Tongchang is a kun

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 northeastern North Pyongan 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 Pyoktong

Pyoktong

Pyoktong is a kun, or county, in northern North Pyongan province, North Korea. It lies in the valley of the Yalu River, and borders China to the north. Within North Korea, it is bounded by Tongchang in the south, Changsong in the west, and Usi county in Chagang province to the east...

 and Chagang's 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...

 county to the north, Unsan

Unsan

Unsan is a kun, or county, in eastern North Pyongan province, North Korea. Within the province, it borders Hyangsan in the east, Kujang and Nyongbyon in the south, and Tongchang and Taechon in the west...

 and Songwon

Songwon

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...

 to the east, Taechon

Taechon

Taechon, also spelled Thaechon, is a kun, or county, in central North Pyongan province, North Korea. It borders Taegwan and Tongchang to the north, Unsan and Nyongbyon to the east, Pakchon and Unjon to the south, and Kusong to the west....

 to the south, and Changsong

Changsong

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....

 and Taegwan

Taegwan

Taegwan is a kun, or county, in northeastern North Pyongan province, North Korea. It lies in the province's interior, and is bounded by Tongchang on the east, Kusong and Taechon to the south, Chonma to the west, and Changsong and Sakchu to the north...

 to the west.

The Pinandok Mountains pass through northern and eastern Tongchang, contributing the county's highest point, Tanpungdoksan (단풍덕산, 1159 m). The Changsong River flows from the northwest to the southeast, on its way to join the Taedong

Taedong River

The Taedong River is a large river in North Korea. It rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north. It then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o. In between, it runs through the country's capital, Pyongyang. Along the river are landmarks such as the Juche Tower and Kim Il-sung...

. The year-round local temperature is 7 °C, with an average of -10 °C in January and 22.8 °C in August. The average annual rainfall is quite high, at 1440 mm. Some 80% of the county's land is forested (of which 40% is coniferous, with mixed pine-oak woods predominating).

The dominant local industry is mining. The first gold mine there was opened in Taeyu-dong in 1896 by a French concern. In addition, silver and apatite

Apatite

Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually referring to hydroxylapatite, fluorapatite, chlorapatite and bromapatite, named for high concentrations of OH−, F−, Cl− or Br− ions, respectively, in the crystal...

 are now mined. Tongchang has the least cultivable land of any county in the province, at 6.5% of its total area; most of that (80%) consists of dry fields unsuitable for rice. The chief local crop, therefore, is maize. There are numerous small-scale hydroelectric power stations.

See also

• Geography of North Korea
  Geography of North Korea
  North 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 Korea
  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...
  
  
• North Pyongan