2012}}</ref>

===Song dynasty===

[[Han Chinese]] from southern [[Fujian]] began to establish fishing communities on the islands in the 9th and 10th centuries,<ref name="Reclamation Hall"/> and representatives were intermittently stationed there by the [[Southern Song]] and [[Yuan dynasty|Yuan]] governments from {{circa|1170}}.{{sfnp|Wills|2006|p=86}} Chinese fishermen had settled on the Penghu Islands by 1171, when a group of "Bisheye" bandits with dark skin speaking a foreign language landed on Penghu and plundered the fields planted by Chinese migrants. The Song government sent soldiers after them and from that time on, Song patrols regularly visited Penghu in the spring and summer. A local official, {{ILL|Wang Dayou|zh|汪大猷}} had houses built on Penghu and stationed troops there to prevent depredations by the Bisheye.{{sfn|Liu|2012|p=170-171}}{{sfnp|Hsu|1980|p=6}}{{sfnp|Wills|2006|p=86}} Coins dating to the Xining (1068&ndash;1077) and Zhenghe (1111&ndash;1117) reign periods as well as many Song pottery and porcelain shards have been unearthed in Penghu.{{sfn|Knapp|1980|p=6}}

In 1225, the ''[[Zhu Fan Zhi|Book of Barbarian Nations]]'' anecdotally indicated that Penghu was attached to Jinjiang, Quanzhou Prefecture.<ref name="官網歷史沿革"/>
A group of Quanzhou immigrants lived on Penghu.{{sfn|Thompson|1964|p=164}}

===Yuan dynasty===
In November 1281, the [[Yuan dynasty]] under [[Kublai Khan|Emperor Shizu]] officially established the ''Penghu Patrol and Inspection Agency'' under the jurisdiction of [[Tong'an]] County, incorporating Penghu into China's borders 403 years earlier than Taiwan.<ref name="官網歷史沿革">{{cite web |url=https://event.penghu.gov.tw/ch/home.jsp?id=10174 |title=歷史沿革 |date=13 July 2017 |publisher=[[Penghu County Government]] |access-date=2021-01-24 |archive-date=2021-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301101127/https://event.penghu.gov.tw/ch/home.jsp?id=10174 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Wang Dayuan]] gave a detailed first-hand account of the islands in his ''[[Daoyi Zhilüe]]'' (1349).{{sfnp|Thompson|1964|pp=167–168}}

{{quotation|There are thirty-six islands, large and small, so close together that the slopes of one are visible from another. Among them are seven harbors which are named. With a favoring wind they can be reached from Ch'üan-chou in two days and nights. There is grass but no trees ; the land is barren and not suited for growing rice. The Ch'üan-chou people make their houses by thatching grass. The weather is always warm. The customs [of the residents] are rustic. Many of the people are long-lived [or, the people are mostly old]. Men and women both wear long cloth gowns girded with local cotton cloth. They boil sea [water] to get salt, and ferment millet to make liquor. They gather fish, shrimp, snails, and clams to supplement their [staple of grain]. They burn ox dung to cook fish fat for use as oil. The land produces sesame and green beans. The goats multiply into flocks of several tens of thousands. A family [which owns some goats] brands their hair and cuts their horns as marks of identification, but does not gather them in during the day or night, so that they all forage for themselves. Their workmen and merchants enjoy the profits of a flourishing trade.<br/>The territory is attached to Chin-chiang county [''hsien''] of Ch'üan-chou [prefecture]. During the reign-period Chih-yüan 至元[1280-1294] a sub-county magistrate was assigned there to be in charge of the annual tax fixed on salt; during the Chung-t'ung 中統 reign-period [1260-1279] this amounted to ten ingots [''ting'' 錠] and twenty-five ounces. No other tax or corvée is levied.{{sfn|Knapp|1980|p=167-168}}|[[Wang Dayuan]]}}

===Ming dynasty===
{{further|Sino–Dutch conflicts}}
In the 15th century, the [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] ordered the evacuation of the islands as part of their [[Haijin|maritime ban]]. When these restrictions were removed in the late 16th century, legal fishing communities, most of which hailed from [[Tong'an]] County,<ref name="澎湖縣誌"/> were re-established on the islands. These fishermen worshiped at the [[Mazu Temple (Magong)|Mazu Temple]] that gave [[Magong]] its name and themselves gave rise to the Portuguese name ''Pescadores''.{{sfnp|Wills|2006|p=86}} The Ming established a permanent military presence starting in 1597.{{sfnp|Wong|2017|p=82}}

At this time, the [[Dutch East India Company]] was trying to force China to open a port in [[Fujian]] to Dutch trade and expel the Portuguese from [[Macau]].{{sfnp|Cooper|1979|p=658}}{{sfnp|Freeman|2003|p=132}}{{sfnp|Thomson|1996|p=39}} When the Dutch were defeated by the Portuguese at the [[Battle of Macau]] in 1622, they seized Penghu, built a fort there, and threatened raids on Chinese ports and shipping unless the Chinese allowed trading with them on Penghu and that China not trade with Manila.{{sfnp|Shepherd|1993|p=49}} In response, the Chinese governor of Fujian demanded that the Dutch withdraw from Penghu to Taiwan, where the Chinese would permit them to engage in trade.{{sfnp|Covell|1998|p=70}}{{sfnp|Wright|1908|p=817}} The Dutch continued to raid the Fujian coast between October 1622 and January 1624 to force their demands, but were unsuccessful.{{sfnp|Wills|1998|pp=368–369}} In 1624, the new governor of Fujian sent a fleet of 40–50 warships with 5,000 troops to Penghu and expelled the Dutch, who moved to [[Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan)|Fort Zeelandia]] on Taiwan.{{sfnp|Wills|1998|p=369}}{{sfnp|Wills|2010|p=70}}

