Ganghwa Island (), also Ganghwado, is an island in

Ganghwa County Ganghwa County () is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in Incheon, South Korea. The county is composed of Ganghwa Island and the minor islands around it. History Ganghwa County contains some of the most important historical sites ...

Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

, South Korea. It is in the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea, also known as the North Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. Names It is one of four ...

and in an

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...

of the Han River. The island is separated from

Gimpo Gimpo (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It borders Incheon, with which it shares the South Korean side of the Han River (Korea), Han River estuary, as well as Seoul and the lesser cities o ...

(on the South Korean mainland) by a narrow channel spanned by two bridges, and from

Kaesong Kaesong (, ; ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region cl ...

(Gaeseong) in

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

by the main channel of the Han River. It offers some of the closest views in the South of North Korean villages, which can be seen on clear days from less than two kilometers. It is strategically located, controlling access to the river, which runs through former

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

and South Korea's capital,

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

. Its fortifications were repeatedly attacked in the

19th century The 19th century began on 1 January 1801 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 (MCM). It was the 9th century of the 2nd millennium. It was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was Abolitionism, ...

. With an area of , it constitutes most of

(a division of

). The island has a population of about 65,500, half of whom live in Ganghwa Town (Ganghwa-eup) in the northeast.

Name

Before the 10th century, the island went by various names, including Haegu (), Hyeolgu (), Gangha (). In 940, during the

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

period, it received its current name, which means "beautiful own by theriver". Former romanizations include "Kang-hoa" and "Kang-hwa".

Geography

The island is in the estuary of

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

's Han River. It is South Korea's fourth-largest island, with an area of , and has a coastline of . Over time, land reclamation projects for agricultural purposes have increased the island's size. The island has a number of mountains. The tallest is Manisan, in the south of the island, with a height of . Also on the island are Jingangsan (), Goryeosan, Nakjobong (), Hyeolgusan (), and Byeollipsan (). The island was originally connected to the mainland, but became separate over time via erosion. Mudflats now surround the island.

Climate

History

The island was part of Ganghwa-hyeon in the early

period. It became part of Ganghwa-bu in 1377. It became part of Ganghwa County in

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

( Keiki-dō) in 1914, and remained so until 1994, when it became part of Incheon Metropolitan City. The island was the site of the 1866 French expedition to Korea, the 1871 United States expedition to Korea, the Battle of Ganghwa, and the 1875 Ganghwa Island incident with Japan. In 1876 Korea was forced to sign with Japan the Treaty of Ganghwa, which was named for the island.

Transportation

In 1969, the was constructed between the island and the mainland. The bridge was replaced in 1997. The opened in 2002.

Tourism

Example of a southern-style dolmen at Ganghwa Island

The island has stone tombs that are part of the UNESCO

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

series

Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites The Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites () are the location of hundreds of stone dolmens which were used as grave markers, and for ritual purposes during the first millennium Common Era, BCE when the Megalithic Culture was prominent on the Ko ...

. Ganghwa Nadeulgil is a 20-trail walking tour, illustrating the

mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal ...

ecology and avian migratory habitats from prehistory to the Joseon dynasty. Seongmodo is a level trail through a forest and the island's only beach, ending at a temple. Pungmul Market is a food market selling grain, vegetables, fruits, seafood, meat, fish, tofu, and ginseng. Goryeo Palace 20181013 02

Goryeogung is a palace site of Goryeo from 1232 to 1270 in Incheon. Manisan is Ganghwa's tallest mountain and home to Chamseongdan Altar, where

Dangun Dangun or Tangun (; ), also known as Dangun Wanggeom (; ), was the legendary founder and first king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom. He founded the first kingdom around the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. He is said to be the "gra ...

Wanggeom reportedly performed ancestral rites.

Festivals

*Goryeo Azalea Festival: Mid-April at Dolmen Square on Goryeo Mountain *: Early October at Oepo-ri dock *Ganghwa Foundation Day Grand Festival: October 1–3 in Chamseongdan on Manisan *Ganghwa Goryeo Ginseng Festival: Mid-October

Turnips

The island's turnip ('' Brassica rapa'') has been cultivated for over 1,000 years. Its moisture content is over 90% and its main component is carbohydrate. The dark-purple, taproot vegetable has a mustardy scent and tastes like ginseng. Its seeds and the fully grown vegetable are used in folk remedies and Oriental medicine. Its leaves have vitamins, and its roots contain

tryptophan Tryptophan (symbol Trp or W) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Tryptophan contains an α-amino group, an α-carboxylic acid group, and a side chain indole, making it a polar molecule with a non-polar aromat ...

and glycyrrhizin. Said to prevent cancer, the turnip helps cure skin diseases, digestive ailments, tuberculosis, and respiratory disease with an anti-bacterial effect.

Notable people

* CoreJJ, birth name Jo Yong-in, professional ''League of Legends'' player * All three members of the K-Pop boygroup M.O.N.T (Bitsaeon, Narachan and Roda).

References

Ganghwa Tourism

Sources

* .

External links

{{Wikivoyage inline, Ganghwa Island Ganghwa County Islands of Incheon