Archeological research shows that there were people living in Miaoli in the prehistoric era. Many archeological evidences have been found. In the prehistoric era, people lived in the river terrace. They mainly led an agricultural life and engaged in hunting and fishing for extra food sources. About a thousand years ago, Taokas, a group of the indigenous Taiwanese, settled here. The aboriginal name of Miaoli is "Maoli", which refers to plateau in Taokas.

There are 560,903 people in the whole county, accounts for 2.6% of the total population in Taiwan. The density of population is 308 persons per square kilometer. 20 to 59 years old population accounts for 56%, 49.7% of employed population is to serve industry, the service trade accounts for 37.14%, Agriculture, Forest, Fishing and Husbandary account for 13.47%. The administrative division is divided into 18 cities of villages and towns. The local trait has human touch industriously simple and honest, is to merge by the ethnicities, such as Hakkas,Fujian,Sai-Hsia Tribe,Tai-ya Tribe. The culture of many styles and features , is pregnant with the literature and art skill assets of abundant people of this county. Although inevitably all aboriginal cultures will to some extent absorb elements of the mainstream (Han Chinese)culture, the peoples of all the ab ...(more)