Beitou District is located at the northernmost end of Taipei City, between the Datun Volcano Group and the rim of the Taipei Basin.  Topographically, the area slopes downward gradually from north to south into the Guandu Plain.  The area has abundant precipitation, and its rivers flow radially into the Taiwan Strait.  
Although the Datun Volcano Group is no dormant, volcanic activities such as hot springs and solfataras are still moving along the area’s fault lines, forming hot spring zones in Xinbeitou, Dahuangzui Yangmingshan, and Jinshan.

Beitou, one of the first areas in the Taipei Basin to be developed, used to be inhabited by the aborigine Ketagalan tribe.  The tribe called the fuming, sulfurous place “patauw”, which means “witch”, because they believed it to be the dwelling of sorceresses.  It is also from this word that the name “Beitou” is derived.