# Pyongyang

> capital city of North Korea

**Wikidata**: [Q18808](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18808)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pyongyang

## Summary
Pyongyang is the capital and largest city of North Korea, serving as its political, cultural, and economic center. With a population of approximately 2.9 million as of 2015, it has been a major settlement since ancient times, historically part of the Goguryeo kingdom. The city is situated along the Taedong River and covers an area of 3,194 square kilometers.

## Key Facts
- **Area**: 3,194 km²  
- **Population**: 2,863,000 (2015 estimate), 2,581,076 (2008 census), 4,138,187 (2010), 35,000 (1909), 41,167 (1912), 235,000 (1938)  
- **Coordinates**: 39.0167° N, 125.7475° E  
- **Elevation**: 38 meters above sea level  
- **Time Zone**: UTC+09:00 (until 2015), UTC+08:30 (after 2015)  
- **Country**: North Korea (since 1948), previously part of Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945), Korean Empire (1897–1910), and Goguryeo (37–668)  
- **Aliases**: Pyeongyang, Ryugyong, 平壌, ピョンヤン, Столица КНДР, 혁명의 수도  
- **Demonym**: Pyongyangaise (feminine), Pyongyangais (masculine), pyongyanghesi (masculine plural)  
- **Official Language**: North Korean standard language  
- **Administrative Status**: Direct-controlled municipality, first-level administrative division, ISO 3166-2 code KP-01  
- **UN/LOCODE**: KPFNJ  
- **Sister Cities**: Jakarta, Kathmandu, Tianjin, Baghdad, Moscow, Chiang Mai, Dubai, Algiers  
- **Heritage Designation**: Tentative World Heritage Site (Historical Relics in Pyongyang, 2000)  
- **Identifiers**: VIAF ID 147740730, GeoNames ID 1871856, NKCR AUT ID ge381750, MusicBrainz Area ID 9112e55c-e309-4f02-a4a6-ea894e2bc2ac  

## FAQs
**Q: What historical periods has Pyongyang been part of?**  
A: Pyongyang has been part of Goguryeo (37–668), the Korean Empire (1897–1910), Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945), and the Soviet Civil Administration (1945–1946) before becoming the capital of North Korea in 1948.  

**Q: What are Pyongyang’s key geographic features?**  
A: The city is located in the northwest of North Korea, bordered by the Taedong River, and spans 3,194 km² with an elevation of 38 meters.  

**Q: How has Pyongyang’s population changed over time?**  
A: The population grew from 35,000 in 1909 to 2.9 million by 2015, with significant increases post-1948 due to urbanization and administrative expansion.  

**Q: What administrative divisions does Pyongyang contain?**  
A: It includes 19 districts (gu) and counties (gun), such as Chung-guyok, Mangyongdae, and Kangdong, with some reorganized over time (e.g., Sungho County merged in 2010).  

**Q: What cultural or historical significance does Pyongyang hold?**  
A: It is home to relics like the Taedong River fortresses and has been a Tentative World Heritage Site since 2000, recognized for its historical and cultural value.  

## Why It Matters  
Pyongyang is central to North Korea’s identity, embodying its political ideology and serving as a symbol of national resilience. As the historical successor to ancient Goguryeo’s capital, it bridges past and present, reflecting layers of Korean history. Its role as a direct-controlled municipality underscores its strategic importance, and its population and economic activity make it the nation’s primary urban hub.  

## Notable For  
- **Largest City in North Korea**: Dominates the country’s political and economic landscape.  
- **Historical Continuity**: Continuously inhabited since the 1st century, with artifacts from Goguryeo and the Joseon era.  
- **Direct-Controlled Municipality**: One of two such designations in North Korea, granting it provincial-level autonomy.  
- **Taedong River Landmark**: The river shapes the city’s geography and historical development.  
- **Tentative World Heritage Site**: Recognized for its archaeological and architectural heritage.  

## Body  

### History  
Pyongyang’s history spans over 2,000 years, originating as a capital of Goguryeo (37–668). It later fell under the Korean Empire (1897–1910) and Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945). After liberation in 1945, it became the capital of North Korea in 1948, succeeding the Provisional People’s Committee. The city has endured sieges, including those in 1592 and 1593 during the Imjin War.  

### Geography & Demographics  
- **Location**: Situated in northwestern North Korea, bordered by North Hwanghae and South Pyongan provinces.  
- **Area**: 3,194 km², with 38 meters average elevation.  
- **Population**: Grew from 35,000 (1909) to 2.9 million (2015), driven by post-1948 urbanization.  

### Administration  
- **Status**: Direct-controlled municipality (직할시) since 1946, equivalent to a province.  
- **Divisions**: 19 administrative units, including Chung-guyok and Sadong-guyok.  
- **ISO Code**: KP-01.  

### Culture & Economy  
- **Heritage**: Home to Historical Relics in Pyongyang (Tentative UNESCO listing, 2000).  
- **Language**: North Korean standard language is official.  
- **Economy**: Centralized around state enterprises, with key industries in manufacturing and services.  

### International Relations  
- **Sister Cities**: Partnerships with cities like Moscow, Tianjin, and Jakarta, established during the Cold War era.  
- **Global Role**: Serves as North Korea’s diplomatic and cultural gateway, hosting international events like the Arirang Mass Games.  

### Infrastructure & Environment  
- **Time Zones**: Shifted from UTC+09:00 to UTC+08:30 in 2015.  
- **Transport**: Local dialing code 02; openstreetmap relation ID 356443.  
- **Geoshape**: Mapped in Data:North Korea/P'yŏngyang.map.  

### Education & Research  
- **Institutions**: Affiliated with WikiProjects (North Korea, Korea, Cities) and documented in encyclopedias like Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana (ID: pyongyang).  

### Legacy & Recognition  
- **Awards**: Featured in the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (IDs E0059979, E0060024).  
- **Media**: Covered by Reuters, BBC, and UNESCO, with archival identifiers in the U.S. National Archives (ID 10044325).  

### Challenges  
- **Isolation**: Limited international engagement due to North Korea’s political stance, though it maintains ties with select cities.  
- **Preservation**: Balancing modernization with the protection of historical sites like the Pyongyang Castle ruins.  

This structured entry ensures comprehensive coverage of Pyongyang’s historical, cultural, and administrative significance, reflecting its multifaceted role in North Korea and beyond.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. [Source](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:KP)
3. [Source](https://books.google.com/books?id=a46gFDWr3aMC&pg=PA196)
4. [Source](http://en.people.cn/90001/90776/90883/6656320.html)
5. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20010919131236/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2000/200001/news01/06.htm#3)
6. MusicBrainz
7. [Source](http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/nordkorea-suedkorea-115.html)
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. FIPS 10-4
10. Virtual International Authority File
11. [City population by sex, city and city type. UNdata](http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=city+population&d=POP&f=tableCode%3a240%3bcountryCode%3a408)
12. 2008 North Korean census
13. [Korea, North. The World Factbook](https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html)
14. [Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/historical-dictionary-of-pyongyang/d/A86F305FEAC5E42E42FF31CDC110E313)
15. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
16. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
17. GeoNames
18. BBC Things
19. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/kp.htm)
20. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
21. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
22. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
23. [Best Pyongyang Posts - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/t/pyongyang/)