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Gangwon-do (South Korea)
 
 
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Gangwon-do is a province
Administrative divisions of South Korea

|||}File:520px-Provinces of South Korea Txt.PNGSouth Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city ....
 of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
, with its capital at Chuncheon
Chuncheon

Chuncheon is the capital of Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River ....
. Before the division of Korea
Division of Korea

The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allies of World War II victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year Korea under Japanese rule....
 in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
n neighbour Kangwon
Kangwon-do (North Korea)

Kangwon is a Administrative divisions of North Korea of North Korea, with its capital at Wonsan. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Kangwon and its South Korean neighbour Gangwon-do formed a single province that excluded Wonsan....
 formed a single province.

won-do was one of the Eight Provinces
Eight Provinces (Korea)

During most of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea was divided into eight Provinces of Korea . The eight provinces' boundaries remained unchanged for almost five centuries from 1413 to 1895, and formed a geographic paradigm that is still reflected today in the Korean Peninsula's administrative divisions, dialects, and regional distinctions....
 of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
. The province was formed in 1395, and derived its name from the names of the principal cities of Gangreung (??; ??) and the provincial capital Wonju
Wonju

Wonju is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is now the largest city in the province.Wonju is a city approximately 90 miles east of Seoul....
 (??; ??).

In 1895, Gangwon-do was replaced by the Districts
Provinces of Korea

This article describes the historical evolution of Korea's provinces . For detailed information on current administrative divisions, please see Administrative divisions of North Korea and Administrative divisions of South Korea....
 of Chuncheon (Chuncheon-bu; ???; ???) in the west and Gangreung (Gangreung-bu; ???; ???) in the east.






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Gangwon-do is a province
Administrative divisions of South Korea

|||}File:520px-Provinces of South Korea Txt.PNGSouth Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city ....
 of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
, with its capital at Chuncheon
Chuncheon

Chuncheon is the capital of Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River ....
. Before the division of Korea
Division of Korea

The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allies of World War II victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year Korea under Japanese rule....
 in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
n neighbour Kangwon
Kangwon-do (North Korea)

Kangwon is a Administrative divisions of North Korea of North Korea, with its capital at Wonsan. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Kangwon and its South Korean neighbour Gangwon-do formed a single province that excluded Wonsan....
 formed a single province.

History

Gangwon-do was one of the Eight Provinces
Eight Provinces (Korea)

During most of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea was divided into eight Provinces of Korea . The eight provinces' boundaries remained unchanged for almost five centuries from 1413 to 1895, and formed a geographic paradigm that is still reflected today in the Korean Peninsula's administrative divisions, dialects, and regional distinctions....
 of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
. The province was formed in 1395, and derived its name from the names of the principal cities of Gangreung (??; ??) and the provincial capital Wonju
Wonju

Wonju is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is now the largest city in the province.Wonju is a city approximately 90 miles east of Seoul....
 (??; ??).

In 1895, Gangwon-do was replaced by the Districts
Provinces of Korea

This article describes the historical evolution of Korea's provinces . For detailed information on current administrative divisions, please see Administrative divisions of North Korea and Administrative divisions of South Korea....
 of Chuncheon (Chuncheon-bu; ???; ???) in the west and Gangreung (Gangreung-bu; ???; ???) in the east. (Wonju became part of Chungju
Chungju

Chungju is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Chungcheongbuk-do province, South Korea. Namsan is a mountain located on the outskirts of the city....
 District.)

In 1896, Korea was redivided into thirteen provinces, and the two districts were merged to re-form Gangwon-do Province. Although Wonju rejoined Gangwon-do province, the provincial capital was moved to Chuncheon, where it remains today.

In 1945, Gangwon-do (along with the rest of Korea) was divided by the 38th parallel north
38th parallel north

The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degree true north of the Earth equator. The 38th parallel north has been especially important in the recent history of Korea....
 in 1945 into U.S. American and Soviet
Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a Constitution of the Soviet Union socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991.The name is a translation of the , romanization of Russian Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated ????, SSSR....
 zones of occupation in the south and north respectively, which led to Wonsan
Wonsan

Wonsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwon-do . The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000....
 joining the province's northern half in 1946 to serve as its administrative center. In 1948, the southern half of the province became part of the new Republic of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
. As a result of the Korean War
Korean War

The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korea and South Korea regimes, with major hostilities lasting from June 25, 1950 until the armistice signed on July 27, 1953....
 ceasefire of 1953, the boundary between the South and North Korean portions of the province was shifted northward to the Military Demarcation Line
Military Demarcation Line (Korea)

The Military Demarcation Line, sometimes referred to as the Armistice Line, is the border between North Korea and South Korea. It is not a physical line, like a cement wall or wire entanglement....
. The province's boundaries have remained the same since 1953.

