Geojedo
| Geojedo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waters | Japanese sea | |
| Geographical location | 34 ° 51 ' N , 128 ° 37' E | |
|
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| surface | 390 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Garan 580 m |
|
| main place | Sinhyeon | |
| Geojedo | |
|---|---|
| Korean alphabet : | 거제도 |
| Hanja : | 巨 濟 島 |
| Revised Romanization : | Geojedo |
| McCune-Reischauer : | Kŏjedo |
Geojedo or Geoje Island (often also written Kojedo or Koje Island) is the main island of Geoje . It is located on the southeast coast of Gyeongsangnam-do Province in South Korea and thus on the Sea of Japan . The island is connected to the mainland by two 740 meter long bridges (built in 1971 and 1999) from nearby Tongyeong . The largest city on the island is Sinhyeon .
geography
Geojedo occupies an area of about 390 km²; making it the second largest island in South Korea after Jejudo . The landscape is mainly wooded and mountainous. Different peaks are for example Garan (580 m), Gyerong (554.9 m), the Scharmützelberg (465.5 m), Daegeum (437.5 m) and Googsabong (400 m). Geojedo is known for its rich granite deposits. The southern strip of Geojedo is part of the Hallyeo Marine National Park . The coast, surrounded by 62 other islets (10 of which are inhabited), has several natural harbors.
history
The island has been called Geojedo since the year 575. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) it was named Geoje-hyeon, in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) it was renamed Geoje-gun. In the past, Korean scholars have also been banished to the island from time to time. On May 5, 1592, the Japanese and Korean fleets met off the coast at the Battle of Okpo , resulting in an overwhelming victory for Korea. In addition, the island was home to the largest prisoner-of-war camp during the Korean War . The camp, in which around 170,000 prisoners of war were held, has now been restored as a museum.
economy
The ship is the main industry of the island. Both the second and third largest shipyards in Korea are located here (in Okpo and Gohyeon). About 18% of the island is cultivated for agriculture, crops include rice and wheat, tropical fruits. Fishing and fish farming are also very important.
tourism
The island, known for its “eight sights”, is also very popular as a tourist area thanks to its beautiful sand and pebble beaches, camellia and pine forests and clear water. Haegeumgang and the island of Oedo with a large flower cultivation are among the main attractions. The coast is framed by rocks with unusual shapes.
On the neighboring island of Hageumgang there is a stone in the shape of a dragon, which legend says you can make a wish on. Since there is also a popular myth that the elixir of eternal youth can be found there, the Chinese emperor Qinshihuang once sent 3,000 people to find it.