The Kaoping or Gaoping River is a major river in Taiwan

Taiwan

Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

. It flows through Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County

Pingtung County

Pingtung County is a county in Southern Taiwan. Pingtung County is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China . The oldest national park in Taiwan, Kenting National Park, was established in Pingtung County in 1984...

 for 171 kilometres (106.3 mi), draining a basin of 3285 square kilometre, with an average discharge of 241 m3/s.

The river rises in forks in the southern part of the central Taiwan cordillera

Cordillera

A cordillera is an extensive chain of mountains or mountain ranges, that runs along a coastline . It comes from the Spanish word cordilla, which is a diminutive of cuerda, or "cord"...

, several of which begin just south of Yushan

Yushan

-Mainland China:* Yushan County , a county of Shangrao City in the northeast of Jiangxi* Yushan District , Ma'anshan, AnhuiTowns* Yushan, Jinxiang County , in Jinxiang County, ShandongWritten as "玉山镇":* Yushan, Jian'ou, in Jian'ou City, Fujian...

. These forks combine near Provincial Highway No. 20 and flow southwards, past Liouguei and Gaoshu Townships. At Gaoshu, the river runs out of its canyon and the Ligang Cable-stayed Bridge

Ligang Bridge

The Ligang Cable-stayed Bridge is a bridge in Taiwan. It crosses the Kaoping River on the Second Southern Freeway, entering Pingtung City.It is the longest in Southeastern Asia with the second longest span in the world, measuring 2617 meters long. The tower is 183.5 meters tall...

 crosses the Kaoping on the Second Southern Freeway {Now known as Formosa Fwy}, entering Pingtung City

Pingtung City

Pingtung City is the capital of Pingtung County, Taiwan.-Geography:Pingtung is located in Pingtung County, the southernmost county in Taiwan. It is located east of Kaohsiung and Fengshan, and centered between the western coast and the eastern mountain range. The climate is humid and extremely hot...

. It is the longest in Southeastern Asia with the second longest span in the world, measuring 2617 meters long. The tower is 183.5 meters tall (at the height of a 65-storied building). The side span is 180 meters long, while the main span is 330 meters long.
After Pingtung, the Kaoping flows generally south about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi), emptying into the Taiwan Strait

Taiwan Strait

The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...

 at Linyuan.

The Kaoping is one of the most extensively used watersheds of Taiwan, and is heavily polluted, especially in its lower course.

Tributaries

• Chishan River
  Chishan River
  The Cishan River or Nanzihsian River is a tributary of the Kaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County for 30km....
  
   - Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County - 30km
• Ailiao River
  Ailiao River
  The Ailiao River is a tributary of the Kaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County for 76 km....
  
   - Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County - 76km
• Wulo River
  Wulo River
  The Wuluo River is a tributary of the Kaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Pingtung County for 48km....
  
   - Pingtung County - 48km
• Fantzuliao River
  Fantzuliao River
  The Fantzuliao River is a tributary of the Kaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Pingtung County for 26km....
  
   - Pingtung County - 26km
• Chokou River
  Chokou River
  The Jhuokou River is a tributary of the Kaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Kaohsiung City for 59km....
  
   - Kaohsiung City - 59km
• Laonung River
  Laonung River
  The Laonong River is a tributary of the Gaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Kaohsiung City for 100km....
  
   - Kaohsiung City - 100km
• Kumai River
  Kumai River
  The Kumai River is a tributary of the Kaoping River in Taiwan. It flows through Kaohsiung City for 48km....
  
  - Kaohsiung City - 48km