coastal town and port in I-lan hsien (county), northeastern Taiwan. It is situated 13 miles (21 km) southeast of I-lan city, in the southern part of the I-lan plain. Originally a small fishing port with one of the best natural harbours in Taiwan, Su-ao was developed into an international deepwater commercial port in the late 1970s. A railway line was built to Hua-lien city, 55 miles (90 km) down the coast. Cement manufacturing, fish processing, woodworking, food canning, and processing of mica, copper, manganese, and silica mined nearby are Su-ao's major industries. Export-import industries are concentrated at the Lung-te (Lungteh) Industrial District, located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) west of the harbour. Pop. (1992 est.) 51,376.