Pyongyang - History, Administrative divisions, Landmarks, Climate, Sister cities, Further reading

39°00N 125°47E, pop (2000e) 2 906 000. Capital of North Korea, overlooking the R Taedong; Korea's oldest city, founded allegedly in 1122 BC; capital of Choson kingdom, 300–200 BC; colony of China, 108 BC; centre of Han Chinese colonial administration; taken by Japanese, 1592–3; retaken by China, 1593; capital of North Korea since 1948; rebuilt after the Korean War; airport; railway; university (1946); iron and steel, machinery, textiles, aircraft, sugar; 1st-c tombs.

P'yŏngyang Directly Governed City
Korean name
McCune-Reischauer	Phyŏngyang Chikhalsi
Revised Romanization	Pyeongyang Jikhalsi
Hangul	평양 직할시
Hanja	平壤直轄市
Short name	Phyŏngyang (Pyeongyang; 평양)
Statistics
Population	2,741,260 (1993)
Area	3,194 km²
Government	Directly Governed City, Capital of North Korea
Administrative divisions	19 wards (kuyŏk), 4 counties (kun)
Region	Kwansŏ
Dialect	P'yŏngan
Location map

Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at 39°02′N 125°45′E (39.0333, 125.75).

The city was split from the South P'yŏngan province in 1946. It is administered as a Directly Governed City (Chikhalsi), on the same level as provincial governments, not a Special City (Teukbyeolsi) as Seoul is in South Korea. Some sources, mostly older and South Korean, refer to Phyŏngyang as a Special City, but it has been reported that even the South Korean government adopted the Directly Governed City terminology in 1994.

History

According to legend, the city was founded in 2334 BC as Wanggŏmsŏng (왕검성;

In 108 BC Han Dynasty conquered Gojoseon and the capital of the Lelang Commandery was put near Pyongyang. It was the provincial capital of the P'yŏngan Province during the Joseon dynasty, becoming provincial capital of South P'yŏngan Province from 1896 and through the period of Japanese rule.

In 1945, Japanese rule ended and it was occupied by Soviet forces, and became the temporary capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at its establishment in 1948 while it aimed to recapture its official capital at that time of Seoul.

Administrative divisions

Phyŏngyang is divided into 19 wards ("Kuyŏk" or "guyŏk") and 4 counties ("Kun" or "gun"). 江東郡)

Landmarks

The capital has been completely rebuilt since the Korean War (1950–1953).

Some notable landmarks in the city include the Arch of Triumph (a larger replica of Paris's Arc de Triomphe), the reputed birthplace of Kim Il Sung at Mangyongdae Hill, Juche Tower, and two of the world's largest stadiums (Kim Il Sung Stadium and Rungnado May Day Stadium).

The city also has regular international train services to Beijing and Moscow.

Climate

Climate diagram of Pyŏngyang

Sister cities

Kathmandu, Nepal

Further reading

Chris Springer, Pyongyang: The Hidden History of the North Korean Capital. Saranda Books, 2003.