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| Provinces of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea | |
|---|---|
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| Category | Unitary state |
| Location | North Korea |
| Number | 16 (8 controlled by DPRK, 7 controlled by ROK & 1 split between DPRK and ROK) |
| Populations | 719,269 (Ryanggang Province) – 4,051,696 (South Pyongan) |
| Areas | 11,255 km2 (4,346 sq mi) (Kangwon) – 18,970 km2 (7,320 sq mi) (South Hamgyong) – 28,955 km2 (11,180 sq mi) (Kangwon including ROK controlled-parts) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions |
|
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Administrative divisions of North Korea |
|---|
| Provincial level |
| Province (도道to) |
| Special municipality (특별시特別市t'ŭkpyŏlsi) |
| Municipal level |
| City (시市si) |
| County (군郡kun) |
| District (구역區域kuyŏk) |
| Submunicipal level |
| Town (읍邑ŭp) |
| Neighborhood (동洞dong) |
| Village (리里ri) |
| Workers' District (로동자구勞動者區rodongjagu) |
Provinces (Korean:도;Hanja:道;RR:do;MR:to) are the first level of division withinNorth Korea. There are nine provinces in North Korea:Chagang,North Hamgyong,South Hamgyong,North Hwanghae,South Hwanghae,Kangwon,North Pyongan,South Pyongan, andRyanggang.[1]
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 ofGojong in 1895. A similar system also remains in use inSouth Korea.
Provinces (Korean: 도;Hancha: 道) are the highest-ranked administrative divisions in North Korea. Provinces have equal status to thespecial cities.
The populations listed for each province are from the2008 North Korea Census. From this census, an additional 702,372 people are living in military camps.
| Name | Chosŏn'gŭl | Hancha | ISO | Population | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) | Capital | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chagang | 자강도 | 慈江道 | KP-04 | 1,299,830 | 16,765 | 77.5 | Kanggye | Kwanso |
| North Hamgyong | 함경북도 | 咸鏡北道 | KP-09 | 2,327,362 | 15,980 | 145.6 | Chongjin | Kwanbuk |
| South Hamgyong | 함경남도 | 咸鏡南道 | KP-08 | 3,066,013 | 18,534 | 165.4 | Hamhung | Kwannam |
| North Hwanghae | 황해북도 | 黃海北道 | KP-06 | 2,113,672 | 8,153.7 | 259.2 | Sariwon | Haeso |
| South Hwanghae | 황해남도 | 黃海南道 | KP-05 | 2,310,485 | 8,450.3 | 273.4 | Haeju | Haeso |
| Kangwon | 강원도 | 江原道 | KP-07 | 1,477,582 | 11,091 | 133.2 | Wonsan | Kwandong |
| North Pyongan | 평안북도 | 平安北道 | KP-03 | 2,728,662 | 12,680.3 | 215.2 | Sinuiju | Kwanso |
| South Pyongan | 평안남도 | 平安南道 | KP-02 | 4,051,696 | 11,890.6 | 340.7 | Pyongsong | Kwanso |
| Ryanggang | 량강도 | 兩江道 | KP-10 | 719,269 | 13,880 | 51.8 | Hyesan | Kwannam |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Administrative divisions ofSouth Korea |
|---|
| Provincial level |
| Province (list) |
| Special self-governing province (Jeju,Gangwon andNorth Jeolla) |
| Special city (Seoul) |
| Metropolitan city (list) |
| Special self-governing city (Sejong) |
| Municipal level |
| Specific city (list) |
| City (list) |
| County (list) |
| Autonomous District (list) |
| Submunicipal level |
| Administrative city (list) |
| Non-autonomous District (list) |
| Neighborhoods and Towns |
| Town (list) |
| Township (list) |
| Neighborhood (list) |
| Villages |
| Village (list) |
| Communities |
| Ward |
North Korea claims seven provinces on the territory controlled bySouth Korea. These provinces are based on the divisions of theJapanese era, but correspond somewhat to the presentSouth Korean provinces and the special cities partitioned out of them, owing to the alterations in the provincial division affected by South Korea being more conservative relatively to those affected by the north. While people's committees for these claimed provinces wereelected in 1950 during theKorean War, nogovernment-in-exile for them exists to this day, unlike theSouth Korean counterpart.
As part of leader Kim Jong Un's declaration that deemed peaceful unification unfeasible with South Korea, the North Korean constitution was amended in 2024 to redefine the Republic of Korea — now recognising its existence, but without establishing bilateral relations — as its 'primary enemy state' (적대국); relinquishing its claim to the said areas, but at the same time vowed to reclaim the South through "nuclear force". However, the full copy of its updated constitution, which may include exact articles or amendments related to territorial changes, has yet to be released for international audiences to further substantiate the North's recent actions.[2][3][4][5]