South Hamgyong Province
(2002 est. pop. 3.3 million). South Hamgyong Province (Hamgyong namdo) is located on the central east coast of North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK) and has a 466-kilometer coastline. The province has an area of 16,745 square kilometers. The province has been geographically restructured seven times since the 1948 establishment of the DPRK. In addition to the provincial capital of Hamhung, there are two other designated cities (Sinp'o and Tanch'on) and fifteen counties (kun).
South Hamgyong is mountainous and has an average elevation of 745 meters. The province also has many rivers and tributaries as well as natural lakes. South Hamgyong also claims sixty-four islands just off its coast. Although the region is not particularly agricultural, there are numerous species of indigenous trees, plants, and fruits. Staple crops such as millet, wheat, beans, and potatoes, as well as wild vegetables and fish, make up some of the key ingredients of the traditional foods of South Hamgyong. Hamhung naengmyon, a cold noodle dish flavored with spicy pepper sauce, is one of the region's most representative dishes.
Further Reading
Cho, Chung-Kyung, Phyllis Haffner, and Fredric M. Kaplan. (1991) The Korea Guidebook. 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Storey, Robert, and Alex English. (2001) Korea. 5th ed. Berkeley, CA: Lonely Planet.
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