Taiwan's third biggest, Taichung enjoys a mild year-round climate with an average temperature of 22.4 degrees centigrade. It also has a highly developed industrial and commercial base, thriving cultural scene, friendly people, and beautiful scenery, all of which contribute to its status as an international-class city. Taichung is located in the Taichung Basin in central Taiwan with the Dakeng Mountain to the east and Dadu Mountain to the west. The Fazih and Dajia rivers flow through the city, along with the meandering Lyu, Liou, and Mei rivers, adding to the beauty of the urban landscape and helping to regulate the city temperature. Taichung is a highly livable city with a total are of about 163 square kilometers. The area of present-day Taichung was once occupied by the Anli and Maowu aboriginal tribes. During the period of the Kangsi emperor (1662~1722), Han Chinese settlers began to cultivate the land and establish communities here. During the Japanese occupation period, the government established the Taipei, Tainan and Taiwan prefectures and Penghu Subprefecture. Taichung was under the jurisdiction of Taiwan Prefecture. Its name was subsequently changed to Taiwan Subprefecture, then to Taichung County, and finally to Taichung City.