Hadong (하동군, 河東郡, river.east.county) is a county in Gyeongsangnam-do. The population as of 2004 was 54,988, including:
- 54,881 Koreans and
- 107 non-Koreans.
[edit] General information
- Area: 675.44㎢
- Population density: 87/㎢ (2001)
- Number of households: 20,542 (2001)
- Administrative divisions: 1 eup, 12 myeon
- Location of county office: 180-3 Eupnae-ri, Hadong-eup, Hadong-gun (하동군 하동읍 읍내리 180-3)
- County flower: 철쭉
- County tree: Ginkgo (은행나무)
- County bird: Dove (비둘기)
To the east are the cities of Jinju and Sacheon, to the north are the counties of Sancheong and Hamyang as well as the city of Namwon in Jeollabuk-do, and to the south is the county of Namhae.
Hadong is long from north to south and short from east to west. There are also a lot of mountains and narrow passageways. Mountains in the county include those such as Hyeongjebong (형제봉, 兄弟峰:1,115m), and there is a plateau at a continuous altitude of over 1,000 metres.
In spite of the mountainous region Hadong is still close to the sea, and the limate is moderate. The average yearly temperature is 12.8℃, the average in January is 0.2℃, and the average in August is 25.3℃. There is quite a lot of rain; an average of 1,627mm falls each year.
[edit] Rural areas
[edit] Tourism
Hadong has a leveed river that runs around #19, leading to the Pine Tree Park (Hadong Songrim), which possesses numerous pine trees planted there over 300 years ago. It also possesses a large beach and walking/bike trail. Admission is free, but there is a nearby gift shop.
Ssanggyesa Temple is another popular tourist attraction, especially in Spring, for that is when the the cherries blossom. The Simni Cherry Blossom Road is the 6-km road from Hwagae Marketplace to Ssanggyesa Temple in Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. Cherry blossom trees over 60 years old are in full bloom throughout the winding valley. The road is also called the ‘wedding path’ because numerous young couples walk down this way to take their vows of matrimony. After taking a stroll among cherry blossoms, you can enjoy the ambience of a local market at the Hwagae Marketplace. While this one is not like it used to be in the old days, this market is open periodically every five days. You will also find numerous traditional teahouses on the road between the market and the temple, offering a delightful end to your trip. In April every year, the Hwagae Marketplace Cherry Blossom Festival is held on the banks of the Seomjingang River.
[edit] External links
