Nampo
Encyclopedia
Namp'o is a city and seaport in South P'yŏngan 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 was a provincial-level Directly Governed City
Special cities of Korea
In both North and South Korea, a special city, a metropolitan city, or a directly governed city is a city that has a status equivalent to that of a province...

 (Chikhalsi) from 1980 to 2004, when it was designated a "Special City" (T'ŭkgŭpsi) and made a part of South P'yŏngan. Namp'o was designated a T'ŭkpyŏlsi (teukbyeolsi; 특별시; 特別市) "Special City" in 2010.

Namp'o is situated some 50 kilometres south west of P'yŏngyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

, at the mouth of the Taedong River. It was originally a small fishing village, but opened as a port of foreign trade in 1897, and began to develop into a modern port after liberation in 1945. With the rapid increase in state investment, the city's industrial capacity grew.

Some of the industrial facilities are the Namp'o Smelter Complex, the Namp'o Glass Corporation, the Namp'o Shipbuilding Complex, the Namp'o Fishery Complex and other central and local factories. Namp'o is a center for the DPRK shipbuilding industry. North of the city are facilities for freight transportation, aquatic products, and fishery, and a sea salt factory. The apples grown in Namp'o's Ryonggang
Ryonggang
Ryonggang-kun is a county in South Pyongan province, North Korea. It is administered as a part of Namp'o. It is famous for its local apples.-Administrative divisions:Ryonggang-kun is divided into one town and several villages ....

 district (룡강군) are a famous local product.

Geography

Nampo lies on the northern shore of the Taedong River
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...

, 15 km east of the river's mouth. Although it has a continental climate and abundant flat land, agriculture in the area of Namp'o has been limited by low rainfall and a lack of fresh water.

Administrative divisions

Namp'o is divided into three guyŏk and several kun, which are in turn divided into dong and ri.
  • Waudo-guyŏk (와우도구역/臥牛島區域)
  • Hanggu-guyŏk (항구구역/港口區域)
  • Ch'ŏllima-kun (천리마군; 千里馬郡)
  • Kangsŏ-kun (강서군; 江西郡)
  • Ryonggang-kun
    Ryonggang
    Ryonggang-kun is a county in South Pyongan province, North Korea. It is administered as a part of Namp'o. It is famous for its local apples.-Administrative divisions:Ryonggang-kun is divided into one town and several villages ....

     (룡강군/龍岡郡)
  • Taean-kun (대안군; 大安郡)

Foreign aid

Nampho Harbour is often used as the primary port of call for the reception of foreign food aid assistance into 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...

. In 2008, the harbour received several batches of grain delivery, the first batch delivered in June was sent by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and weighed 38,000 tons. South Korean-based relief organisation Join Together Society donated one batch of flour in October of the same year weighing approximately 500 tons.

Transportation

An airport, railway and a large freeway connect Namp'o to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

 and other locations. Nampo Station is on the Pyongnam Line
Pyongnam Line
The Pyongnam Line is a railway line in North Korea, running from Pyongyang to Nampo....

. The West Sea Barrage
Nampho Dam
The Nampho Dam or West Sea Dam, also known as the West Sea Barrage, is a barrage located 15 km west of the special city of Nampho, North Korea. It is a huge, eight-kilometer-long system of dams, three lock chambers, and 36 sluices, allowing the passage of ships up to 50,000 tons. The dam...

 of the Namp'o port, built by erecting an 8-km long sea wall, has three lock chambers which allow the passage of ships up to 50,000 tons, and 36 sluices. The port of Namp'o has modern harbour facilities that can accommodate ships of 20,000 tons but is frozen during the winter. Namp'o serves as Pyongyang's port on the Yellow Sea.

Culture

Institutes of higher learning in Namp'o include Nampho University, Sohae University, Samgwang College, Sunhwa College, Nampho University of Medicine, Nampho University of Agriculture, Nampo College of Shipping Industry, Nampho Building Materials College, and Nampo University of Fisheries.

Tourist attractions include Waudo Pleasure Ground, with a sea bathing beach, a convalescent hospital and recreation facilities. Nearby scenic spots include the West Sea Barrage
Nampho Dam
The Nampho Dam or West Sea Dam, also known as the West Sea Barrage, is a barrage located 15 km west of the special city of Nampho, North Korea. It is a huge, eight-kilometer-long system of dams, three lock chambers, and 36 sluices, allowing the passage of ships up to 50,000 tons. The dam...

, three tombs in Kangso
Kangso
Kangso-kun is a county in South Pyongan Province, North Korea. The population is 100,000.-Administrative divisions:Kangso-kun is divided into several dong and several villages .* Chonjin-dong * Kisan-dong * Kiyang-dong...

, the tomb in Tokhung-dong, Susan Spa, Chongsan Spa, Kangso Mineral Springs and Lake Thaesang.

Sister cities

Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...

, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

 St. Petersburg, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...


External links

  • Korea Tourist Map (English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese)
  • North Korea Uncovered, (North Korea Google Earth) This map labels most of Nampo's infrastructure locations including hotels, nearby UNESCO sites, railroads, West Sea Barge, electricity grid, and shipping facilities.
  • http://nk.joins.com/map/ (Korean) Has maps of most of North Korea, including districts, dong, and villages.
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