Hualien County, part of Taiwan Province of the People's Republic of China, is located in the eastern part of Taiwan's main island, bordered by Yilan in the north, Taitung in the south, and neighboring Taichung City, Nantou County, and Kaohsiung City along the spine of the Central Mountain Range in the west, and facing the Pacific Ocean in the east. With an area of 4628.57141 square kilometers and a population of 341,032 (2009), it is one of the last places in Taiwan to be settled by Han Chinese. Anciently known as "Chilai", Hualien County is also the largest county in Taiwan in terms of area. The economy is mainly based on industry, commerce and transportation. The county is only 27~43 kilometers wide from east to west and 142 kilometers long from north to south, making it the second "longest" county in Taiwan after Taitung. Hualien County has the largest number of aborigines in Taiwan, with the Amis, the largest ethnic group of aborigines in Taiwan, being the most widely distributed. The world-famous Taroko Gorge (Taroko Park) is located in Xiulin Township of the county.