Chorwon
Encyclopedia
Chorwon is a kun
, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea
. Portions of it were once a single county together with the county of the same name in South Korea
; other portions were added from neighboring counties in the 1956 reorganization of local governments. After the initial division of Korea
, the entire county lay to the Northern side of the dividing line, but in the course of the Korean War
part of the county was taken by the South.
The county's terrain is mountainous in the north, but gradually more level towards the south. The Masikryong Mountains pass through the county; the highest point is Taewangdoksan (대왕덕산). The chief stream is the Rimjin River
. Approximately 54% of the county's area is occupied by forestland.
The chief local industry is agriculture. The county is a major producer of rice for North Korea. Additional crops include maize, soybeans, wheat, and barley. Other local industries include mining, sericulture, and orcharding. The county is host to deposits of coal, iron ore, magnetite
, and manganese
. There is little manufacturing.
The county is not connected to the national rail grid, but is served by roads.
Administrative divisions of North Korea
The administrative divisions of North Korea are organized into three hierarchical levels. Many of the units have equivalents in the system of South Korea. At the highest level are nine provinces, two directly governed cities, and three special administrative divisions. The second-level divisions...
, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. Portions of it were once a single county together with the county of the same name in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
; other portions were added from neighboring counties in the 1956 reorganization of local governments. After the initial division of Korea
Division of Korea
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship...
, the entire county lay to the Northern side of the dividing line, but in the course of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
part of the county was taken by the South.
The county's terrain is mountainous in the north, but gradually more level towards the south. The Masikryong Mountains pass through the county; the highest point is Taewangdoksan (대왕덕산). The chief stream is the Rimjin River
Imjin River
The Imjin River is a river of North and South Korea. It flows from North to South, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, very near the Yellow Sea.- History :...
. Approximately 54% of the county's area is occupied by forestland.
The chief local industry is agriculture. The county is a major producer of rice for North Korea. Additional crops include maize, soybeans, wheat, and barley. Other local industries include mining, sericulture, and orcharding. The county is host to deposits of coal, iron ore, magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
, and manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
. There is little manufacturing.
The county is not connected to the national rail grid, but is served by roads.
See also
- Geography of North KoreaGeography of North KoreaNorth Korea is located in east Asia on the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea shares a border with three states, including China along the Amnok River, Russia along the Duman River, and South Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone...
- Administrative divisions of North KoreaAdministrative divisions of North KoreaThe administrative divisions of North Korea are organized into three hierarchical levels. Many of the units have equivalents in the system of South Korea. At the highest level are nine provinces, two directly governed cities, and three special administrative divisions. The second-level divisions...
- Kangwon (North Korea)