Muan County (''Muan-gun'') is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in
South Jeolla
South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
Province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
(''Jeollanam-do''),
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. In 2005, Muan County became the capital of ''Jeollanam-do'' following the transfer of the provincial office from its previous location,
Gwangju
Gwangju () is South Korea's sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office ...
to the village of
Namak in Muan.
Muan International Airport
Muan International Airport () is an airport in Muan County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Construction of the airport began in 1997 and the airport opened on November 9, 2007. The airport serves the province of Jeollanam-do, especially the cities ...
was opened here, and will eventually replace the airports in
Gwangju
Gwangju () is South Korea's sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office ...
and
Mokpo
Mokpo (; ''Mokpo-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to Seoul, and is the terminus for a number of fe ...
.
Modern history
On January 1 of 1963, several villages (ri in Korean) were incorporated into
Mokpo
Mokpo (; ''Mokpo-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to Seoul, and is the terminus for a number of fe ...
city and huge reorganization was made by Korean government. In 1979, Muan township was promoted to a township (eup of South Korea). In 1980, Illo was also promoted into a township.
Symbols
* Flower : The Chrysanthemum
* Tree : The Zelkova tree
* Bird : The white Heron
Location
Muan County is located on the western tip of the South Western part of the Korean peninsula. It acts as the primary link between Sinan county with the rest of the Korean mainland. Numerous beaches are also found on Muan's coast.
Muan borders Yeongsan river with Naju and Hampyeong to the north, Yeongam to the east, Mokpo to the south. These surroundings have influenced the industrial and cultural structure of Muan County.
Enterprise city
Muan was designated an enterprise city by the South Korean government for the Honam region (Southwest). The South Korean government and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
have agreed to develop an industrial complex in a joint venture. It was reported that the Chinese government officially promised to invest in and help establish the complex area, which includes the construction of a college and distribution warehouses among other things such as a Chinatown for expatriates.
Mud
Muan includes a large area of mudlands. The western area of the Korean peninsula has a large amount of mud thanks to the
Rias coast. However, many mudlands have been destroyed or reclaimed for expanding city areas or industrial complexes.
The mudlands of Muan were designated one of the wetlands of the
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It i ...
.
In the Muan mudflats, tourists can not enter the sea without permission to protect the mudflats. But, tourists can see the road that opens like the " Miracle of Moses " to reveal its face when the tide falls twice a day.
Festival
Muan is widely known for its White Lotus Festival () located in Illo-eup. The festival occurs in mid August when the white lotus flowers bloom fully onsite at the Hoesan White Lotus Pond (). Tourists can walk into the huge lotuslands via the many bridges that crisscross the water. Visitors may also ride the 'duck boats.'
File:White Lotus Blossom.JPG, White Lotus Blossom
File:Muan Lake.jpg, Lake in Muan with a Lotus-shaped building.
Products
Muan is known for several famous products characteristic of the area. They are largely farming goods from onions to lotus products. Muan puts out 16% of the national onion production making its production volume the largest in Korea.
Muan county officially reported to host farming cluster of sweet potato, onion and lotus plants. The powder of lotus plants is used for making noodles.
Education
Muan County is the site of
Mokpo National University
Mokpo National University is located in Muan and Mokpo, South Korea. Mokpo, located in the most southwestern region of Korea, is a key coastal city of the Korean Peninsula. The main campus is located in the valley of Seungdal Mountain, which has ...
, situated in Cheonggye township.
Climate
Transportation
Expressway
*
Seohaean Expressway
The Seohaean Expressway (Korean: 서해안 고속도로; Seohaean Gosok Doro), meaning "West Coast Expressway", is a freeway in South Korea, connecting Mokpo to Gunsan, Dangjin, and Seoul.
It is numbered 15. The entire length from Seoul to ...
*
Namhae Expressway
The Namhae Expressway ( Korean: 남해고속도로, Namhae Gosok Doro; ) is a freeway in South Korea, connecting Yeongam to Suncheon, Gwangyang, Jinju, Changwon and Busan.
It was opened in 1973 with Honam Expressway's Jeonju - Suncheon ...
*
Muan–Gwangju Expressway
Muan–Gwangju Expressway () also known as 12th Expressway is an expressway in South Korea connecting Muan County to Gwangju.
Formerly, this route designated as part of the Olympic Expressway (South Korea), Olympic Expressway but on January 3, ...
National Route
*
National Route 1
*
National Route 2
*
National Route 24
*
National Route 77
Railway
*
Honam Line
{{Infobox rail line
, box_width = auto
, name = Honam Line
, other_name =
, native_name = 호남선(湖南線)
, native_name_lang = kr
, color =
, logo =
, logo_width =
, logo_alt =
, image = Korail H ...
Airport
*
Muan International Airport
Muan International Airport () is an airport in Muan County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Construction of the airport began in 1997 and the airport opened on November 9, 2007. The airport serves the province of Jeollanam-do, especially the cities ...
Sister cities
*
Uiryeong
Uiryeong County () is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.
Uiryeong County has a population of 27,550 (2019) and is one of the least populated counties in South Korea.
History
In 1938, Lee Byung-chull, a resident of Uiryeong, fou ...
,
South Gyeongsang
South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World ...
*
Gunpo
Gunpo (군포; ), formerly romanized as Kunp'o, is a small city in South Korea's Gyeonggi Province, located south of Seoul in the Seoul National Capital Area. It borders Anyang to the north, Uiwang to the east, and Ansan to the south and west, an ...
,
Gyeonggi
Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
*
Dobong-gu
Dobong District (도봉구, ''Dobong-gu'') is one of the 25 List of districts of Seoul, districts of Seoul, South Korea.
Dobong has a population of 348,625 (2010) and has a geographic area of 20.8 Square kilometre, km2 (8 sq mi), and is divided i ...
,
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
*
Taizhou,
Zhejiang
Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...
, China
*
Kitanagoya
is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 86,068 in 36,904 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Kitanagoya is a member of the World Health Organization’s Alliance for ...
,
Aichi
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectu ...
, Japan
*
Denizli
Denizli is an industrial city in the southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about . Denizli is located in the country's Aegean Region. ...
, Turkey
References
External links
County government home page (in Korean)
{{Coord, 34, 59, 23, N, 126, 28, 17, E, source:dewiki_region:KR-46_type:adm2nd, format=dms, display=title
Counties of South Jeolla Province