Ulsan

Name	Ulsan
Native name	울산蔚山
Native name lang	ko
Official name	Ulsan Metropolitan City
Translit lang1
Translit lang1 type1	Hangul
Translit lang1 info1	광역시
Translit lang1 type2	Hanja
Translit lang1 info2	蔚山廣域市
Translit lang1 type3
Translit lang1 info3	Ulsan-gwangyeoksi
Translit lang1 type4
Translit lang1 info4	Ulsan-kwangyŏksi
Settlement type	Metropolitan City
Leader name	Bak Maeng-woo
Leader title	Mayor
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	Region
Subdivision name1	Yeongnam
Population blank1 title	Dialect
Population blank1	Gyeongsang
Area total km2	1056.4
Population as of	2008
Population total	1,126,879
Population density km2	1030| parts_type = Districts
Parts	4
Website	ulsan.go.kr
Blank name	Flower
Blank info	Pear flower
Blank1 name	Tree
Blank1 info	Ginkgo
Blank2 name	Bird
Blank2 info	White heron
Blank emblem type	Emblem of Ulsan
Map caption	Map of South Korea with Ulsan highlighted

Ulsan (), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east.

Ulsan is the industrial powerhouse of South Korea, forming the heart of the Ulsan Industrial District, which is home to the world's largest automobile assembly plant operated by Hyundai Motor, the world's largest shipyard operated by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the world's largest oil refinery owned by SK Energy. In 2008, Ulsan had a GDP per capita of $63,817, the highest by far in South Korea.

Administrative divisions

Ulsan is divided into 4 gu (districts) and 1 gun (county).

Geography

Ulsan is bounded on the east by the Sea of Japan (East Sea). It is not far from Busan, at only 70 km to the south.

Climate

Ulsan has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa/Cwa), with somewhat cold but dry winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly means range from in January to in August, with diurnal temperature ranges generally low. Its location on the Korean peninsula results in a seasonal lag, with the warmest days being in August and averaging very near . Precipitation is relatively low in the winter months, but is made up by the high rainfall falling from April to September.

Economy

twin skyscrapers on Taewha River.]] As the center of the Ulsan Industrial District, the city is the corporate base of the multinational Hyundai conglomerate. Up to 1962, Ulsan operated as a fishing port and market centre. As part of South Korea's first five-year economic plan, Ulsan became an open port. Additionally, major industrial plants and factories were developed, including in particular an oil refinery, fertiliser plants, automobile production and heavy industries. The shipbuilding port Bangeojin became part of the city in 1962.

Ulsan is currently the home of the world's largest automobile assembly plant operated by Hyundai Motor, Ulsan Airport, constructed in 1970 and expanded in 1997, has more than 20 flights per day to and from Seoul's Gimpo International Airport and 4 flights per week to and from Jeju International Airport. In November 2010, Korea's high speed train network, the KTX, was extended to Ulsan. This provides a high speed link to Seoul, with a running time of just over 2 hours. The new KTX station (Ulsan Station) is in nearby Eonyang, with a series of exress buses (5001-5004) as well as some city buses serving the new station. The original city station has been renamed Taehwa River Station.

Sport

The city hosts the K-League football club Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (Ulsan Hyundai Tigers), who, after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, relocated from their former stadium in Jung-gu, which is now a municipal ground, to the Munsu Stadium, which hosted several matches during the 2002 World Cup. Ulsan is home to another soccer team, Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, which plays in the Korea National League. It is also home to the University of Ulsan.

Sister cities

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India (since 1965) Hagi, Japan (since 1968) Hualien, Taiwan (since 1981) Portland, Oregon, United States (since 1987) Changchun, Jilin, China (since 1994) Tomsk, Tomsk Oblast, Russia (since 2003) İzmir, Turkey (since 2002) Santos, São Paulo, Brazil (since 2002) Kocaeli, Turkey (since 1995) Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam (since 2002) Karagandy Province, Kazakhstan (since 2010) The following cities have a friendship agreement with Ulsan: Kumamoto, Japan (since 2010)

Independent cities in South Korea

Seoul

Busan

Incheon

Daegu

Daejeon

Gwangju

Ulsan

See also

Bangudae Petroglyphs

List of Korea-related topics

List of cities in South Korea

References

External links

Ulsan's Foreigner Living Site

Ulsan Metropolitan City official site

Ulsan : Official Site of Korea Tourism Org

Category:Populated coastal places in South Korea Category:Populated places in South Korea Category:Special Cities and Metropolitan Cities of South Korea