South Hwanghae Province Explained

South Hwanghae Province
Native Name Lang:ko
Settlement Type:Province
Translit Lang1:Korean
Translit Lang1 Type:Chosŏn'gŭl
Translit Lang1 Info:Korean: 황해남도
Translit Lang1 Type1:Hancha
Translit Lang1 Info1:Korean: {{linktext|黃|海|南|道
Translit Lang1 Type2:McCune-Reischauer
Translit Lang1 Info2:Hwanghaenam-do
Translit Lang1 Type3:Revised Romanization
Translit Lang1 Info3:Hwanghaenam-do
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Haeso
Seat Type:Capital
Seat:Haeju
Parts Type:Subdivisions
Parts:1 cities; 19 counties
Leader Party:WPK
Leader Title:Party Committee Chairman Ri Chol-man
Leader Name:Ri Chol-man[1]
Leader Title2:People's Committee Chairman
Leader Name2:Kim Chol Bom[2]
Area Total Km2:8450
Population Total:2310485
Population As Of:2008
Population Rank:5th
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:Pyongyang Time
Utc Offset:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Dialect
Blank Info Sec1:Hwanghae

South Hwanghae Province (Hwanghaenamdo; pronounced as /ko/, lit. "south Yellow Sea province") is a province in western North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae. The provincial capital is Haeju.

Geography

The province is part of the Haeso region, and is bounded to the west by the Yellow Sea, and to the north and east by North Hwanghae province. Some administrative exclaves of Nampo City in the north of the province exist. The southern border of the province is marked by the Korean Demilitarized Zone with South Korea. The province draws its name from what were the largest cities in Hwanghae, Haeju and Hwangju; the name, which literally means "Yellow Sea" in Korean, also references the Yellow Sea, which forms the province's western bound.

The coastline of South Hwanghae is dotted by many small islands, many of which are uninhabited. Many of the largest islands, such as Baengnyeong-do are administered by South Korea. The Northern Limit Line, which runs through the region and demarcates a disputed maritime boundary between the north and south, is another frequent subject of contention between the two countries. The largest islands which indisputably belong to North Korea are Kirin-do, Changrin-do, and Sunwi-do.

The province, being not very mountainous, is uniquely suited to farming, and is thus often referred to as the "bread-basket" of North Korea. Much of the land is devoted to farming and thus was not hit as hard as other parts of the country during the Arduous March of the 1990s. Many types of vegetables, fruits, grains, and rice are grown on the region's plains; Kwail County, which means fruit in Korean, was founded to grow orchards.

Haeju, the provincial capital, is also the largest port in southern North Korea outside of Wonsan. The area is also home to several ancient burial mounds and cultural relics, such as the Kangsosa Buddhist temple, ancient stone pagodas, and a Koryo-era ice house. There are also many Iron Age dolmen and Koguryo tombs in the province, such as Anak Tomb No.3.

Administrative divisions

South Hwanghae is divided into 1 city (si) and 19 counties (gun). These are further divided into villages (ri) in rural areas and dong (neighborhoods) in cities, which are detailed on each county's individual page.

Cities

  • Haeju (capital)
    해주시/

Counties

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership . Seoul. Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification . January 2018. 17 October 2018.
  2. News: 2024-08-01 . New Houses Built in Unryul County of South Hwanghae Province . live . Korean Central News Agency.