Provinces of South Korea

Province
Hangul	도
Hanja	道
Revised Romanization	do
McCune–Reischauer	to
Autonomous district
Hangul	특별자치도
Hanja	特別自治道
Revised Romanization	teukbyeol-jachido
McCune–Reischauer	teukbyeol-chach’ido

Provinces are the first-level division within South Korea. There are 9 provinces in South Korea: North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, Jeju, North Jeolla, South Jeolla.

History

Although the details of local administration have changed dramatically over time, the basic outline of the current three-tiered system was implemented under the reign of Gojong in 1895. A similar system also remains in use in North Korea.

Types

There are two types of provinces: provinces, special autonomous province. A province (도, [道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)) are the highest-ranked administrative divisions in South Korea. Provinces have equal status to the special cities.

A special autonomous province (특별자치도, [特別自治道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)) is a province with more autonomy over its economy and more powers are given to the provincial government. Jeju is the only special autonomous province.

Administration

Governors for these provinces are elected every four years. Current governors are listed at List of governors of South Korea.

List of provinces

Name	Hangul	Hanja	ISO	Population (2011 est.)^[1]	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)	Capital	Region	Abbreviation
North Chungcheong	충청북도	[忠清北道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-43	1,588,633	7,433^[2]	213	Cheongju	Hoseo	Chungbuk	충북	[忠北] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
South Chungcheong	충청남도	[忠清南道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-44	2,064,665	8,204^[3]	251	Hongseong	Hoseo	Chungnam	충남	[忠南] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
Gangwon	강원도	[江原道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-42	1,549,780	20,569^[4]	75	Chuncheon	Gwandong	Gangwon	강원	[江原] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
Gyeonggi	경기도	[京畿道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-41	12,239,862	10,171^[5]	1,203	Suwon	Sudogwon	Gyeonggi	경기	[京畿] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
North Gyeongsang	경상북도	[慶尙北道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-47	2,739,179	19,030^[6]	144	Andong	Yeongnam	Gyeongbuk	경북	慶北
South Gyeongsang	경상남도	慶尙南道	KR-48	3,374,725	10,532^[7]	320	Changwon	Yeongnam	Gyeongnam	경남	[慶南] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
Jeju	제주도	[濟州道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-49	583,284	1,849^[8]	315	Jeju	Jeju	Jeju	제주	[濟州] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
North Jeolla	전라북도	[全羅北道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-45	1,895,882	8,043	236	Jeonju	Honam	Jeonbuk	전북	[全北] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
South Jeolla	전라남도	[全羅南道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	KR-46	1,938,136	11,858	163	Muan	Honam	Jeonnam	전남	[全南] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)

Claimed provinces

South Korea claims five provinces on the territory controlled by North Korea. These claimed provinces are managed by The Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces (Korean: 이북5도위원회; Hanja: 以北五道委員會). These provinces are based on the divisions of Japanese era and are different from the present North Korean provinces.

Name	Hangul	Hanja	Area (km²)	Capital	Region	Abbreviation
North Hamgyeong	함경북도	[咸鏡北道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	20,345	Cheongjin	Gwanbuk	Hambuk	함북	[咸北] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
South Hamgyeong	함경남도	[咸鏡南道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	31,977	Hamheung	Gwannam	Hamnam	함남	[咸南] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
Hwanghae	황해도	[黃海道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	16,744	Haeju	Haeseo	Hwanghae	황해	[黃海] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
North Pyeongan	평안북도	[平安北道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	28,443	Sinuiju	Gwanseo	Pyeongbuk	평북	[平北] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)
South Pyeongan	평안남도	[平安南道] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)	14,944	Pyeongyang	Gwanseo	Pyeongnam	평남	[平南] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help)

References

^ "South Korea Administrative Districts". CityPopulation.de. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
^ 충북면적 (in Korean). North Chungcheong Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ 일반현황 (in Korean). South Chungcheong Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ "Natural Environment". Gangwon Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ 위치와 자연환경 (in Korean). Gyeonggi Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ 경북현황 (in Korean). North Gyeongsang Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ 일반 현황 (in Korean). South Gyeongsang Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ "Geography". Jeju Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[1] "South Korea Administrative Districts". CityPopulation.de. Retrieved 2013-03-14.

[2] 충북면적 (in Korean). North Chungcheong Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[3] 일반현황 (in Korean). South Chungcheong Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[4] "Natural Environment". Gangwon Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[5] 위치와 자연환경 (in Korean). Gyeonggi Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[6] 경북현황 (in Korean). North Gyeongsang Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[7] 일반 현황 (in Korean). South Gyeongsang Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[8] "Geography". Jeju Province. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

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v t e Regions and administrative divisions of South Korea
Regions	Gyeonggi Capital area Gwandong Yeongdong Yeongseo Hoseo Daejeon–Sejong–Chungnam Chungbuk Honam Yeongnam Daegu–Gyeongbuk Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongnam Southeastern MIR Jeju
Provinces	North Chungcheong South Chungcheong Gyeonggi North Gyeongsang South Gyeongsang South Jeolla (Claimed five Northern Korean Provinces)
Special self-governing province and States	Jeju Gangwon Jeonbuk
Special city	Seoul
Special self-governing city	Sejong
Metropolitan cities	Busan Daegu Daejeon Gwangju Incheon Ulsan

v t e Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries
Sovereign states	Afghanistan Armenia² Azerbaijan¹ Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Cyprus² East Timor Egypt¹ Georgia¹ India Indonesia¹ Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan¹ North Korea province special city South Korea province provincial-level city Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia¹ Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Turkey¹ Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen¹
States with limited recognition	Abkhazia² Northern Cyprus² Palestine South Ossetia² Taiwan
Table of administrative divisions by country ¹ Spans the conventional boundary between Asia and another continent. ² Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in Western Asia.