===Qing dynasty===
[[File:澎湖輿圖 (1752).jpg|thumb|Map of Penghu, 1752]]
For a period in the mid-17th century, [[Geography of Taiwan|Taiwan]] and the archipelago were ruled by the [[Kingdom of Tungning]] under the Zheng family, which was overthrown by the [[Qing dynasty]] in 1683 after the [[Battle of Penghu]]. Military personnel were stationed on Penghu afterwards. Penghu became a sub-prefecture of [[Taiwan Prefecture]], [[Fujian Province]], in the Qing period.<ref name ="taiwan map">{{cite web |url=https://digitalatlas.asdc.sinica.edu.tw/digitalatlasen/map_detail.jsp?id=A104000123 |title=Reading Digital Atlas - 臺灣府汛塘圖 |access-date=2 September 2022 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902233846/https://digitalatlas.asdc.sinica.edu.tw/digitalatlasen/map_detail.jsp?id=A104000123 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Penghu archipelago was captured by the French in March 1885, in the closing weeks of the [[Sino-French War]], and evacuated four months later. The [[Pescadores campaign (1885)|Pescadores Campaign]] was the last campaign of Admiral [[Amédée Courbet]], whose naval victories in the war had made him a national hero in France. Courbet was among several French soldiers and sailors who died of [[cholera]] during the French occupation of Penghu. He died aboard his flagship {{ship|French battleship|Bayard|1880|2}} in [[Makung]] harbour on 11 June 1885.{{sfnp|Loir|1886|pp=291–317}}{{non-primary source needed|date=February 2024}}

===Empire of Japan===
{{main|Hōko Prefecture}}
[[File:Hoko Prefectural Office.JPG|thumb|left|[[Hōko Prefecture]] Government building]]

Towards the end of the [[First Sino-Japanese War]], having defeated the Qing in northern China, Japan sought to ensure that it obtained Penghu and Taiwan in the final settlement. In March 1895, the [[Pescadores Campaign (1895)|Japanese defeated the Chinese garrison on the islands]] and occupied [[Makung City|Makung]]. The Japanese occupation of Penghu, with its fine harbor, gave the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] an advanced base from which their short-range coal-burning ships could control the Taiwan Straits and thus prevent more Chinese troops from being sent to Taiwan. This action persuaded the Chinese negotiators at Shimonoseki that Japan was determined to annex Taiwan, and, after Penghu, Taiwan and the [[Liaodong Peninsula]] had been ceded to Japan in the Sino-Japanese [[Treaty of Shimonoseki]] in April, helped to ensure the success of the [[Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1895)|Japanese invasion of Taiwan]] in May.{{sfnp|Takekoshi|1907|pp=80–82}}{{non-primary source needed|date=February 2024}}

Penghu County was then called the [[Hōko Prefecture]] by the [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Japanese government of Taiwan]]. In [[World War II]], [[Mako Guard District|Makō]] (Makung) was a major base for the Imperial Japanese Navy and the embarkation point for the [[Philippines campaign (1941–1942)|invasion of the Philippines]].{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 1944, Penghu was extensively bombed in the [[Penghu air raids]].

===Republic of China===
[[File:Txu-oclc-6557994-index-451.jpg|thumb|left|The Pescadores (1950)]]

In the [[1943 Cairo Declaration|Cairo Declaration]] of 1943, the United States, the United Kingdom and China stated it to be their purpose that "all the territories that Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Formosa and The Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China". On 26 July 1945, the three governments issued the [[Potsdam Declaration]], declaring that "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out". However, the United States and the United Kingdom have regarded the aforementioned documents as merely wartime statements of intention with no binding force in law.<ref>{{cite news |given=Drew |surname=Middleton |title=Cairo Formosa Declaration Out of Date, Says Churchill |work=[[New York Times]] |date=2 February 1955 |page=1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/02/02/archives/cairo-formosa-declaration-out-of-date-says-churchill-churchill.html |access-date=14 April 2021 |archive-date=17 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317183839/https://www.nytimes.com/1955/02/02/archives/cairo-formosa-declaration-out-of-date-says-churchill-churchill.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the [[surrender of Japan]] on 2 September 1945, [[Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers]] [[Douglas MacArthur]] issued [[General Order No. 1]], which directed Japanese forces to surrender to the [[Allies of World War II|Allied Powers]] and facilitate the [[Occupation of Japan|occupation of Japanese territories]] by the Allied Powers. The Office of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers ordered Japanese forces in China and Taiwan to surrender to [[Chiang Kai-shek]], who the Allied Powers delegated to accept the surrender. On 25 October 1945, Governor-General [[Rikichi Andō]] handed over the administration of Taiwan and the Penghu islands to the head of the Taiwan Investigation Commission, [[Chen Yi (Kuomintang)|Chen Yi]].{{sfn|Tsai|2009|p=173}}<ref name ="Henckaerts1996"/>