Geography


Location

Gangwon-do is bounded on the west by Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do

Gyeonggi-do is the most populous Administrative divisions of South Korea in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital— is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level Special cities of Korea since 1946....
 province, on the south by the provinces of Chungcheongbuk-do
Chungcheongbuk-do

Chungcheongbuk-do is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in the centre of South Korea. It was formed in 1896 from the northeastern half of the former Chungcheong province....
 and Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gyeongsangbuk-do

Gyeongsangbuk-do is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, remained a province of Korea until the country's Division of Korea in 1945, then became part of South Korea....
, and on the east by the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea....
. To the north lies the province's North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
n counterpart, Kangwon province. The province's landscape is dominated by the Taebaek Mountains
Taebaek Mountains

The Taebaek Mountains are a mountain range in both North Korea and South Korea. They form the main ridge of the Korean peninsula.The Taebaek mountains are located to the east of the peninsula and run along the Sea of Japan ....
 (Taebaek Sanmaek) which almost reach the sea. As a consequence the coast is steep.

Resources

The area of Gangwon-do is 16,894 kmē, of which four fifths are woodland. Edible alpine plants and mushrooms are harvested in these forests. The province is renowned for its agricultural produce, in particular potatoes and fish (cuttlefish
Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish are Marine animals of the order Sepiida belonging to the Cephalopoda class . Despite their common name, cuttlefish are not fish but molluscs....
 and pollock
Pollock

Pollock is the common name used for either of the two species of ocean fish in the Pollachius genus. Both P. pollachius and P. virens are commonly referred to as pollock....
). Mineral resources of the province include iron
Iron

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a Group 8 element and period 4 element. Iron is lustrous and silvery in color....
, coal
Coal

Coal is a readily combustion black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. The harder forms, such as anthracite, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure....
, fluorite
Fluorite

Fluorite is a mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CalciumFluorine. It is an Cubic mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon....
, limestone
Limestone

File:Limestone Formation In Waitomo.jpgLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite . The deposition of limestone strata is often a by-product and indicator of biological activity in the geology record....
 and tungsten
Tungsten

Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element that has the symbol W and atomic number 74.A steel-gray metal, tungsten is found in several ores, including wolframite and scheelite....
. There are hydroelectric and thermoelectric power
Thermoelectric power

Thermoelectric power can refer to two things:# electric power generated from a heat source, such as burning coal, indirectly through devices like steam turbines....
 plants.

Korea Seorak

Cities and parks

The main cities in the province are Chuncheon
Chuncheon

Chuncheon is the capital of Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River ....
 (the provincial capital), Gangneung
Gangneung

Gangneung is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do , on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province....
, Sokcho
Sokcho

Sokcho is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is located in the far northeast of the country along the coast of the Sea of Japan ....
, Wonju
Wonju

Wonju is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is now the largest city in the province.Wonju is a city approximately 90 miles east of Seoul....
, and Donghae
Donghae City

Donghae is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. There are two major ports: Donghae Harbor and Mukho Harbor....
. Seoraksan
Seoraksan

Seoraksan is the highest mountain in the Taebaek mountain range in the Gangwon province in eastern South Korea. It is located in a national park near the city of Sokcho....
 (mountain; 1,708 m) and Mt. Odae
Odaesan

Odaesan is a mountain in Gangwon, South Korea, standing at the junction of the districts of Gangneung, Pyeongchang County, and Hongcheon. A major national landmark, it is the centerpiece of Odaesan National Park....
 (1,563 m) with its ski run, attract a large number of national tourists. Both are located in national parks in the Taebaek Mountains. South Korea's largest limestone cave, Hwanseongul, receives over one million visitors a year.

