- Gyeongju Basin
Infobox Korean name
hangul=경주분지
hanja=linktext|慶|州|盆|地
rr=Gyeongju-bunji
mr=Kyŏngju punjiThe Gyeongju Basin is a
landform inGyeongju city,North Gyeongsang province,South Korea . It forms part of the watershed of theHyeongsan River , which flows north through the basin where it is joined by the Bukcheon, Namcheon, Daecheon, and Sogyeon-cheon streams.The basin is surrounded by low
mountain s, most of which are also part ofGyeongju National Park . Specifically, it is bordered by Gowi Mountain (495 m abovesea level ) on the south, Seondo Mountain (380 m) and Ongnyeo Peak (215 m) on the west, and Gumi Mountain (594 m) on the north. Namsan, a mountain composed of two peaks (466 m, 495 m), cuts the Gyeongju Basin into two parts at the southern end. The streams that flow from these mountains have formed a number of interlinkedalluvial plain s in the Basin.The city center of Gyeongju, which was also the capital of the ancient
Silla kingdom, occupies much of the basin. Various watershed management projects were undertaken even during Silla times, due to continuousflood ing in the basin, caused by runoff from the neighboring mountains combined with inflow from the upper Hyeongsan River watershed. The most recent severe flood took place in1991 .The basin is also home to a great number of important
Korea n cultural heritage assets, mostly related to its ancient role as capital of Silla. For example, the royaltomb s of Silla are located there, as is the Gyerimforest . The slopes of the entire Namsan Mountain are covered in religious and ceremonial sites dating from the Mumun Pottery Period (c. 1500-300 B.C.) to the end of theKorean Three Kingdoms (c. AD 668). Namsan and environs is registered as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site .Agriculture is also undertaken on a significant scale within the basin. The crops are primary staples such asrice ,barley , andsoybeans . The Gyeongju strain of rice grown here is particularly famous for its quality. However, the Gyeongju Basin has undergone significant environmental strain since the 1970s resulting the construction of tourist facilities, the expansion and industrialization of urban Gyeongju, intensive agriculture, and the construction and use of national public infrastructure such as expressways, highways, and high-speed rail.See also
*
List of Korea-related topics
*Geography of South Korea References
*Cho, Hwa-ryong. 1987. "Hanguk-eui Chungjeok Pyeongya" [Alluvial Plains of Korea] . Gyohak Yeongusa, Seoul.
*Kang, Bong W. 2006. Large-scale Reservoir Construction and Political Centralization: A Case Study from Ancient Korea. "Journal of Anthropological Research" 62(2):193-?.
External links
* [http://www.iranrivers.com/New%20Rivers/newin81/Azar/canada-18%20congeress%20in%20i&d/HS_R.08.PDF Paper on the historical lessons of watershed management in the Gyeongju basin, delivered in 2002 by Professor Bong W. Kang of Kyongju University]
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