Aboriginal inhabitants of Liuqiu Island (13 km [8.1 mi] southwest of Taiwan, and now part of Pingtung County) killed Dutch sailors on two occasions.

In response, in the spring of 1636, Dutch sailors carried out a punitive campaign that became known as the Lamey Island Massacre.

Modern-day Pingtung County and Kaohsiung City were part of Banlian-chiu (萬年州; Bān-liân-chiu) during the Kingdom of Tungning (1661–1683) and Fongshan Prefecture (鳳山縣; Hōng-soaⁿ-koān) during Qing dynasty rule (1683–1895).

Until the seventeenth century, this area of Taiwan was a place of exile for Chinese criminals and the occasional landing point for international mariners.

In 1664, the Hakka settlers arrived from mainland China and farmed under a homesteading system introduced by Zheng Jing.

In 1684, settlers from China's southern Fujian region created the first Han Chinese villages near Pingtung.

In 1920, the name was changed to Heitō City (屏東市); Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pîn-tong-chhī and was under Takao Prefecture administration, which consisted of modern-day Pingtung County and Kaohsiung.

Geographically, it borders Kaohsiung City to the north, Taitung County to the east, the Taiwan Strait to the west and the Bashi Channel to the south.

Islands administered by the county include Hsiao Liuchiu (Lamay Islet; 琉球嶼) and Qixingyan (Seven Star Reefs; 七星岩).

Central Pingtung, such as the coastal Fangliao Township, has a lower daytime temperatures and warmer nights due to the regulating effect of the ocean, which is especially noticeable during winter.

The mildest climate of Pingtung is at its southern tip, the Hengchun Peninsula, which is nearly surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.

The aim is to promote the development of industries that leverage the unique cultural attributes of the Linali tribe.