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PyongyangPyongyang (Korean pronunciation: [pʰjɔŋjaŋ]) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, located on the Taedong River. According to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, it has a population of 3,255,388. The city was split from the South P'yŏngan 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'yŏngyang as a Special City. HistoryA large ancient village in the P'yŏngyang area called Kǔmtan-ni was excavated in 1955 by archaeologists who found prehistoric occupation from the Chǔlmun and Mumun pottery periods. North Koreans associate Pyongyang with "Asadal (아사달; 신시)," or Wanggŏmsŏng (왕검성; 王儉城), the first capital of Gojoseon according to Korean history books, notably Samguk Yusa. Many South Korean historians dispute this association because other Korean history books place Asadal around the Liaohe river located in western Manchuria. Nonetheless, Pyongyang became a major city under Gojoseon. No relic from the era of Former Han has been found around Pyongyang. It is likely that the area of Pyongyang ceded from disintegrating Gojoseon and belonged to another Korean kingdom by the time of fall of Wimanjoseon, the longest lasting part of Gojoseon, by Han dynasty of China in 108 BC. Relics from Later Han (25 AD to 220 AD) periods from the Pyongyang area seems to suggest China subsequently made successful military advances into the Korean peninsula including the area of Pyongyang. The area around Pyongyang was called Lelang-guk during the Later Han periods. As the capital of Lelang-guk (낙랑국; 낙랑), Pyongyang remained an important commercial and cultural outpost until Lelang-guk was destroyed by the expanding Goguryeo in 313. Goguryeo moved its capital here in 427; according to Christopher Beckwith, Pyongyang is the Sino-Korean reading of the name they gave it in their language, *Piarna 'level land.' 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 Sŏgyŏng (서경; 西京; "Western Capital") although never actually a capital of Goryeo. It was the provincial capital of the P'yŏngan Province during the Joseon dynasty, becoming provincial capital of South P'yŏngan 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'yŏngyang.
Historic namesOne of its many historic names is Ryugyŏng (류경; 柳京), or "capital of willows", as willow trees have always been numerous throughout the city's history, and many poems have been written about these willows. Even today, Pyongyang has numerous willow trees planted everywhere, and many buildings and places have "Ryugyŏng" in their names, the most notable of all being its uncompleted Ryugyŏng Hotel. Its other historic names include Kisŏng, Hwangsŏng, Rakrang, Sŏgyŏng, Sŏdo, Hogyŏng, Changan, etc. During the Japanese rule, and in the Japanese language, it is also known as Heijō, which is simply the Japanese reading of the Chinese characters 平壌 the name Pyongyang consists of. 
Pyongyang seen from Spot Satellite
Administrative divisionsP'yŏngyang is divided into 19 wards (ku- or guyŏk) (the city proper) and 4 counties (kun or gun).
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