Nampo
| Namp'o 남포시 | |
|---|---|
| Special city | |
| 남포특별시 | |
| Korean transcription(s) | |
| • Chosŏn'gŭl | 남포특별시 |
| • Hancha | 南浦特別市 |
| • McCune-Reischauer | Namp'o-t'ŭkpyŏlsi |
| • Revised Romanization | Nampo-teukbyeolsi |
 | |
| Country |
 North Korea |
| Region | Haesŏ |
| Area | |
| • Total | 829 km2 (320 sq mi) |
| Population (2008) | |
| • Total | 366,815 [1] |
| • Dialect | P'yŏngan |
Namp'o (North Korean official spelling: Nampo; pronounced [nampo]) is a city and seaport in South Pyongan Province, North Korea. Namp'o lies on the northern shore of the Taedong River, 15 km east of the river's mouth. It was a provincial-level "Directly Governed City" ("Chikhalsi") from 1980–2004, when it was designated a "Special City" (T'ŭkgŭpsi) and made a part of South P'yŏngyang. Namp'o was designated a T'ŭkpyŏlsi (teukbyeolsi; 특별시; 特別市) or "Special City", in 2010. Namp'o is situated approximately 50 kilometres south west of P'yŏngyang, at the mouth of the Taedong River. It was originally a small fishing village, but became a port for foreign trade in 1897, developing into a modern port in 1945 after World War II. With the rapid increase in state investment, the city's industrial capacity grew. . It was known as "Namupo" during Japanese rule between 1910 and 1945.
Some of the city's industrial facilities include the Namp'o Smelter Complex, the Namp'o Glass Corporation, the Namp'o Shipbuilding Complex, the Namp'o Fishery Complex and other central and local factories. Namp'o is a center for the DPRK shipbuilding industry. North of the city are facilities for freight transportation, aquatic products, and fishery, and a sea salt factory. Apples grown in the city's Ryonggang district (룡강군) are a famous local product.[2][3]
Administrative divisions
Namp'o is divided into 5 kuyŏk and 2 kun, which are in turn divided into dong and ri.
- Waudo-guyŏk (와우도구역; 臥牛島區域)
- Hanggu-guyŏk (항구구역; 港口區域)
- Ch'ŏllima-guyŏk (천리마구역; 千里馬區域)
- Kangsŏ-guyŏk (강서구역; 江西區域)
- Taean-guyŏk (대안구역; 大安區域)
- Ryonggang-gun (룡강군; 龍岡郡)
- Onchŏn-gun (온천군; 溫泉郡) : in 2010 the following kun was merged into Namp'o.[4]
Climate
| Climate data for Namp'o | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −2 (28) |
1 (33) |
7 (44) |
14 (58) |
21 (69) |
24 (76) |
27 (80) |
27 (81) |
23 (74) |
17 (63) |
9 (48) |
2 (35) |
14.2 (57.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −8 (18) |
−6 (22) |
0 (32) |
6 (43) |
12 (54) |
17 (63) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
16 (61) |
9 (49) |
2 (36) |
−4 (24) |
7.2 (45.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 13 (0.5) |
13 (0.5) |
30 (1) |
43 (1.7) |
71 (2.8) |
81 (3.2) |
262 (10.3) |
221 (8.7) |
109 (4.3) |
43 (1.7) |
41 (1.6) |
20 (0.8) |
947 (37.1) |
| Source: Weatherbase [5] | |||||||||||||
Transportation
The city is a transportation hub that is connected to P'yŏngyang. An airport, railway and a large freeway connect Namp'o to P'yŏngyang and other locations. Namp'o Station is on the Pyongnam Line. The West Sea Barrage of the port of Namp'o, built by erecting an 8-km long sea wall, has three lock chambers which allow the passage of ships up to 50,000 tons, and 36 sluices. Namp'o Harbour is often used as the primary port of call for the reception of foreign food aid assistance into North Korea.
In 2008, the harbour received several batches of grain delivery, the first batch delivered in June was sent by the United States and weighed 38,000 tons. A South Korean-based relief organisation, Join Together Society, donated one batch of flour in October of the same year weighing approximately 500 tons.[6] The port of Namp'o has modern harbour facilities that can accommodate ships of 20,000 tons but is frozen during the winter. Namp'o serves as P'yŏngyang's port on the Yellow Sea.
Education
Institutes of higher learning in Namp'o include
- Namp'o University
- Sohae University
- Samgwang College
- Sunhwa College
- Namp'o University of Medicine
- Namp'o University of Agriculture
- Namp'o College of Shipping Industry
- Namp'o Building Materials College
- Namp'o University of Fisheries.
Other
Tourist attractions include Waudo Pleasure Ground, with a beach, a convalescent hospital and recreation facilities. Nearby scenic spots include the West Sea Barrage, three tombs in Kangso, the tomb in Tokhung-dong, Susan Spa, Chongsan Spa, Kangso Mineral Springs and Lake Thaesang.
Sister cities
-
Tianjin, China -
St. Petersburg, Russia -
Chiautempan, Mexico
See also
Notes
- ↑ DPR Korean Central Bureau of Statistics: 2008 Population Census (2008 population census, published in 2009)
- ↑ 남포직할시. 한국민족대백과사전 (in Korean). Retrieved 11 November 2006.
- ↑ Kim, Nam-yong (金南龍). 남포직할시. Korean Britannica (in Korean). Retrieved 11 November 2006.
- ↑ Kim So Yeol (15 February 2011). "North Korea Splits No. 38 and 39 Departments Up Again". Daily NK. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ↑ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Namp'o, North Korea". Weatherbase. 2011.; retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ↑ KINU White paper on human rights in North Korea, 2009 (Chapter G. Human Rights Violations Inside Political Concentration Camps (Kwanliso), p. 125)
Further reading
- Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014. ISBN 978-89-6297-167-5
External links
 |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Nampho. |
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- Korea Tourist Map (English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese)
- North Korea Uncovered, North Korea Google Earth: labels most of Namp'o's infrastructure locations including hotels, nearby UNESCO sites, railroads, West Sea Barge, electricity grid, and shipping facilities.
- joins.com (Korean) Has maps of most of North Korea, including districts and villages.
- Nampo City (North Korea) on YouTube
- North Korea – Passing through Nampo (DPRK) on YouTube
- City profile of Nampo
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