Area
| South Korea | Gyeongsangnam-do | Geochang | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100,412.60㎢ | 10,540.55㎢ | 803.38㎢ | 7.62%(Gyeongsangnam-do) |
Geochang County is situated in the western inland region and at the heart of three major national parks. Located at the northwesternmost tip of Gyeongsangnam-do, it borders Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province and Gyeongsangbuk-do, forming a basin at an elevation of over 200 meters. Positioned at the center of three national parks (Jirisan, Deogyusan and Gayasan), the county boasts beautiful natural landscapes, including the Suseungdae Tourist Area and Wolseong Valley.
Climate
Located in an inland mountainous region, Geochang shows significant temperature variations between day and night and throughout the year. The region experiences high rainfall and while summers are hot and winters cold, high mountains, over 1,000 meters, provide protection against northwestern wind during winter and southeastern wind during summer, minimizing wind-related damage. 66% of annual rainfall occurs during summer from June to September and this is beneficial for agriculture and livestock. This region is also where frost, ice, and snow appear the earliest and end the latest in Gyeongsangnam-do. Forsythia and cherry blossoms bloom the latest in Gyeongsangnam-do on March 24 and April 5, respectively.
Topography
In the Mari region lies the Deogyusan Range of the Sobaek Mountains, with mountains and peaks such as Sambongsan Mountain (1,254m), Suryeongbong (933m), Daebong (1,300m), Jibong (1,302m), Geobong (1,390m), Sangyeodeom (1,400m), Deogyusan Habong (1,594m), Muryeongsan Mountain (1,492m), Sakkatbong (1,400m) and Namdeogyusan Mountain (1,507m) stretching from north to west. To the northeast, the Gayasan Range's Sudosan Mountain (1,317m), Danjibong (1,327m), Minbong (1,259m) and Duribong (1,133m) stretch across the region. These ranges form a northern roof shaped like the Chinese character, 人 (person) for Geochang and a border between Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province and Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Dumusan Mountain (1,039m) which lies east of Geochang-eup, along with Namsan Mountain (1,140m), Uisangbong (1,046m), Bigaesan Mountain (1,126m), Odosan Mountain (1,134m), Munjaesan Mountain (1,126m) and Oseongsan Mountain (889m) which stretch from Gayasan Mountain from northeast, form eastern and southeastern walls and border with Hapcheon. Also, a big branch that includes Wolbongsan Mountain (1,288m), Geumwonsan Mountain (1,353m) and Gibaksan Mountain (1,331m) serves as the western boundary with Hamyang.
Solbongsan Mountain (645m) in the southernmost region of Geochang and the closely connected peaks of Maebongsan Mountain (800m) form the southern boundary with Sancheong County.
The Deogyusan and Gayasan mountain ranges act as Geochang's northern "roof," with a smaller branch extending southward from each range through the county's center. The branch from Deogyusan's Daebong (1,400m) leads to Hoeumsan Mountain (930m), Seokbusan Moutain (886m), Ahopsan Mountain (Chwiuryeong) and Geonheungsan Mountain (563m) towards the western center, forming small western mountain basins in Buksang-myeon, Wicheon-myeon and Mari-myeon. The branch from Gayasan's Sudosan leads to Yanggaksan Mountain (1,150m), Hidaemisan Mountain (1,019m), Bulyeongsan Mountain (825m) and Geumguibong (827m) towards the eastern center of Geochang, also creating small eastern mountain basins in Gabuk-myeon and Gajo-myeon. At the center of these branches lies small mountain basins of Geoje-myeon, Ungyang-myeon and Jusang-myeon.
The main basin surrounding Geochang-eup is complemented by southern ranges like Gamaksan (951m), with smaller southern valleys in Namha, Namsang, and Shinwon-myeon, creating a scenic, well-balanced landscape across the county.
Geology
From Wicheon-myeon, Janggi-ri in the northwestern part of Geochang to Mupung in Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, lies the Deogyusan strata comprised of metamorphic Pre-Cambrian rocks. In Gunghang-ri, Goje-myeon which is situated at the northern tip of Geochang, abundant granite and gneiss can be found.
Gneiss also stretches to the northeast from Buksang-myeon throughout Goje-myeon, Ungyang-myeon's Huidaemisan, Chwiuryeong in the south center region as well as Daedong-ri and Yeongseung-ri in Mari-myeon. The mountain range which serves as as the boundary between Jusang-myeon and Wicheon-myeon as well as parts of Sangcheon-ri near Geumwonsan, contain high-quality granite deposits. All throuhgout the county, granite and gneiss with black mica can be easily found and streams also have sand mixed with minerals like feldspar, quartz and mica from granite and gneiss. Also, you can find iron sand in mountain streams as well.
Iron-rich clay deposits can be found deep under low hills so there have been periods where pottery and tile production thrived. Gold mining were also popular in Sambong Mountain in Goje and Oga-ri in Namha-myeon.
※ For more information, please refer to the Geochang County Statistical Yearbook.