The Republic of China and Japan signed the [[Treaty of Taipei]] on 28 April 1952, and the treaty came into force on 5 August, which is considered by some as giving a legal support to the Republic of China's claim to Taiwan as "de jure" territory. The treaty stipulates that all treaties, conventions, and agreements between China and Japan prior to 9 December 1941 were null and void, which according to [[Hungdah Chiu]], abolishes the [[Treaty of Shimonoseki]] ceding Taiwan to Japan. In the 1956 ''Japan v. Lai Chin Jung'' case, it was stated that Taiwan and the Penghu islands came to belong to the ROC on the date the Treaty of Taipei came into force.<ref name="Henckaerts1996">{{cite book |last=Henckaerts |first=Jean-Marie |title=The international status of Taiwan in the new world order: legal and political considerations |year=1996 |publisher=Kluwer Law International |isbn=90-411-0929-3 |page=337 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9kuVIayxDoC&q=Formosa+and+the+Pescadores+came+to+belong+to+the+Republic+of+China+1956&pg=PA7 |quote=p7. "In any case, there appears to be strong legal ground to support the view that since the entry into force of the 1952 ROC-Japan bilateral peace treaty, Taiwan has become the ''de jure'' territory of the ROC. This interpretation of the legal status of Taiwan is confirmed by several Japanese court decisions. For instance, in the case of ''Japan v. Lai Chin Jung'', decided by the Tokyo High Court on December 24, 1956, it was stated that 'Formosa and the Pescadores came to belong to the Republic of China, at any rate on August 5, 1952, when the [Peace] Treaty between Japan and the Republic of China came into force…'" <br/>p8. "the principles of prescription and occupation that may justify the ROC's claim to Taiwan certainly are not applicable to the PRC because the application of these two principles to the Taiwan situation presupposes the validity of the two peace treaties by which Japan renounce its claim to Taiwan and thus makes the island ''terra nullius''." |access-date=5 October 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408120030/https://books.google.com/books?id=_9kuVIayxDoC&q=Formosa+and+the+Pescadores+came+to+belong+to+the+Republic+of+China+1956&pg=PA7 |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, in 1954, the United States denied that the sovereignty over Taiwan and the Penghu islands had been settled by the Treaty of Taipei.<ref>{{Cite periodical |author=[[Department of State]] |title=News Conference Statements: Purpose of treaty with Republic of China |periodical=Department of State Bulletin |volume=XXXI |issue=807 |page=[https://archive.org/stream/departmentofstat311954unit_0#page/896/mode/2up 896] |publisher=[[United States Government Printing Office]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |date=13 December 1954 |language=en |quote=The legal position is different, as I think I pointed out in my last press conference, by virtue of the fact that technical sovereignty over Formosa and the Pescadores has never been settled. That is because the Japanese peace treaty merely involves a renunciation by Japan of its right and title to these island. But the future title is not determined by the Japanese peace treaty, nor is it determined by the peace treaty which was concluded between the Republic of China and Japan. Therefore, the juridical status of these islands, Formosa and the Pescadores, is different from the juridical status of the offshore islands which have always been Chinese territory.}}</ref> In the following year, the United States also stated its position that Taiwan and Penghu were handed over to the Allied Powers, and that the Republic of China was merely asked to administer these territories for the Allied Powers pending a final decision as to their ownership.
<ref>{{Cite news |author=[[James Reston]] |title=New Formosa Bid |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C0CE5DE163AE433A25754C0A9649C946492D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |location=[[New York City]] |url-access=subscription |date=1955-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308154107/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C0CE5DE163AE433A25754C0A9649C946492D6CF |archive-date=2015-03-08 |access-date=2015-03-12 |url-status=live |language=en |quote=The position of the Administration is that these territories were handed over to the Allied and associated powers of World War II by Japan, which had held them since 1895, and that General Chiang was merely asked to administer them for the Allied and associated powers pending a final decision as to their ownership......}}</ref> In the 1960 ''Sheng v. Rogers'' case, it was stated that, in the view of the [[U.S. State Department]], no agreement has purported to transfer the sovereignty of Taiwan to the ROC, though it accepted the exercise of Chinese authority over Taiwan and recognized the Government of the Republic of China as the legal government of China at the time.<ref>{{cite web |title=William P. Rogers, Attorney General of the United States, Appellant v. Cheng Fu Sheng and Lin Fu Mei, Appellees, 280 F.2d 663 (D.C. Cir. 1960) |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/280/663/263772/ |date=1960 |quote=But in the view of our State Department, no agreement has 'purported to transfer the sovereignty of Formosa to (the Republic of) China. At the present time, we accept the exercise of Chinese authority over Formosa, and recognize the Government of the Republic of China (the Nationalist Government) as the legal Government of China. |access-date=5 October 2022 |archive-date=30 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930073520/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/280/663/263772/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Boat people]] fleeing Vietnam in the 1970s and 1980s who were rescued by Taiwan's ships in the South China Sea were sent to Penghu.<ref>{{cite news |surname=Kamm |given=Henry |date=5 August 1981 |title=Despite Perils Afloat, Vietnamese Continue to Flee |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/05/world/despite-perils-afloat-vietnamese-continue-to-flee.html |newspaper=The New York Times |at=Section A, p. 2 |access-date=11 February 2017 |archive-date=8 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008015342/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/05/world/despite-perils-afloat-vietnamese-continue-to-flee.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 25 May 2002, [[China Airlines Flight 611]], a [[Boeing 747-200]] aircraft flying from [[Taipei]] to [[Hong Kong]], disintegrated and exploded over the Islands. The wreckage slammed into the Taiwan Strait, a couple of miles off the coast. All 225 passengers and crew on board were killed.<ref>{{cite web |title=China Airlines safety record in the spotlight |date=28 May 2002 |given=Lisa |surname=Barron |publisher=Cable News Network LP, LLLP |website=CNN.com |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/27/taiwan.plane.company/index.html |access-date=25 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828043024/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/27/taiwan.plane.company/index.html |archive-date=28 August 2010}}</ref>

