Regional Disease Vector Ecology Profile: The Koreas

The DPRK occupies the rugged and mountainous Korean peninsula north of a 4-km wide heavily mined demilitarized zone (DMZ) that runs at an acute angle along the 38th parallel, separating the DPRK and ROK. The DPRK is bordered partly on the north by China along the Amnok and Tumen Rivers. The upper no...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gordon, Scott, Robbins, Richard, Harlan, Harold, Sames, William, Lawrence, Kendra, Klein, Terry, Beavers, Mark, Bowles, David, Stell, Frederick, Soper, Alysha
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
CLIMATE
DISEASE VECTORS
DPRK(DEMOCRATIC PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF KOREA)
DVEP(DISEASE VECTOR ECOLOGY PROFILES)
Ecology
FLEA-BORNE DISEASES
FLY-BORNE DISEASES
GEOGRAPHY
KOREA
LOUSE-BORNE DISEASES
Medicine and Medical Research
MITE-BORNE DISEASES
MOSQUITO BORNE DISEASES
PARASITIC DISEASES
ROK(REPUBLIC OF KOREA)
SNAKES
TICKBORNE DISEASES
VENOMOUS ANIMALS
VIRUS DISEASES
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Summary:The DPRK occupies the rugged and mountainous Korean peninsula north of a 4-km wide heavily mined demilitarized zone (DMZ) that runs at an acute angle along the 38th parallel, separating the DPRK and ROK. The DPRK is bordered partly on the north by China along the Amnok and Tumen Rivers. The upper northeastern border is shared with eastern Russia along the Tumen River. The peninsula is bordered by the Yellow Sea on the west and the East Sea (formerly Sea of Japan) on the east. The DPRK is divided into nine provinces: Chagang, Yanggang, North Hamgyong, South Hamgyong, Kangwon, North P'yongan, South P'yongan, South Hwanghae, Hwanghae North and three special cities: Kaesong, Namp'o and P'yongyang (see the DPRK Political Map and Google Maps link). The Korean peninsula is rugged and mountainous (80% of the landscape), especially along the east coast and in the central interior. The DPRK covers about 55% of the peninsula, with a total of 120,540 square kilometers (46,541 square miles), an area slightly smaller than Mississippi. Nearly 65% of the DPRK's total area consists of mountains up to 1,000 m (3,280 ft), while an additional 15% consists of peaks above 1,000 m. The highest peak is Paektu Mountain (2,744 m, 9,003 ft), which is located in the extreme north adjacent to China. The rest of the DPRK consists of narrow to broad river and stream valleys or lowland plains. The DPRK has 8 major ports (Map of DPRK ports). Winters are long, cold, and dry, especially in the northern interior provinces of Chagang and Yanggang, where temperatures may fall below freezing for as long as five months (avg. January temperature -6 F or -21.1 C). The east coast is generally warmer during the winter months, with an average January temperature of 15 F (-9.4 C) at Kimch'aek and 25 F (-3.9 C) at Wonsan. Average January temperatures on the west coast range from 15.5 F (-9.2 C) at Siniju on the Yalu River to 22.6 F (-5.2 C) at Haeju.