- published: 25 Feb 2015
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Ulsan (Korean pronunciation: [ul.s͈an]), 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 the Hyundai Motor Company, the world's largest shipyard operated by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the world's largest[citation needed]oil refinery, owned by SK Energy. In 2008, Ulsan had a GDP per capita of $63,817, the highest by far in South Korea.
Ulsan is divided into 4 gu (districts) and 1 gun (county).
Ulsan is bounded on the east by the Sea of Japan. It is not far from Busan, at only 70 km to the south.
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 2.0 °C (35.6 °F) in January to 25.9 °C (78.6 °F) 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 30 °C (86 °F). Precipitation is relatively low in the winter months, but is made up by the high rainfall falling from April to September.