==Climate==
Penghu County has a dry-winter [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: Cwa), bordering on a regular [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: Cfa).
{{Weather box
|metric first = y
|single line = y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Penghu (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present）
|Jan high C = 19.4
|Feb high C = 20.0
|Mar high C = 22.9
|Apr high C = 26.3
|May high C = 29.1
|Jun high C = 30.9
|Jul high C = 32.2
|Aug high C = 31.8
|Sep high C = 31.0
|Oct high C = 28.2
|Nov high C = 25.1
|Dec high C = 21.3
|Jan mean C = 17.1
|Feb mean C = 17.4
|Mar mean C = 19.9
|Apr mean C = 23.2
|May mean C = 25.9
|Jun mean C = 27.9
|Jul mean C = 28.9
|Aug mean C = 28.6
|Sep mean C = 28.0
|Oct mean C = 25.5
|Nov mean C = 22.7
|Dec mean C = 19.1
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 15.5
|Feb low C = 15.6
|Mar low C = 17.8
|Apr low C = 21.1
|May low C = 24.0
|Jun low C = 25.9
|Jul low C = 26.7
|Aug low C = 26.6
|Sep low C = 26.1
|Oct low C = 24.0
|Nov low C = 21.3
|Dec low C = 17.7
|Jan record high C = 28.6
|Feb record high C = 29.5
|Mar record high C = 30.8
|Apr record high C = 33.0
|May record high C = 34.2
|Jun record high C = 35.9
|Jul record high C = 36.7
|Aug record high C = 35.2
|Sep record high C = 35.1
|Oct record high C = 35.3
|Nov record high C = 31.1
|Dec record high C = 30.0
|year record high C = 36.7
|Jan record low C = 7.7
|Feb record low C = 7.2
|Mar record low C = 7.4
|Apr record low C = 10.5
|May record low C = 16.6
|Jun record low C = 19.3
|Jul record low C = 21.8
|Aug record low C = 21.1
|Sep record low C = 19.2
|Oct record low C = 15.0
|Nov record low C = 9.6
|Dec record low C = 9.0
|year record low C = 7.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 20.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 38.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 50.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 77.9
|May precipitation mm = 117.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 148.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 163.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 229.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 100.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 30.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 26.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 28.1
|Jan humidity = 78.7
|Feb humidity = 80.7
|Mar humidity = 80.0
|Apr humidity = 80.9
|May humidity = 82.8
|Jun humidity = 85.2
|Jul humidity = 83.6
|Aug humidity = 84.4
|Sep humidity = 79.6
|Oct humidity = 75.2
|Nov humidity = 76.8
|Dec humidity = 76.8
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 5.2
| Feb precipitation days = 6.2
| Mar precipitation days = 7.6
| Apr precipitation days = 8.7
| May precipitation days = 9.3
| Jun precipitation days = 10.2
| Jul precipitation days = 8.1
| Aug precipitation days = 9.4
| Sep precipitation days = 5.6
| Oct precipitation days = 2.4
| Nov precipitation days = 3.6
| Dec precipitation days = 4.8
|Jan sun = 102.9
|Feb sun = 98.7
|Mar sun = 131.1
|Apr sun = 153.1
|May sun = 183.6
|Jun sun = 211.2
|Jul sun = 265.3
|Aug sun = 231.4
|Sep sun = 214.9
|Oct sun = 186.4
|Nov sun = 129.2
|Dec sun = 111.4
|source 1 = Central Weather Bureau<ref name= CWB>{{cite web |url=https://www.cwb.gov.tw/V8/C/C/Statistics/monthlymean.html |title=Monthly Mean |publisher=[[Central Weather Bureau]] |access-date=29 November 2022 |archive-date=9 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209115926/https://www.cwb.gov.tw/V8/C/C/Statistics/monthlymean.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=CWBrecordhighs1>{{cite web |url=https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_18.pdf |title=氣象站各月份最高氣溫統計 |publisher=Central Weather Bureau |language=zh |access-date=29 November 2022 |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017235559/https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_18.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=CWBrecordhighs2>{{cite web |url=https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_19.pdf |title=氣象站各月份最高氣溫統計(續) |publisher=Central Weather Bureau |language=zh |access-date=29 November 2022 |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017235603/https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_19.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=CWBrecordlows1>{{cite web |url=https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_20.pdf |title=氣象站各月份最低氣溫統計 |publisher=Central Weather Bureau |language=zh |access-date=29 November 2022 |archive-date=19 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219233031/https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_20.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=CWBrecordlow2>{{cite web |url=https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_21.pdf |title=氣象站各月份最低氣溫統計(續) |publisher=Central Weather Bureau |language=zh |access-date=29 November 2022 |archive-date=19 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219055306/https://www.cwb.gov.tw/Data/climate/Statistics/pdf/sort_21.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

==Geology==
[[File:South Penghu Marine National Park (10).jpg|thumb|[[Columnar jointing|Columnar]] basalt at South Penghu Marine National Park]]
Penghu is the remnant of a [[Miocene]]-age [[shield volcano]]. The stratigraphy of the island is dominated by two to four layers of [[basalt]] [[Interbedding|interbedded]] with [[Sandstone universities|sandstone]] and [[mudstone]] deposited in shallow marine conditions.<ref>{{Cite journal |surname1=Juang |given1=W. S. |surname2=Chen |given2=J.C. |date=February 1992 |title=Geochronology and geochemistry of Penghu basalts, Taiwan Strait and their tectonic significance |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/074395479290053E |journal=Journal of Southeast Asian Earth Sciences |volume=7 |issue=2–3 |pages=185–193 |doi=10.1016/0743-9547(92)90053-E |bibcode=1992JAESc...7..185J |access-date=7 September 2020 |archive-date=27 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627122746/https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/074395479290053E |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
{{Further|Chuton Island}}

==Demographics==
===Ethnicities===
The majority of the populace (72%+) in Penghu are descendants of settlers from [[Tong'an District|Tong'an]] in [[Fujian]].<ref name="澎湖縣誌">[https://penghu.info/OBD601A5C7404754B4A6 明萬曆年以後，澎湖第二次有移住民，以福建泉州府屬同安縣金門人遷來最早; 其後接踵而至者，亦以同安縣人為最多。彼等捷足先至者，得以優先選擇良好地區定居之，澎湖本島即多被同安人所先占; 尤其素稱土地沃之湖西鄉，完全成為同安人之區域。] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913195200/https://penghu.info/OBD601A5C7404754B4A6 |date=13 September 2022 }} 李紹章《澎湖縣誌》，《續修澎湖縣志（卷三）｜人民志》</ref>

