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Pyongyang
Pyongyang () is the capital and largest city of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at [1]. The official population of the city is not disclosed; given as 2,741,260 in 1993, it was reported as 2.5 and 3.8 million in 2002 and 2003 by Chongryon, a pro-North Korean organization in Japan. The city was split from the South P'y?ngan province in 1946. It is administered as a Directly Governed City (Chikhalsi), on the same level as provincial governments, not a Special City (Teukbyeolsi) as Seoul is in South Korea. Some sources, mostly older and South Korean, refer to P'y?ngyang as a Special City, but it has been reported that even the South Korean government adopted the Directly Governed City terminology in 1994.
HistoryA large ancient village in the P'y?ngyang area called K?mtan-ni was excavated in 1955 by archaeologists who found prehistoric occupation from the Ch?lmun and Mumun pottery periods.[2] According to legend, the city was founded in 2333 BC as Wangg?ms?ng (???; ???). It became a major city under Gojoseon. In 108 BC Han Dynasty China conquered Gojoseon and the capital of the Lelang Commandery was put near Pyongyang. Lelang remained an important commercial and cultural outpost until it was destroyed by the expanding Goguryeo in 313. Goguryeo moved its capital here in 427. Tang Dynasty China and Silla allied and defeated Goguryeo in 668. In 676, it was taken by Silla but left in the border between Silla and Balhae until the Goryeo dynasty, when the city was revived as S?gy?ng (??; ??; "Western Capital") although never actually a capital of Goryeo. It was the provincial capital of the P'y?ngan Province during the Joseon dynasty, becoming provincial capital of South P'y?ngan Province from 1896 and through the period of Japanese rule. In 1945, Japanese rule ended and it was occupied by Soviet forces, and became the temporary capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at its establishment in 1948 while it aimed to recapture its official capital at that time of Seoul. It was severely damaged in the Korean War, during which it was briefly occupied by South Korean forces. After the war, the city was quickly rebuilt with Soviet help, with many buildings built in Socialist Classicism. 
Satellite view of P'y?ngyang. Historic namesOne of its many historic names is Ryugy?ng (??; ??), or "capital of willows", as willow trees have always been numerous throughout the city's history, and many poems written about these willows. Even today, Pyongyang has numerous willow trees planted everywhere, and many buildings and places have "Ryugy?ng" in their names, the most notable of all being its uncompleted Ryugy?ng Hotel. Its other historic names include Kis?ng, Hwangs?ng, Rangrang, S?gy?ng, S?do, Hogy?ng, Changan, etc. During the Japanese occupation, and in the Japanese language, it is also known as Heij?, which is simply the Japanese reading of the Chinese characters the name Pyongyang consists of. 
Pyongyang seen from Spot Satellite Administrative divisionsP'y?ngyang is divided into 19 wards (ku- or guy?k) (the city proper) and 4 counties (kun or gun).[3]
LandmarksThe capital has been completely redone since the Korean War (1950–1953). It is designed with wide avenues, imposing monuments, and monolithic buildings. The tallest structure in the city is the uncompleted Ryugy?ng Hotel. This hotel has 105 floors, encloses of floor space, and was planned to be topped by seven revolving restaurants. However, construction has been stalled since the early 1990s and the building stands as an empty shell. Some notable landmarks in the city include the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, the Arch of Triumph (heavily inspired by Paris's Arc de Triomphe but of a larger size), the reputed birthplace of Kim Il-sung at Mangyongdae Hill, Juche Tower, and two of the world's largest stadiums (Kim Il Sung Stadium and Rungnado May Day Stadium). Pyongyang TV Tower is a minor landmark. Other visitor attractions include the Korea Central Zoo and the large golden statues of North Korea's two leaders. The Arch of Reunification has a map of a united Korea supported by two concrete Korean women dressed in traditional dress straddling the multi-laned Reunification Highway that stretches from Pyongyang to the DMZ. Image:Juche Tower.jpg|Juche Tower, a reminder to the North Korean people of Kim Il-sung's philosophy of Juche (self-reliance). Image:Ryugyong Hotel - May 2005.JPG|The Ryugyong Hotel. Image:NK Sportpalast2-cropped.png|View of the P'y?ngyang Ice Rink in 1989, Ryugyong Hotel in background. Image:Reunification.jpg|Arch of Reunification, a symbolisation of the goal to a reunified Korea. Image:Changwang_Street_in_Pyongyang.jpg|A typical street in Pyongyang. </gallery> TransportationMetro system
Pyongyang metro system. 
Pyongyang Tram car - Tatra T6B5. Air transportationState-owned Air Koryo has scheduled flights from Sunan Capital International Airport to Beijing (PEK), Shenyang (SHE), Vladivostok (VVO), Macau (MFM), Bangkok (BKK),(KHV) and Shenzhen (SZX). There are occasional chartered flights to Incheon (ICN), Yangyang County (YNY) and several Japanese cities. Air Koryo also claims scheduled service on a few domestic routes, although the accuracy of this is not known. The only domestic routes are Hamhung, Wonsan, Chongjin, Hyesan and Samjiyon. Intermittent service to Pyongyang is also provided by a few foreign carriers, most notably Chinese. In April 2008, Air China launched regular, 3-days-per-week, service between Beijing and Pyongyang.Intercity trainsThe city also has regular international train services to Beijing and Moscow. A journey to Beijing takes about 25 hours and 25 minutes (K27 from Beijing / K28 from Py?ngyang, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays); a journey to Moscow takes 6 days. Climate
Climate diagram of Py?ngyang. Climate diagram of Py?ngyang Sister citiesPeople from Pyongyang
NotesSee alsoExternal links
Further reading
Pictorials
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