Gangwon

Gangwon (Gangwon-do; 강원도; 江原道) is a province in the north east of South Korea. It is bounded on the west by Gyeonggi Province, on the south by the provinces of North Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang, and on the east by the East Sea/Sea of Japan (see Notice on talk page). To the north lies the province's North Korean counterpart, Kangwŏn Province.

Before the division of North and South Korea along the 38th parallel in 1945, the province stretched to what is now North Korean territory. The landscape is dominated by the Taebaek Mountains (Taebaek Sanmaek) which almost reach the sea. As a consequence the coast is steep.

The area of Gangwon is 16894 km², of which four fifth 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 and pollack). Mineral resources of the province include iron, coal, fluorite, limestone and tungsten. There are hydroelectric and thermoelectric power plants.

The main cities in the province are Chuncheon (the provincial capital), Gangneung, Sokcho, Wonju, and Donghae. Seorak-san (mountain; 1,700 m) and Mount Odae (1,563 m) with its ski run, attract a large number of national tourists. Both are located in national parks in the Taebaek Mountains.

Population 1,592,000 (1990, estimate).

Administrative divisions:

• Chuncheon-shi (춘천시; 春川市)
• Donghae-shi (동해시; 東海市)
• Gangneung-shi (강릉시; 江陵市)
• Samcheok-shi (삼척시; 三陟市)
• Sokcho-shi (속초시; 束草市)
• Taebaek-shi (태백시; 太白市)
• Wonju-shi (원주시; 原州市)
• Cheorwon-gun (철원군; 鐵原郡)
• Goseong-gun (고성군; 固城郡)
• Hoengseong-gun (횡성군; 橫城郡)
• Hongcheon-gun (홍천군; 洪川郡)
• Hwacheon-gun (화천군; 華川郡)
• Inje-gun (인제군; 麟蹄郡)
• Jeongseon-gun (정선군; 旌善郡)
• Pyeongchang-gun (평창군; 平昌郡)
• YangYang-gun (양양군; 襄陽郡)
• Yanggu-gun (양구군; 楊口郡)
• Yeongwol-gun (영월군; 寧越郡)