First-level Divisions
- See Provinces, Special administrative regions, Directly governed cities, and Former directly governed cities below for a complete list.
The nine provinces (Do; 도, 道) derive from the traditional provinces of Korea, but have been further subdivided since the division of Korea. They are large areas including cities, rural and mountainous regions. The two directly governed cities (Chikhalsi; 직할시, 直轄市) are large metropolitan cities that have been separated from their former provinces to become first-level units. Four other cities have been directly governed in the past, but were subsequently reunited with their provinces or otherwise reorganized.
The three special administrative regions were all created in 2002 for the development of collaborative ventures with South Korea and other countries. One of them, the Sinuiju Special Administrative Region, was intended to draw Chinese investment and enterprise, but as of 2006 appears never to have been implemented. The special administrative regions do not have any known second- and third-level subdivisions.
| English | M-C Romaja | KPS Romaja | Chosongul | Hanja | Type | Capital | Region | Population | ISO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pyongyang | Pyongyang-si | Phyeongyang-si | 평양시 | 平壤市 | Directly governed city | (Chung-guyok) | Kwanso | 3,255,388 | KP-01 |
| 2 | Rason | Rason-si | Raseon-si | 라선시 | 羅先市 | Directly governed city | (Rajin-guyok) | Kwanbuk | 205,000 | KP-13 |
| 3 | South Pyongan Province | Pyongannam-do | Phyeongannamto | 평안남도 | 平安南道 | Province | Pyongsong | Kwanso | 4,051,696 | KP-02 |
| 4 | North Pyongan Province | Pyonganbuk-do | Phyeonganpukto | 평안북도 | 平安北道 | Province | Sinuiju | Kwanso | 2,728,662 | KP-03 |
| 5 | Chagang Province | Chagang-do | Jakangto | 자강도 | 慈江道 | Province | Kanggye | Kwanso | 1,299,830 | KP-04 |
| 6 | South Hwanghae Province | Hwanghaenam-do | Hwanghainamto | 황해남도 | 黃海南道 | Province | Haeju | Haeso | 2,310,485 | KP-05 |
| 7 | North Hwanghae Province | Hwanghaebuk-do | Hwanghaipukto | 황해북도 | 黃海北道 | Province | Sariwon | Haeso | 2,113,672 | KP-06 |
| 8 | Kangwon Province | Kangwon-do | Kangweonto | 강원도 | 江原道 | Province | Wonsan | Kwandong | 1,477,582 | KP-07 |
| 9 | South Hamgyong Province | Hamgyongnam-do | Hamkyeongnamto | 함경남도 | 咸鏡南道 | Province | Hamhung | Kwannam | 3,066,013 | KP-08 |
| 10 | North Hamgyong Province | Hamgyongbuk-do | Hamkyeongpukto | 함경북도 | 咸鏡北道 | Province | Chongjin | Kwanbuk | 2,327,362 | KP-09 |
| 11 | Ryanggang Province | Ryanggang-do * | Ryangkangto | 량강도 | 兩江道 | Province | Hyesan | Kwannam | 719,269 | KP-10 |
* – Rendered in Southern dialects as "Yanggang" (양강도).
Read more about this topic: Administrative Divisions Of North Korea
Famous quotes containing the word divisions:
“I find myself ... hoping a total end of all the unhappy divisions of mankind by party-spirit, which at best is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)