Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, 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 , on the same level as provincial governments, not a special city as Seoul is in South Korea. One of Pyongyang's many historic names is Ryugyŏng , 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, the city has numerous willow trees, with many buildings and places having "Ryugyŏng" in their names. The most notable of these is the uncompleted Ryugyŏng Hotel. The city's other historic names include Kisŏng, Hwangsŏng, Rakrang, Sŏgyŏng, Sŏdo, Hogyŏng, and Changan. During the colonial period , Pyongyang was named Heijō.
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| Country: | North Korea |
| Population: | 3,255,388 |
| Area: | 1233.2 sq. mi. |
| Also known as: | Pyongyangpu, P’Yŏngyang, P’Yŏngyang-Bu |