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For Taiwan, what is the statistical geographic hierarchy? What are the Data Buffet geo code patterns at each level? What are the pertinent redefinitions?

Administrative geographic levels and types

• Taiwan
• Province
• Region
• County
• Provincial municipality (city)
• Special municipality (city)

Hierarchy

This "tetrachotomy" structure with an intermediate level of "regions" is used for some datasets.

• Taiwan, a.k.a. Republic of China
• Taiwan Province, a.k.a. "Taiwan Area" (mainland)
• North Region
• Taipei
• New Taipei
• Keelung
• Taoyuan
• Hsinchu
• Yilan
• Central Region
• Miaoli
• Taichung
• Changhua
• Nantou
• Yunlin
• Eastern Region
• Hualien
• Taitung
• Southern Region
• Chiayi
• Tainan
• Kaohsiung
• Pingtung
• Penghu
• Fuchien Province (outlying islands)
• Kinmen County
• Lienchiang County, a.k.a. Matsu

Counts of geo levels by vintage

Geo level	1991	2001	2011	2015
Region	0	0	0	5
County	18	18	14	13
Province	2	2	2	2
Provincial city	5	5	3	3
Special municipality	2	2	5	6

As of 2011, three pairs of areas, each consisting of a large city and its peripheral county, were administratively merged:

• ITWN_KA + ITWN_KAOC » ITWN_KAOH = Kaohsiung special municipality
• ITWN_TA + ITWN_TC   » ITWN_TAIH = Taichung special municipality
• ITWN_TI + ITWN_TN   » ITWN_TAIN = Tainan special municipality

At the same time, one area was elevated in status, and its name changed:

• ITWN_TP   = Taipei County
• ITWN_TAIP = New Taipei City (special municipality)

As of 2015, Taoyuan County was elevated in status:

• ITWN_TO   = Taoyuan County
• ITWN_TAOY = Taoyuan special municipality

Note

Despite the similar names, Taipei City and New Taipei City are physically and administratively distinct areas -- they are not different vintages of the same area.