===Population===
{{Historical populations
|type = Taiwan
|align = left
|footnote = Source: {{cite web |title=Populations by city and country in Taiwan |date=May 2018 |publisher=[[Ministry of the Interior (Taiwan)|Ministry of the Interior]] |url=http://www.ris.gov.tw/zh_TW/346 |access-date=1 May 2016 |archive-date=16 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216064040/http://www.ris.gov.tw/zh_TW/346}}
|1985 |102282 
|1990 |95932 
|1995 |90937 
|2000 |89496 
|2005 |91785 
|2010 |96918 
|2015 |102304 
}}
{{clear|left}}

===Language===
In Penghu, the native language is [[Taiwanese Hokkien]], with [[Tong'an]] dialect being the most prevalent speech.<ref>[http://ir.lib.pccu.edu.tw/retrieve/63454/李仲民06.pdf 在澎湖的最佔優勢的閩南話，是同安腔] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006212942/http://ir.lib.pccu.edu.tw/retrieve/63454/%E6%9D%8E%E4%BB%B2%E6%B0%9106.pdf |date=6 October 2022 }} 張屏生、李仲民(2006)《澎湖縣白沙鄉語言地理研究》p36</ref>

==Government==
{{Main|Penghu County Government}}
[[File:賴考選部部長峰偉 (第十五任).jpg|thumb|[[Lai Feng-wei]], former Magistrate of Penghu County]]
[[File:Penghu County Hall 20150618.jpg|thumb|Penghu County Hall]]

Penghu County is administered by [[Penghu County Government]] headed by Magistrate [[Lai Feng-wei]] of the [[Kuomintang]] and headquartered at the Penghu County Hall.

===Administrative divisions===
{{main|Administrative divisions of Taiwan}}
[[File:Penghu administration.svg|thumb|Administrative subdivisions of Penghu County]]

Penghu County is divided into one [[county-administered city|city]] and five [[Township (Taiwan)|rural townships]]. It is further divided into 97 villages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Precinct |publisher=Penghu County Government |access-date=6 May 2019 |url=https://www.penghu.gov.tw/en/home.jsp?id=8 |quote=Penghu county consists of 1 city and 5 townships, which are Magong city, Huxi Township, Baisha Township, Xiyu Township, Wang-an Township and Qimei Township. The city and township comprise 97 villages. |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806135833/https://www.penghu.gov.tw/en/home.jsp?id=8 |url-status=live }}</ref> Like [[Matsu Islands|Lienchiang County]], Penghu County has no [[Township (Taiwan)|urban township]]s. The county seat is at [[Magong|Magong City]], where it houses the [[Penghu County Government|Penghu County Hall]] and [[Penghu County Council]].
{|class=wikitable
!Type!!Name!!Chinese!![[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]]!![[Taiwanese Hakka|Hakka]]!!English translation
|-
|align=center|[[County-administered city|City]]
|[[Magong]] City||{{large|{{linktext|lang=zh-tw|馬公|市}}}}||Má-keng||Mâ-kûng|| Originally [[Mazu]] Temple ({{lang|zh-tw|媽宮}})
|-
|rowspan=5 align=center|[[Township (Taiwan)|Rural<br/>townships]]
|[[Baisha, Penghu|Baisha]]||{{large|{{linktext|lang=zh-tw|白沙|鄉}}}}|| Pe̍h-soa || Pha̍k-sâ || White Sand 
|-
|[[Cimei, Penghu|Cimei <small>(Qimei)</small>]]||{{large|{{linktext|lang=zh-tw|七美|鄉}}}}|| Chhit-bí || Tshit-mî || Seven Beauties ({{lang|zh-tw|大嶼}})
|-
|[[Huxi, Penghu|Huxi]]||{{large|{{linktext|lang=zh-tw|湖西|鄉}}}}|| Ô͘-sai || Fù-sî || Lake West
|-
|[[Wangan, Penghu|Wangan <small>(Wang-an, Wang'an)</small>]]||{{large|{{linktext|lang=zh-tw|望安|鄉}}}}|| Bāng-oaⁿ || Mong-ôn || Hope Safe ({{lang|zh-tw|網垵}})
|-
|[[Xiyu, Penghu|Xiyu]]||{{large|{{linktext|lang=zh-tw|西嶼|鄉}}}}|| Sai-sū || Sî-yí || Western Isle
|}

The main island (comprising Magong City and Huxi Township), [[Baisha Island]] and Xiyu are the three most populous islands and are connected via bridges. The [[Penghu Great Bridge]] connecting Baisha and Xiyu is the longest bridge in [[Taiwan]]. Two shorter bridges connect Huxi and Baisha via the small island of Zhongtun.

===Politics===
The county elects a single representative to the [[Legislative Yuan]]. In the [[2016 Taiwanese general election|2016 Republic of China legislative election]], this seat was won by the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] with 55.4% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Constituency Legislator Election, Penghu County Constituency, Ballots Cast of Candidates |work=The 14th Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and The 9th Legislator Election |year=2016 |url=http://vote2016.cec.gov.tw/en/T1/n711010000000000.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192412/http://vote2016.cec.gov.tw/en/T1/n711010000000000.html |archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

