The World's Tenth Landmark of the Tropic of Cancer

The world's tenth landmark of the Tropic of Cancer is located at the intersection between Boai Road and Shixian Road in southwestern Chiayi City in west-central Taiwan's Chiayi County. It was official established on June 21st, 2004, the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice in that year.

The Tropic of Cancer is the boundary of northern temperate and torrid zone. Polar circles, tropics and the equator are significant landmarks of the world, which divide the Earth into five zones -- the northern rigid zone, northern temperate zone, torrid zone, southern temperate zone, and southern rigid zone.

The landmark in Chiayi City consists of six marks that represent the Tropic of Cancer over the years. These marks may not look spectacular, but they encompass traffic, sightseeing, historic, cultural and geographical educational significance. At present, a marble tablet is erected in the center of the landmark. Illustrations with texts are inscribed in the marble tablet, in order to inform the public that the Tropic of Cancer had run through this place without notice at the end of the 18th century.

Indeed, the Tropic of Cancer shifts southward at the speed of 14 meters or more every year. In 1788, the Tropic of cancer ran through the northern part of today's intersection between Boai and Shixian Road in Chiayi City.