Taiwan was under Japanese rule after the Sino-Japanese War, in 1895. The political divisions changed frequently between 1895 and 1898. There were still several changes until the Japanese political system was adopted in 1920. Important changes are listed as the following.
- 1898: 3 counties (縣) and 3 prefectures(廳)
- 1901: 20 prefectures (廳)
- 1909: 12 prefectures (廳)
- 1920: 7 prefectures (州/廳)
- 1926: 8 prefectures (州/廳)
Political Division in 1898
- Taipei (Taihoku) County
- Taichung (Taichu) County
- Tainan (Tainan) County
- Yilan (Giran) Prefecture
- Taitung (Taito) Prefecture
- Penghu (Hoko) Prefecture
Political Division in 1901
- Keelung Prefecture
- Yilan Prefecture
- Shenkeng Prefecture
- Taipei Prefecture
- Taozihyuan Prefecture
- Hsinchu Prefecture
- Miaoli Prefecture
- Taichung Prefecture
- Changhua Prefecture
- Nantou Prefecture
- Douliou Prefecture
- Chiayi Prefecture
- Yanshueigang Prefecture
- Tainan Prefecture
- Fanshuliao Prefecture
- Fengshan Prefecture
- Ahou Prefecture
- Hengchun Prefecture
- Penghu Prefecture
- Taitung Prefecture
- Hualian Harbor Prefecture
Political Division in 1909
- Yilan Prefecture
- Taipei Prefecture
- Taoyuan Prefecture
- Hsinchu Prefecture
- Taichung Prefecture
- Nantou Prefecture
- Chiayi Prefecture
- Tainan Prefecture
- Ahou Prefecture
- Penghu Prefecture
- Taitung Prefecture
- Hualian Harbor Prefecture
Political Division in 1920
Under a "doka" policy in which the Japanese considered the Taiwanese to be separate but equal, the political divisions in Taiwan became similar to the system used in mainland Japan in 1920.
Structural Hierarchy
- Prefecture (州)
- City (市)
- District (郡)
- Town (街)
- Village (庄)
- Aboriginal Area (蕃地)
- Prefecture (廳)
- City (市)
- Subprefecture (支廳)
- Town (街)
- Village (庄)
- Aboriginal Area (蕃地)
List of Prefectures and Counties
- Taipei Prefecture (Taihoku) (台北州)
- Hsinchu Prefecture (Shinchiku) (新竹州)
- Taichung Prefecture (Taichu) (台中州)
- Tainan Prefecture (Tainan) (台南州)
- Kaohsiung Prefecture (Takao) (高雄州)
- Taitung Prefecture (Taito) (台東廳)
- Hualian Harbor Prefecture (Karenko) (花蓮港廳)
- Penghu Prefecture (Hoko) (澎湖廳): divided from Kaohsiung Prefecture in 1926
Changes in 1945
When the Republic of China began to rule Taiwan in 1945, the government simply changed to names of the divisions and gave names to the Aboriginal areas.
- Prefecture (州) -> County (縣)
- City (市)
- District (郡) -> District (區)
- Town (街) -> Urban township (鎮)
- Village (庄) -> Rural township (鄉)
- Aboriginal Area (蕃地) -> Rural Township (鄉)
- Prefecture (廳) -> County (縣)
- City (市)
- Subprefecture (支廳) -> District (區)
- Town (街) -> Urban Township (鎮)
- Village (庄) -> Rural Township (鄉)
- Aboriginal Area (蕃地) -> Rural Township (鄉)
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