Tanchon Explained

Tanchon
Native Name Lang:	ko
Settlement Type:	Municipal City
Translit Lang1:	Korean
Translit Lang1 Type:	Chosŏn'gŭl
Translit Lang1 Type1:	Hancha
Translit Lang1 Info2:	Tanch'ŏn si
Translit Lang1 Info3:	Dancheon-si
Pushpin Map:	North Korea
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location within North Korea
Coordinates:	40.458°N 128.911°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	North Korea
Subdivision Type1:	Province
Subdivision Name1:	South Hamgyong Province
Area Total Km2:	2170
Population As Of:	2008
Population Total:	345,876
Population Density Km2:	auto
Population Blank1 Title:	Dialect
Population Blank1:	Hamgyŏng
Parts Type:	Administrative divisions
Parts:	39 tong, 39 ri
Timezone:	Pyongyang Time
Utc Offset:	+9

Tanch'ŏn (pronounced as /ko/) is a port city in northeastern South Hamgyŏng province, North Korea. It has a population of approximately 360,000. Tanch'ŏn borders the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea), into which the Namdae River flows.

Administrative divisions

Tanch'ŏn is divided into 39 tong (neighbourhoods) and 39 ri (villages):

Chich'o-dong
Chikchŏl-dong
Chŏnjin-dong
Haean 1-dong
Haean 2-dong
Hanggu 1-dong
Hanggu 2-dong
Hanggu 3-dong
Kŭmbong-dong
Kŭmgol 1-dong
Kŭmgol 2-dong
Kŭmgol 3-dong
Kŭmsan-dong
Kwangch'ŏn-dong
Muhak-tong
Munhwa-dong
Naemun-dong
Namp'ung-dong
Paeg'am-dong
Paekkŭmsan-dong
Ponsan-dong
Pukch'ŏn-dong
Puktu-dong
P'ugŏ-dong
Ryongdae-dong
San'gwang-dong
Sao-dong
Sindanch'ŏn 1-dong
Sindanch'ŏn 2-dong
Taehŭng 1-dong
Taehŭng 2-dong
Taesin-dong
T'amsi-dong
Tŏkhŭng-dong
Tong'am-dong
Tonsan-dong
Yangch'ŏn-dong
Yangsan-dong
Yŏng'ung-dong

Changnae-ri
Chŏngdong-ri
Chŭngsal-li
Hwajang-ri
Kaŭng-ri
Kawŏl-li
Mun'am-ri
Munho-ri
O'mong-ri
Paeksal-li
Pokp'yŏng-ri
Ponghwa-ri
Rip'a-ri
Ryŏngdae-ri
Ryongjam-ri
Ryŏngsal-li
Ryongdŏng-ri
Ryonghŭng-ri
Ryongyŏl-li
Samgŏ-ri
Sindong-ri
Sinho-ri
Sinp'ung-ri
Sinp'yŏng-ri
Sŏk'u-ri
Songjŏng-ri
Songp'a-ri
Ssangryong-ri
Talch'ŏl-li
Taptong-ri
Tŏkchu-ri
Tolsal-li
Tuyŏl-li
Unch'ŏl-li
Wadong-ri
Wŏnsal-li
Yangp'yŏng-ri
Yŏngp'yŏng-ri

Economy

There are extensive mineral resources in the area, including cobalt, magnesite, and iron ore.The city is known for its chemical production, textiles, metal ware, machinery and smelting. The Komdok mine is located in Kumgol-1 dong.^[1] The Taehung mine is located in South Hamgyong Province.

The area is also home to the large Tanchon Power Station (under construction as of April 2020), consisting of hundreds of kilometres of waterway tunnels and a planned six power stations, that has been under construction since 2017.^[2] ^[3]

TechnologyThe City of Tanch'ŏn is featured in the PC game Tradewinds.

Transport

Tanch'ŏn is situated on the P'yŏngra Line and the Hŏch'ŏn Line of the Korean State Railway.^[4] In 2012 the city's port was renovated and upgraded.^[5] Tanch'ŏn port was reconstructed, and a ceremony marking the completion was taken place in December 2012. In the ceremony, a joint congratulatory message sent by the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Cabinet was read to the officials and members of shock brigades who performed labor feats in the construction of the port.^[6]

A trolleybus line runs within Tanchon from next to Kumgol station in Kumgol 1-dong to Kumgol 3-dong with a length of over 6 km. The line was opened in 1986 to serve the Komdok mining region though there have been no trolleybuses seen on satellite imagery since 2011.^[7] ^[8]

Wildlife

The population of Chinese gorals in Tanch'ŏn has been designated North Korean natural monument #293.^[9]

Climate

Tanchon has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfa).

External links

- City profile of Tanchon

Notes and References

Web site: 북한지역정보넷. 2021-04-10. www.cybernk.net.
Web site: North Korea's Hydroelectric Power - The Tanchon Power Station Project . Peter Makowsky . Jenny Town . Samantha Pitz . The Henry L. Stimson Center . 38 North . 11 October 2019 . 12 October 2019.
News: Tanchon Power Station Project: A Decline in Progress? . Makowsky . Peter . The Henry L. Stimson Center . 38 North . 24 April 2020 . 26 April 2020.
Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō),
Web site: "Tanchon Port reconstruction completed", NK Economy Watch.. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120529211546/http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2012/05/03/tanchon-port-reconstruction-to-be-completed-by-2012/. 2012-05-29.
Web site: Tanchon Port reconstruction completed. North Korea Leadership Watch. 25 April 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130322073747/http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2012/12/19/tanchon-port-reconstruction-to-be-completed-by-2012/. 22 March 2013.
Web site: 북한지역정보넷. 2021-02-02. www.cybernk.net.
Web site: 북한지역정보넷. 2021-02-02. www.cybernk.net.
Web site: 단천산양. Cultural Heritage Administration guide to North Korean natural monuments. 2006-12-01. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190127/http://nature.cha.go.kr/cont/natural_v.jsp?nat_id=NM-NK293&nation=N&s_cate_id=N0202&img_num=7. 2007-09-30.