Songwon
Encyclopedia
Songwon is a kun
, or county, in southwestern Chagang province, North Korea
. It borders Usi
and Kopung
counties to the north, Tongsin
to the east, and Huichon
to the south, as well as North Pyongan's Tongchang
county to the west. Originally part of Chosan
, it was established as a separate county in 1949, when Chagang province was created.
The Chongchon and Chungman Rivers both flow through Songwon. The terrain is mountainous, with the Pinandok and Chogyuryong Mountains rising in the county's south. The highest peaks are in the north; the tallest is Koambong, 1,744 m above sea level. The climate is continental but relatively wet; the frost begins in early October and lifts in late April.
The chief local industry is logging, with 93% of the county covered by forestland. Livestock, particularly cattle, are also raised, and crops including maize and rice are grown. A 67 km² reservoir has been built across the Chungman (completed in 1980), and is used for hydroelectric power.
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 southwestern Chagang 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...
. It borders Usi
Usi
Usi is a kun, or county, in westernmost Chagang province, North Korea. It looks across the Yalu River into the People's Republic of China. Within North Korea, it borders Chosan and Kopung to the east, Songwon to the south, and North Pyongan's Pyoktong county to the west...
and Kopung
Kopung
Kopung is a kun, or county, in Chagang province, North Korea. Prior to the division of Korea, it was part of Chosan county.-Geography:Most of Kopung is mountainous, but lower in the west. The Kangnam and [Chogyuryong ranges pass through the county. The chief streams are the Chungman River and the...
counties to the north, Tongsin
Tongsin
Tongsin is a kun, or county, in southern Chagang province, North Korea. It borders Ryongrim and Chonchon to the north, the counties of Taehung and Yongwon in South Pyongan to the south and east, and Huichon and Songwon to the west and southwest...
to the east, and Huichon
Huichon
Hŭich'ŏn is a city in the southern part of Chagang Province, North Korea. The population is 163,000 .-History:Hŭich'ŏn was formerly a small village, since the Korean War and an influx of government investment, it has become a base for electronics and machinery production for...
to the south, as well as North Pyongan's Tongchang
Tongchang
Tongchang is a kun, or county, in northeastern North Pyongan province, North Korea. It borders Pyoktong and Chagang's Usi county to the north, Unsan and Songwon to the east, Taechon to the south, and Changsong and Taegwan to the west....
county to the west. Originally part of Chosan
Chosan
Chosan is a kun, or county, in Chagang province, North Korea. It borders the People's Republic of China to the north.The terrain slopes downward from the Kangnam Mountains in the south to the Yalu River in the north. The highest peak is Namhaetaesan . Some 20% of the land is arable, with animal...
, it was established as a separate county in 1949, when Chagang province was created.
The Chongchon and Chungman Rivers both flow through Songwon. The terrain is mountainous, with the Pinandok and Chogyuryong Mountains rising in the county's south. The highest peaks are in the north; the tallest is Koambong, 1,744 m above sea level. The climate is continental but relatively wet; the frost begins in early October and lifts in late April.
The chief local industry is logging, with 93% of the county covered by forestland. Livestock, particularly cattle, are also raised, and crops including maize and rice are grown. A 67 km² reservoir has been built across the Chungman (completed in 1980), and is used for hydroelectric power.