Ganghwa Island
Ganghwado (kor. 강화도, Hanja 江華島, rev. Ganghwado, MR Kanghwado) is an island in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of South Korea. The island is located in the estuary of the Hangang River and is separated from the mainland by the Yŏmha Channel, which is 400 to 1200 metres wide and crossed by two bridges. The highest mountain in Ganghwa is Manisan, which is 469 metres above sea level. It is the fifth largest island in South Korea.
Today, about 65,500 people live on the island. It is administratively part of Incheon City and forms the bulk of Ganghwa-gun County (강화군, 江華郡), which is part of Incheon. About half of the population lives in Ganghwa-eup, a small town at the northeastern end of the island.
On the island are the dolmen sites, which in 2000 were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (Asia and Oceania) as a World Heritage Site.
During the Korean period of the late Joseon Dynasty, the island was the scene of several unsuccessful invasions by foreign powers. The climax of the attacks was the Ganghwa Incident of 1875, in which Japanese troops unsuccessfully attempted to seize the island. As a result of the skirmish, the Japanese navy blockaded the sea area around the strategically important island. This eventually led to a forced opening of Korea, which had been internationally isolated until then.
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Colour woodcut of the attack of Japanese troops on Ganghwado from 1875
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View from Manisan
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Dolmen on Ganghwado
Questions and Answers
Q: Where is Ganghwa Island located?
A: Ganghwa Island is located on the west coast of South Korea, at the beginning of the Han River.
Q: How is Ganghwa Island separated from the mainland?
A: Ganghwa Island is separated from Gimpo on the mainland by a narrow channel that is connected by two bridges.
Q: What separates Ganghwa Island from North Korea?
A: The main channel of the Han River separates Ganghwa Island from Gaeseong in North Korea.
Q: What is the population of Ganghwa Island?
A: About 65,500 people live on Ganghwa Island.
Q: What is the highest point on Ganghwa Island?
A: The highest point on Ganghwa Island is Mani-san, which is 469 meters (1,539 feet) above sea level.
Q: What is the size of Ganghwa Island?
A: Ganghwa Island has an area of 302.4 square kilometers (116.8 square miles) and measures 28 kilometers (17 miles) long and 22 kilometers (14 miles) wide, making it the 4th largest island in South Korea.
Q: Why is Ganghwa Island historically significant?
A: Ganghwa Island is historically significant because of separate and brief attacks, including those made by the French in 1866, the United States in 1871, and the Japanese in 1875, during a time when Korea was emerging from isolation.