==Political dispute==
Despite the controversy over the [[political status of Taiwan]], both the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China agree that Penghu is a county in (their own respective) "Taiwan Province" ([[Taiwan Province]], Republic of China and [[Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China]]). Yet, geographically, the [[island of Taiwan]] does not include Penghu, although it is closer to Taiwan than mainland China. Thus, Penghu is listed separately from "Taiwan" in some contexts, e.g. the [[Chinese Taipei#Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu|Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu]] (the official WTO name for the Republic of China) and in the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Cairo Declaration, and the Treaty of San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite web |surname1=Alsford |given1=Niki J. P. |surname2=Griffith |given2=Ed |date=14 July 2020 |title=China is Becoming Increasingly Assertive |url=https://www.indrastra.com/2020/07/China-is-Becoming-Increasingly-Assertive-006-07-2020-0016.html |access-date=2020-07-19 |publisher=IndraStra Global |issn=2381-3652 |archive-date=16 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116032032/https://www.indrastra.com/2020/07/China-is-Becoming-Increasingly-Assertive-006-07-2020-0016.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Treaty of Shimonoseki |via=Taiwan Documents Project |url=https://www.taiwanbasic.com/treaties/Shimonoseki.htm |access-date=25 April 2022 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423052113/https://www.taiwanbasic.com/treaties/Shimonoseki.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cairo Communiqué |via=National Diet Library |url=https://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/shiryo/01/002_46/002_46tx.html |access-date=25 April 2022 |archive-date=6 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206020831/http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/shiryo/01/002_46/002_46tx.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Economy==
Due to its restricted geography, fishing has been the main industry for Penghu.<ref>http://island.giee.ntnu.edu.tw/ISISA2004/ISISA8/107%204-2-C-4%20Liu%20Yin%20Yuh.pdf{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Agriculture and Fisheries Bureau of the [[Penghu County Government]] governs matters related to agriculture and fisheries in Penghu. 

In 2016, the bureau placed a ban on the harvesting of [[sea urchin]]s due to their declining population. The ban was partially lifted in 2017, with catches limited to only specimens larger than {{convert|8|cm|abbr=on}} in [[diameter]].<ref>{{cite news |date=11 May 2017 |given1=Chi-ching |surname1=Chen |given2=Ko |surname2=Lin |title=Ban on Sea Urchin Harvesting Temporarily Lifted in Penghu |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201705110031.aspx |access-date=12 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616113401/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201705110031.aspx |archive-date=16 June 2017}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:NPU - Education Building.JPG|thumb|[[National Penghu University of Science and Technology]]]]

Education-related matters in Penghu County are administered under the Education Department of the [[Penghu County Government]]. The county houses the [[National Penghu University of Science and Technology]].{{fact|date=November 2025}}
{{clear}}

==Energy==

Penghu is powered by the [[Chienshan Power Plant]], a 140 MW [[fossil fuel power station|diesel-fired power plant]] commissioned in 2001, and the Hujing Power Plant on Table Island. On 24 December 2010, the Taiwan-Penghu Undersea Cable Project of [[Taiwan Power Company|Taipower]] was approved by the [[Executive Yuan]] to connect the [[electrical grid]] in Taiwan Island to Penghu.<ref>{{cite web |title=2010 Taipower Events |publisher=Taiwan Power Company |access-date=3 June 2014 |url=http://www.taipower.com.tw/e_content/content/events/events01-1.aspx?sid=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517160458/http://www.taipower.com.tw/e_content/content/events/events01-1.aspx?sid=2 |archive-date=17 May 2014}}</ref>

Under a wind power development project approved in 2002 by the [[Executive Yuan]], the ROC government plans to set up a total of 200 wind turbines in Penghu within 10 years. However, only 14 turbines have been set up {{As of|2015|lc=y}}. On 1 October 2015, Taipower announced the construction of another 11 new wind turbines across the island, of which six will be constructed in [[Huxi, Penghu|Huxi Township]] and five in [[Baisha, Penghu|Baisha Township]].<ref>{{cite news |surname1=Chen |given1=Chi-ching |surname2=Hung |given2=Lauren |date=1 October 2015 |title=Taipower to Help Build Penghu Into Low-Carbon County |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201510010028.aspx |access-date=2 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002225325/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201510010028.aspx |archive-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

The current total [[desalination]] capacity of the county to provide clean water to its residents is 15,500 m<sup>3</sup> per day. To reduce its [[groundwater]] use, in November 2015 the county secured a contract of building an additional desalination plant with 4,000 m<sup>3</sup> capacity per day, construction of which is expected to be completed by May 2018.<ref>{{cite news |surname=Liu |given=Kay |date=6 November 2015 |title=Penghu Chief Seeks Support for Desalination Plant Expansion |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201511060040.aspx |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107191431/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201511060040.aspx |archive-date=7 November 2015}}</ref>

==Tourism==
The [[Penghu National Scenic Area]] was established in the early 1990s, comprising most of the islands and islets of the archipelago. Tourism has since become one of the main sources of income of the county.

Historical sites include [[Central Street (Taiwan)|Central Street]], [[Erdai Art Hall]], [[Penghu Tianhou Temple|Tianhou Temple]], [[Four-eyed Well]], [[Penghu Reclamation Hall]], [[Qimei Lighthouse]], [[Xiyu Eastern Fort]], [[Jinguitou Fortress]] and [[Xiyu Western Fort]]. Museums in the county are [[Chuwan Crab Museum]], [[Ocean Resources Museum]], [[Chang Yu-sheng Memorial Museum]] and [[Penghu Living Museum]]. Other attractions in the county include the [[Double-Heart of Stacked Stones]], [[Fenggui Cave]], [[Little Taiwan]], [[Whale Cave]], [[Xiaomen Geology Gallery]] and [[South Penghu Marine National Park]].<ref>{{cite news |surname1=Chang |given1=Jung-hsiang |surname2=Kuo |given2=Chung-han |date=29 May 2016 |title=Ferry Service Between Tainan and Penghu's Dongji Kicks Off |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201605290018.aspx |access-date=30 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530121405/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201605290018.aspx |archive-date=30 May 2016}}</ref>

Since 1 January 2015, tourists from [[Mainland China]] can directly apply for the [[Exit & Entry Permit for Taiwan|Exit & Entry Permit]] upon arrival in Penghu. This privilege also applies to [[Kinmen]] and the [[Matsu Islands]] as a means to boost tourism in the outlying islands of Taiwan.<ref>{{cite news |surname1=Huang |given1=Hui-min |surname2=Low |given2=Y. F. |date=30 December 2014 |title=Annual Ridership on Kinmen-Fujian Ferry Services Tops 1.5 Million |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/acs/201412300006.aspx |access-date=2 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509211623/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/acs/201412300006.aspx |archive-date=9 May 2015}}</ref>

