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February 2. 2003 (SUN) |
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Busan's Location |
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Busan is located on the lower Southeastern side of the Korean Peninsula. Local cities and counties include Yangsan, Jinhae, Kimhae, Mulgeum-Myeon, Jangyou-Myeon, Seosang-Myeon and Onyang-Myeon. Busan shares the same latitude with such international cities as Athens, Baghdad, Tokyo and Los Angeles. The local time zone is about 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean time. |
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Symbols of Busan |
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The Camellia : The city flower/city tree |
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The combination of deep green leaves and crimson blossoms reflect the blue sea of Busan, while the fresh and glossy leaves represent the youthfulness and energetic spirit of the people of Busan. The Camellia was designated as the city’s flower on March 1, 1970. The Camellia tree was designated as the city’s tree on July 1, 1978. |
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The Seagull : The city’s bird |
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The pure white wings and body of the seagull represent both its purity and toughness, qualities that have evolved as a result of its long flights over the water. Its presence depicts the abundant resources of the port of Busan and her people. The seagull was designated as the city’s bird on July 1, 1978. |
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Busan Climate |
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Spring begins with March and ends with June. The average temperature at this time is 12.5 degrees C., which is a bit higher than that of neighboring Ulsan and Chungmu.
The actual temperature one feels is, however, somewhat lower than that of nearby areas because of Busan’s strong spring winds that average around 4.4 meters per second. Summer starts at the end of June and ends at the beginning of September, during which there is a monsoon season that normally runs from June to August. The majority of the year’s rainfall (about 50-60%) comes at this time. As the rainy season comes to a close, the high pressure system of the North Pacific brings hot and humis weather and balmy temperatures that last for about a month or so.
July’s average temperature is 23.5 degrees C. and the diurnal range is as little as 5.3 degrees C. With the approach of autumn, the high-pressure system from the North Pacific begins to whither away as the high pressure from the Asian continent begins to cause cold and dry weather to move in along with high winds. These conditions actually bring the year’s most favorable weather conditions. |
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Area of Busan |
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Busan began to develop as a city when the “Busan Buje” was implemented according to an administrative district reorganization that took place in 1914.
The entire area of Busan at that time was only 84.14 square kilometers, which is about the size of the combined total area of the Jung, Dong, Yeongdo and Seo districts. In 1936, the administrative area of Busan was increased, making the size of Busan 112.12 square kilometers. In 1942, the area was again enlarged and Busan grew to 241.12 square kilometers. The administrative center of Busan: the Dongna-Eup, Dongnae-Gun and Saha_Myeon areas were officially incorporated into the city at this time.
In 1963, Busan’s official role in the provincial government was raised to that of Government Direct City and its area was increased to 360.25 square kilometers. In 1979, the city incorporated Dongnae-Gu, Buk-Myeon, some parts of Keumjeong-Gu, Gupo and Sasang (now Sasang-Gu), bringing the city’s total area to 432.32 square kilometers. The incorporation of Garak-Myeon, Noksan-Myeon of Kimhae-Gun and Changwon-Gun, Cheongga_Myeon in 1989 increased the city’s size to 525.25 square kilometers. In January 1995, the district’s official name was changed to Busan Metropolitan City. The city continued growing that year, incorporating the 5 Eups (or Myeons's all administrative units), Gijang, Jangan, Llgwang, Jeonhkwon, Chulma and some parts of Jinhae city Ungdong, making the city’s total area 749.17 square kilometers. The city’s current 758.21 square kilometers was achieved by reclaiming some seashore in the Shinseon Dae area.
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The population of Busan |
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As Busan Began to develop into a center of trade, commerce and industry, Busan port opened more and more to other countries. The population of Busan before the inter-Korean War numbered only around two hundred thousand. Such social upheavals as Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation and the inter-Korean War caused people to flock to busan, swelling the population to 1 million.
The five-year economic development reform that was initiated by the government in the 1960s attracted a great number of rural dwellers to come into the city, bringing the total to 2 million by 1972 and 3 million by 1979. By 1994, the population had grown to 4 million, making Busan the second largest city in Korea and causing it to become an international city due to the very good port facilities of which it can boast.
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