Changsong

Changsong
Chosŏn'gŭl	창성군
Hancha	昌城郡
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'angsŏng kun
Revised Romanization	Changseong-gun
Statistics
Area	605.2 km2 (233.7 sq mi)
Population (1990)	33,600 (est.)[1]
Population density	55.5/km2 (143.8/sq mi)
Administrative divisions	1 ŭp, 1 workers' districts, 15 ri

Changsong is a kun, or county, in northern North Pyongan province, North Korea. It is bordered by Pyoktong to the east, Tongchang and Taegwan to the south, Sakchu to the west; to the north, it faces China across the Yalu River.

Changsong's terrain is steep and mountainous, sloping generally downward from the southeast toward the Yalu. The Kangnam Mountains and Pinandok Mountains both pass through the county. The highest point is Piraebong, at 1470 m. The county is drained by various tributaries of the Yalu, uncluding the Yongjuchon (영주천) and Namchangchon (남창천), as well as by the Changsong River, a tributary of the Taeryong. The Yalu itself has been blocked by the Supung Dam to create Supung Lake.

Annual rainfall in Changsong is 1000 mm, with an annual average temperature of 7.3 °C (the average fluctuating from -11.6 °C in January to 22 °C in August). Temperatures are of course much colder in the mountains, with the snows atop Piraebong not melting until late May. Fog is common near Supung Lake. Some 80% of the county's land is forested, while only 6.1% is under cultivation.

Sericulture is widely practiced; other crops include maize, rice, peanuts, gochu peppers, sweet potatoes, and various fruits. Changsong also leads the county in the production of sheep. Various products, including lumber and medicinal herbs, are harvested from the forests. In addition, gold, tungsten, and coal are mined from the hills. Local manufactured products include gochujang and alcohol. There are no railroads, but a road does connect Changsong to Sakchu, Tongchang, and Pyoktong. Freight and passenger traffic is also carried by ships plying Lake Supung; the lake is also used to transport raw lumber.

Notes

1. ^ Taken from the agreement of the Dusan and Korean Britannica entries.

References

• International Information Research Institute (국제정보연구소) (1999). "창성군". 北韓情報總覽 2000 [Bukhan jeongbo chong-ram 2000]. Seoul: Author. p. 828. 

See also

• Geography of North Korea
• Administrative divisions of North Korea
• North Pyongan

External links

• (Korean) In Korean language online encyclopedias:
  • Doosan Encyclopedia (Encyber)
  • Korean language Britannica (Empas) (Map)
  • Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (Empas)
  • Pascal World Encyclopedia (Nate)