Chagang

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Chagang Province
Osudok Forest.jpg
Osudok Forest in Chagang Province.
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 자강도
Hancha 慈江道
McCune-Reischauer Chagang-do
Revised Romanization Jagang-do
Short name
Chosŏn'gŭl 자강
McCune-Reischauer Chagang
Revised Romanization Jagang
Statistics
Area 16,613 km² (6,414 sq mi)
Population 1,147,946
Population density 69 /km² (180 /sq mi)
Government Province
Capital Kanggye
Administrative divisions 3 cities (Si); 15 counties (Kun)
Region Kwansŏ
Dialect P'yŏngan
Location map
Map of North Korea highlighting the province.
Map of North Korea highlighting the province.

Chagang (Chagang-do) is an province in North Korea; it is bordered by China on the north, Ryanggang and South Hamgyong on the east, South P'yŏngan on the south, and North P'yŏngan to the west. Chagang was formed in 1949, when it was separated from North P'yŏngan. The provincial capital is Kanggye.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Chagang Province is located in the northwestern part of Korea. It is the most mountainous province; the mountainous area amounts to 98 per cent of the whole area of the province. The mean height above sea level is 750 metres and the slope of most regions is 15 to 40 degrees.

The province has a distinct continental climate under a very great influence of the Asian continent. It is very cold in winter and the cold lasts for a long time. The climate is characterized by the great difference of daily and yearly temperature. Temperature rapidly rises in spring and rapidly falls in autumn. So spring and autumn pass quickly. In summer, downpours of rain and hail are frequent. Thus thunder and lightning occur frequently.

The provincehas not only many mountains but also many rivers and abounds in so many useful minerals as to be one of the main sources of resources of the country. It abounds in lead, zinc, gold, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, antimony, graphite, apatite, alunite, limestone, calcium carbonate, anthracite and iron ores. There are also crystals and valuable gems there.

[edit] Main Cities and economic activities

The province abounds in underground, forest and water resources. Before liberation, Chagang province was an isolated land with only two primitive mines, one timber mill and a distillery.

Nowadays, it has power, machine, chemical, light, mining and timber industries. Its total industrial output is 1000 times as much as just before liberation.

Kanggye is the capital city of Chagang Province. One of the main economic timber processing factories of the province, and the country, is hosted in Kanggye.

Huichon is the most developed city in the province, though. Its development dates back to the Korean War, when it became one of the cities of industrial relocation, as it was isolated and far from the main battlefields.

Nowadays, Huichon has several industries, such as a huge machine tool factory, silk mill and a hard glassware factory. In Huichon there is the main North Korean University of Telecommunications.

Chagang was one of the less developed and isolated provinces in North Korea after the liberation. Farming was complicated because; only slash-and-burn farmers tilled mountain plots to eke out their living.

Nowadays, farming activities are mainly linked with livestock activities. One example is Hungju Farm.

Huichon Hard Glassware Factory

Huichon Machine Tool Factory

Hungju Chicken Farm

[edit] Small and Medium-size Power Stations

The province has been converted into a power base for the country, with the construction of Kanggye Youth Power Station, Unbong Power Station, Jangjagang Power Station and other large hydroelectric power stations.

The province has built since the 90s many small and medium-sized power stations, as a duty of the local authorities. Log-dam, water-course, raft and sluice were among the efficient methods practised in their construction.

Small hydraulic turbines, with a capacity of 2 kW to 70 kW, were developed by local technicians to dramatically increase the generating capacity.

[edit] Administrative divisions

Chagang is divided into 3 cities (si) and 15 counties (gun).

[edit] Cities

  • Kanggye-si (강계시; 江界市; made into "si" from "gun" December 1949)
  • Hŭich'ŏn-si (희천시; 熙川市; made into "si" October 1967)
  • Manp'o-si (만포시; 滿浦市; made into "si" October 1967)

[edit] Counties

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Flag of North Korea Regions and administrative divisions of North Korea
Regions
Provinces
Chagang · Hamgbuk · Hamgnam · Hwangbuk · Hwangnam · Kangwŏn · P'yŏngbuk · P'yŏngnam · Ryanggang
Special administrative regions
Directly-governed cities