South Gyeongsang

South Gyeongsang, do (province), southeastern South Korea. It is bordered to the south by the Korea Strait, to the west by South and North Jeolla provinces, and to the north by North Gyeongsang province. Busan and Ulsan—administratively designated metropolitan cities with province-level status—border it to the east. Changwon is the provincial capital.

The Nakdong River and its tributaries irrigate most of the province. The Gimhae Plain is one of the country’s best granaries; part of the Nakdong delta, it extends about 10 miles (16 km) north to south and 4 miles (6.5 km) east to west. In addition to rice, barley, beans, and potatoes, South Gyeongsang’s major agricultural products include cotton, flax, sesame, and fruits such as pears, oranges from the southern seaside, and sweet persimmons.

The length of the province’s irregular coastline, including more than 400 islands, is about 1,400 miles (2,250 km). The interaction of warm and cold ocean currents offshore produces abundant sea life, and more than 40 kinds of marine products are caught annually, making the province one of the country’s leading fisheries.

Various light industries are carried on in the cities of Jinju, Tongyeong, and Sacheon, and there are heavy industries and chemical production in the large port cities of Masan and Jinhae. Mount Jiri (6,283 feet [1,915 meters]) is the centerpiece of a national park that straddles the boundary with North Jeolla province. On the border with North Gyeongsang province is Mount Gaya National Park, in which Haein Temple, constructed in 802 ce, is located. The depository in the temple, where the Tripitaka Koreana (a collection of more than 80,000 wooden blocks engraved with Buddhist scriptures) is stored, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. Both national parks are popular tourist destinations. Area 4,063 square miles (10,522 square km). Pop. (2020) 3,333,056.