town and seat of Yün-lin hsien (county), west-central Taiwan. It is located 85 miles (137 km) northeast of Kao-hsiung city in the middle of the western coastal plain. The town, which developed in the early 17th century, is a marketing centre for rice, sweet potatoes, peanuts (groundnuts), and fruits produced in the fertile plains of the Hu-wei River to the north and of the Yün-lin River to the south. Industries include sugar milling and textile manufacturing. Tou-liu is an important station on Taiwan's north-south freeway and the West Line railway. Pop. (2004 est.) 103,910.