Regions

Gangwon-do and its North Korean counterpart Kangwon are together referred to as the Gwandong region. The region west of the Taebaek Mountains is called Yeongseo
Yeongseo

Yeongseo is the western, inland region of Gangwon-do Province, South Korea and Kangwon-do Province, North Korea. It is divided from the coastal Yeongdong region by the Taebaek Mountains....
, while the region east of the mountains is called Yeongdong
Yeongdong

This article is about Yeongdong, a region in eastern Korea. For the county of the same name in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, see Yeongdong County....
. The term "Yeongdong" is frequently used in reference to transportation services from Seoul
Seoul

Seoul is the Capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, It is one of the world's List of cities proper by population.The Seoul National Capital Area - which includes the major port city of Incheon and satellite towns in Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million inhabitants and is the world's second largest List of me...
, the national capital. Thus, one might catch a bus or train on the "Yeongdong Line
Yeongdong Line

The Yeongdong Line is a line of Korail. It connects Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with Gangneung in Gangwon Province. From Yeongju, it crosses the Taebaek Mountains and reaches the Sea of Japan at Donghae, Gangwon, thence proceeding north to Gangneung....
," or drive to Gangneung
Gangneung

Gangneung is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do , on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province....
 on the Yeongdong Expressway
Yeongdong Expressway

The Yeongdong Expressway is a freeway in South Korea. Numbered 50, it connects the Seoul National Capital Area with Gangwon-do . It is named from Yeongdong, an old name for Gangwon....
.

Administrative divisions

Gangwon-do is divided into 7 cities (si) and 11 counties (gun). The names below are given in English, hangul
Hangul

Hangul is the native alphabet of the Korean language, as distinguished from the logogram Sino-Korean vocabulary hanja system. It was created in the mid-fifteenth century, and is now the official writing system of both North Korea and South Korea, being co-official in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of China....
, and hanja
Hanja

Hanja is the Korean language name for Chinese characters. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese language and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation....
.

Cities

  • Chuncheon
    Chuncheon

    Chuncheon is the capital of Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River ....
     (???, ???, capital)
  • Donghae
    Donghae City

    Donghae is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. There are two major ports: Donghae Harbor and Mukho Harbor....
     (???, ???)
  • Gangneung
    Gangneung

    Gangneung is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do , on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province....
     (???, ???)
  • Samcheok
    Samcheok

    Samcheok is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do , South Korea....
     (???, ???)
  • Sokcho
    Sokcho

    Sokcho is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is located in the far northeast of the country along the coast of the Sea of Japan ....
     (???, ???)
  • Taebaek
    Taebaek

    Taebaek is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. Its name is shared with that of the Taebaek Mountains....
     (???, ???)
  • Wonju
    Wonju

    Wonju is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is now the largest city in the province.Wonju is a city approximately 90 miles east of Seoul....
     (???, ???)


    • Counties

    • Cheorwon County
      Cheorwon County

      Cheorwon County , also spelt Cholwon, is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. It is located right next to the border with North Korea....
       (???, ???)
    • Goseong County
      Goseong County (Gangwon)

      Goseong is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea....
       (???, ???)
    • Hoengseong County
      Hoengseong County

      Hoengseong County is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. Korean Minjok Leadership Academy, one of Korea's top boarding schools, is located in the county....
       (???, ???)
    • Hongcheon County
      Hongcheon County

      Hongcheon is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. It is the birthplace of historic general Choi Yeong of Goryeo....
       (???, ???)
  • Hwacheon County
    Hwacheon County

    Hwacheon County is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do , South Korea. The northern border parallels the Korean Demilitarized Zone, as close as 9km in some places....
     (???, ???)
  • Inje County
    Inje County

    Inje County is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. It has the lowest population density of any South Korean county....
     (???, ???)
  • Jeongseon County
    Jeongseon County

    Jeongseon is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. It is famous as the hometown of "Jeongseon Arirang," a traditional Korean folksong....
     (???, ???)
  • Pyeongchang County
    Pyeongchang County

    Pyeongchang County is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do province, South Korea and the third largest county in the country....
     (???, ???)
  • Yanggu County
    Yanggu County

    Yanggu County is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon-do , South Korea.The northern part of Yanggu County was part of the front line for much of the Korean War, and now borders the Demilitarized Zone ....
     (???, ???)
  • Yangyang County
    Yangyang County

    Yangyang County is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The county is located in the northeast of the country, along the shores of the Sea of Japan ....
     (???, ???)
  • Yeongwol County (???, ???)


    • Culture

    Gangwon-do is known throughout Korea for its production of sundubu, a variety of soft tofu
    Tofu

    Tofu , also , doufu , toufu, or bean curd , is a food of China origin, made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks....
     made with seawater
    Seawater

    Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5%, or 35 parts per thousand . This means that every 1 kg of seawater has approximately 35 grams of sea salt ....
    .

    See also

    • List of Korea-related topics
      List of Korea-related topics

      This is a list of articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. For help on how to use this list, see the #Introduction below....


    External links