The county welcomed 1.8 million tourists in 2018 with an average annual growth of around 10%.<ref>{{cite news |given=Shelley |surname=Shan |date=29 October 2019 |title=Official Clarifies Following Han's Penghu Ferry Vow |work=Taipei Times |url= http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/10/29/2003724852 |access-date=25 April 2022 |archive-date=1 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001173317/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/10/29/2003724852 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="155px">
File:臺灣澎湖馬公 松島艦遭難紀念碑 Memorial to the cruiser Matsushima located in Penghu, TAIWAN in 1908.jpg|Original 1908 memorial to the {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Matsushima}} pictured. Modern park memorial in [[Magong]] City, Penghu, [[Taiwan]].
File:Double-Heart of Stacked Stones 20150721.jpg|[[Double-Heart of Stacked Stones]]
</gallery>

==Drug trafficking==
As a lightly populated outlying island, Penghu lends itself to being used as a trans-shipment hub for drug smuggling into Taiwan from China and the Philippines. Beginning in 2016, the area became the focus of a major drug trafficking crackdown by the Taiwanese police.<ref name="largest-ever">{{cite news |date=17 December 2017 |title=Largest-Ever Haul of Drugs Found Off Penghu, Police Say |work=Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/12/17/2003684140 |access-date=25 April 2022 |archive-date=1 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001185041/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/12/17/2003684140 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="more details">{{cite news |surname1=Chen |given1=Chih-ching |surname2=Liu |given2=Kuan-lin |date=16 December 2017 |title=More Details Revealed About Drug Bust off Penghu |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201712160009.aspx |access-date=27 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064723/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201712160009.aspx |archive-date=27 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |surname1=Hsieh |given1=Chia-chen |surname2=Chang |given2=S. C. |date=28 November 2016 |title=President Orders All-Out Effort to Combat Drugs |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201611280021.aspx |access-date=27 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127110308/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201611280021.aspx |archive-date=27 November 2018}}</ref>

In 2016, Chou Meng-hsiang (周盟翔), chief prosecutor of the Penghu District Prosecutors Office, "led an investigation team in Taiwan, including officers from the Coast Guard Administration, in a bid to bring (a) drug trafficking ring to justice." A joint investigation with Philippine and Chinese authorities spanning one and a half years resulted in the seizure of "22.6 kilograms of amphetamine, 11.4 kilograms of ephedrine, and about 40 kilograms of calcium chloride" with an estimated value of NT$123 million. Eight suspects were arrested in [[Cagayan]], a small island in northern Philippines, but no Taiwanese nationals were charged in relation to the importation scheme.<ref>{{cite news |surname1=Chen |given1=Chi-ching |surname2=Huang |given2=Frances |date=4 February 2016 |title=Taiwan, China, Philippines Bust Drug Trafficking Ring |work=Focus Taiwan News Channel |agency=Central News Agency |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201602040024.aspx |access-date=27 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064853/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201602040024.aspx |archive-date=27 November 2018}}</ref>

In 2017, media reported "the biggest-ever haul of drugs in the county's history" when 506&nbsp;kg of [[ephedrine]] was seized from a Chinese fishing boat off Penghu "as part of an ongoing crackdown on the area drug trade".<ref name="largest-ever"/> Ephedrine smuggling has increased in recent years as it has a similar structure to amphetamines and can be easily converted into [[methamphetamine]]. According to a Focus Taiwan report, "(It) can then be sold for ten times the price, in this case that would be more than NT$1 billion (US$33.33 million)."<ref name="more details"/>

Despite the size of the drug seizure, only the five crew members of the Chinese fishing boat were detained in the operation, with authorities "unable to find the Taiwanese ship which should have turned up to take delivery of the drugs". It was unclear from media reports how the Taiwanese side of the smuggling operation knew to abort the rendezvous. The suppliers of the shipment also evaded capture. It was believed that the drugs were destined to be transported from Penghu for distribution on Taiwan.<ref>{{Cite news |surname=Strong |given=Matthew |date=16 December 2017 |title=Massive Drugs Catch on Chinese Fishing Boat Near Taiwan's Penghu |work=Taiwan News |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3321913 |access-date=25 April 2022 |archive-date=21 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121210700/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3321913 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Transport==
[[File:Chi-me airport.jpg|thumb|[[Qimei Airport]]]]

===Air===
Penghu is served by [[Penghu Airport]] in [[Magong|Magong City]] and [[Qimei Airport]] in [[Cimei, Penghu|Cimei Township]]. Both airports opened in 1977. [[Daily Air]] operates flights between Penghu to Kaohsiung.

