In light of the ongoing Olympics, I thought I might take a look at the geography of the Korean Peninsula. Extending southward from northeastern China and extreme southeastern Russia, the Korean Peninsula separates the Sea of Japan, to its east, from the Yellow Sea, to its west. More than 65% of the Peninsula is covered by mountainous terrain, primarily across its northern and eastern regions. Most of the ranges are composed of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rock though some areas of volcanism exist as well. Paektusan, just over 9000 feet, is the highest summit on the Peninsula, rising along the border of China and North Korea; it is known for it large caldera (created by a massive eruption in 946 AD) which holds Heaven's Lake.
Three major rivers drain most of the Korean Peninsula: the Nakdong flows southward through its southeastern region, the Han River flows westward through the central portion of the Peninsula (passing through Seoul) and the Taedong River flows southwestward through the northern Peninsula, passing through Pyongyang. More than 3500 islands and islets rise off the western and southern coasts of the Peninsula, including Jeju, a large volcanic island in the Korean Strait (south of the Peninsula) which was formed by Hallasan (6398 feet), a large shield volcano that is the highest peak in South Korea.
While the Korean Peninsula extends across the same latitudes as Japan, it does not enjoy the warming effects of the Japan Current and its continental climate is considerably colder. PyeongChang County, which is hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics, is about 78 miles east of Seoul.
Three major rivers drain most of the Korean Peninsula: the Nakdong flows southward through its southeastern region, the Han River flows westward through the central portion of the Peninsula (passing through Seoul) and the Taedong River flows southwestward through the northern Peninsula, passing through Pyongyang. More than 3500 islands and islets rise off the western and southern coasts of the Peninsula, including Jeju, a large volcanic island in the Korean Strait (south of the Peninsula) which was formed by Hallasan (6398 feet), a large shield volcano that is the highest peak in South Korea.
While the Korean Peninsula extends across the same latitudes as Japan, it does not enjoy the warming effects of the Japan Current and its continental climate is considerably colder. PyeongChang County, which is hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics, is about 78 miles east of Seoul.
