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Ryanggang Province

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Ryanggang is a province located in North Korea.

DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Hyesan
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Hyesan

It sits right against the border of China. To the north, the Yalu River and the Tumen River run through the land. Between these two rivers sits Paektu Mountain. This mountain is a very special place. Both Koreans and Manchurians see it as a mythic origin for their people. The North Korean government even says Kim Jong-il was born there.

DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Samjiyon
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Samjiyon

The land near the mountain is dry and very remote. It is a mountainous area that is not often patrolled.

This province has a long history of changes. Ryanggang was officially formed in 1954. Before this time, it was part of South Hamgyong. The capital city of the province is Hyesan.

DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kapsan
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kapsan

Hyesan is a large city for the region. In 2008, about 192,680 people lived there. The province is also divided into many smaller parts. There are two cities and ten different counties. These counties help organize the many people living in the mountains.

Life in Ryanggang can be quite difficult. The province is part of a region called the "Rust Belt." This name describes cities with many old factories. These factories are often decrepit or failing. Because of this, Ryanggang is one of the poorest provinces.

During the 1990s, the area faced a very hard famine. Many people suffered from hunger during those years. Today, people also face problems getting a steady power supply.

There are many different places to name in Ryanggang.

Besides Hyesan, the other city is Samjiyon. Samjiyon had 31,471 people in 2008. There are ten counties like Kapsan, Paegam, and Pochon. Other counties include Pungso, Samsu, and Taehongdan. You can also find Kimhyonggwon, Kimhyongjik, and Kimjongsuk. Finally, there is Unhung County. Each of these places makes up the whole province.

Many things connect Ryanggang to the rest of the world.

People sometimes cross the rivers to reach China. Most people prefer to cross over the Tumen River. In 2004, an explosion was seen in Kimhyongjik. A mushroom cloud was even reported there. This happened on the 56th anniversary of North Korea. These events show how much is happening in this mountain land. It remains a place of great history and many challenges.

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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Hyesan.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Hyesan.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Samjiyon.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Samjiyon.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kapsan.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kapsan.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kimhyonggwon.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kimhyonggwon.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kimhyongjik.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kimhyongjik.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kimjongsuk.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Kimjongsuk.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Paegam.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Paegam.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Pochon.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Pochon.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Pungso.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Pungso.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Samsu.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Samsu.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Taehongdan.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Taehongdan.PNG
File:DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Unhung.PNG
DPRK2006 Ryanggang-Unhung.PNG
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