===Water===
The county has [[Magong Harbor]] and [[Longmen Jianshan Pier]]. Magong Harbor hosts ferry connections with [[Port of Kaohsiung|Kaohsiung]], [[Anping District|Tainan]], [[Chiayi County|Chiayi]] and [[Kinmen]].
{{clear}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Taiwan|Islands}}
*[[Administrative divisions of Taiwan]]
*[[List of cities in Taiwan]]
*[[Political status of Taiwan]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Works cited===
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |title=The New Cambridge Modern History IV: The Decline of Spain and the Thirty Years War, 1609–59 |editor-given=J. P. |editor-surname=Cooper |volume=4 |edition=reprint |year=1979 |publisher=CUP Archive |isbn=978-0-521-29713-4}}
*{{cite book |title=Pentecost of the Hills in Taiwan: The Christian Faith Among the Original Inhabitants |given=Ralph R. |surname=Covell |edition=illustrated |year=1998 |publisher=Hope Publishing House |isbn=978-0-93-272-790-9}}
*{{cite book |surname=Freeman |given=Donald B. |title=Straits of Malacca: Gateway or Gauntlet? |year=2003 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP |isbn=978-0-7735-2515-3}}
*{{cite book |surname=Hsu |given=Wen-hsiung |chapter=From Aboriginal Island to Chinese Frontier: The Development of Taiwan before 1683 |pages=3–28 |editor-surname=Knapp |editor-given=Ronald G. |title=China's Island Frontier: Studies in the Historical Geography of Taiwan |year=1980 |publisher=The University of Hawaii |isbn=978-0-8248-8005-7 |hdl=10125/62865 |hdl-access=free}}
*{{citation |last=Knapp |first=Ronald G. |title=China's Island Frontier: Studies in the Historical Geography of Taiwan |year=1980 |publisher=The University of Hawaii}}
*{{citation |last=Liu |first=Yingsheng |year=2012 |title=The Taiwan Strait between the Twelfth and Sixteenth Centuries and the Maritime Route to Luzon |publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag}}
*{{cite book |surname=Loir |given=Maurice |title=L'escadre de l'amiral Courbet |location=Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault |year=1886 |oclc=23421595 |lccn=03013530 |url=https://archive.org/details/lescadredelamir00loirgoog}}
*{{cite book |title=Statecraft and Political Economy on the Taiwan Frontier, 1600–1800 |given=John Robert |surname=Shepherd |edition=illustrated |year=1993 |publisher=Stanford University Press |oclc=25025794 |isbn=978-0-8047-2066-3}}
*{{cite book |surname1=Takekoshi |given1=Yosaburō |author-link=Takekoshi Yosaburō |title=Japanese rule in Formosa |date=1907 |publisher=Longmans, Green, and co. |location=London, New York, Bombay and Calcutta |ol=6986981M |oclc=753129 |url=https://archive.org/details/japaneseruleinf00takegoog}}
*{{cite journal |title=The earliest eyewitness accounts of the Formosan aborigines |given=Lawrence G. |surname=Thompson |journal=Monumenta Serica |volume=23 |pages=163–204 |year=1964 |jstor=40726116 |doi=10.1080/02549948.1964.11731044}}
*{{cite book |title=Mercenaries, Pirates, and Sovereigns: State-Building and Extraterritorial Violence in Early Modern Europe |given=Janice E. |surname=Thomson |edition=reprint |year=1996 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-1-4008-2124-2}}
*{{citation |last=Tsai |first=Shih-shan Henry |year=2009 |title=Maritime Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and West |publisher=M.E. Sharpe, Inc.}}
*{{cite book |contribution=Relations with maritime Europeans, 1514–1662 |given=John E. Jr. |surname=Wills |pages=333–375 |title=The Cambridge History of China: Volume 8, The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 2 |editor-given1=Denis C. |editor-surname1=Twitchett |editor-given2=Frederick W. |editor-surname2=Mote |year=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-24333-9}}
*{{cite book |given=John E. Jr. |surname=Wills |author-mask=2 |pages=84–106 |chapter=The Seventeenth-century Transformation: Taiwan under the Dutch and the Cheng Regime |title=Taiwan: A New History |editor-given=Murray A. |editor-surname=Rubinstein |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7656-1495-7}}
*{{cite book |given=John E. Jr. |surname=Wills |author-mask=2 |contribution=Maritime Europe and the Ming |pages=24–77 |title=China and Maritime Europe, 1500–1800: Trade, Settlement, Diplomacy, and Missions |editor-given=John E. Jr. |editor-surname=Wills |year=2010 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-43260-3 |ol=24524224M}}
*{{cite book |surname=Wong |given=Young-tsu |title=China's Conquest of Taiwan in the Seventeenth Century: Victory at Full Moon |year=2017 |location=Singapore |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-981-10-2248-7}}
*{{cite book |title=Twentieth century impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other treaty ports of China: their history, people, commerce, industries, and resources, Volume 1 |given=Arnold |surname=Wright |editor-given=H. A. |editor-surname=Cartwright |year=1908 |publisher=Lloyds Greater Britain publishing company |ol=13518413M |url=https://archive.org/details/twentiethcentury00wriguoft}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Matters of Exchange: Commerce, Medicine, and Science in the Dutch Golden Age |given=Harold John |surname=Cook |year=2007 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-13492-6 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |title=Maritime Sector, Institutions, and Sea Power of Premodern China |given=Gang |surname=Deng |year=1999 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-30712-6 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |editor-given=Wilt Lukas |editor-surname=Idema |title=Leyden Studies in Sinology: Papers Presented at the Conference Held in Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Sinological Institute of Leyden University, December 8-12, 1980 |others=Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. Sinologisch instituut |series=Sinica Leidensia |volume=15 |edition=illustrated |year=1981 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-06529-1 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |title=Maritime Silk Road |given=Qingxin |surname=Li |others=Translated by William W. Wang |year=2006 |publisher=China Intercontinental Press |isbn=978-7-5085-0932-7 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |title=China, Her History, Diplomacy, and Commerce: From the Earliest Times to the Present Day |editor-given=Edward Harper |editor-surname=Parker |edition=2nd |year=1917 |publisher=J. Murray |ol=6603922M |lccn=17030891 |url=https://archive.org/details/china00parkgoog |ref=none}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|Penghu|voy=Penghu|d=y}}
*[http://www.penghu.gov.tw/en/ Penghu County Government] {{in lang|en}}
*[http://tour.penghu.gov.tw/en/index.aspx Penghu Tour Official Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101002042708/http://www.phhcc.gov.tw/thesis/thesis/index.asp?Parser=99,3,14 澎湖研究學術研討會 第1-8屆論文輯全球資訊網-歷屆論文] ([[Traditional Chinese]])
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140822004613/http://www.culture.tw/index.php?option=com_content&task=rdmap&id=2259&Itemid=262%2FPenghu Living Museum] (Copyright © 2012 Culture Taiwan)
*{{osmrelation-inline|3339738}}

{{Administrative divisions of the Republic of China}}
{{Taiwan Outlying islands divisions}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Penghu County| ]]
[[Category:Penghu Islands| ]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of Taiwan]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean]]