Geoje facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geoje
거제시
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Municipal City
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| Korean transcription(s) | |||
| • Hangul | 거제시 | ||
| • Hanja | 巨濟市 | ||
| • Revised Romanization | Geoje-si | ||
| • McCune-Reischauer | Kŏje-si | ||
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View overlooking Okpodong and harbor in Geoje city
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| Nickname(s):
Blue City Geoje
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Location in South Korea
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| Country |  South Korea |
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| Region | Yeongnam | ||
| Administrative divisions | 9 myeon, 10 dong | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 402.3 km2 (155.3 sq mi) | ||
| Population
(2013.12)
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| • Total | 243,736 | ||
| • Density | 547/km2 (1,420/sq mi) | ||
| • Dialect | Gyeongsang | ||
| Demonym(s) | Geojeite | ||
Geoje (Hangul: 거제) is a cool city in South Korea, located in the South Gyeongsang province. It's an island city, just off the coast from the big port city of Busan. Geoje is famous for its huge shipbuilding companies, like Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries. It's also a popular place for tourists because of its beautiful islands and interesting history. The city is made up of many islands, with Geoje Island being the largest.
Contents
- What Does "Geoje" Mean?
- A Look Back in Time: Geoje's History
- Who Lives in Geoje?
- Fun Things to Do in Geoje: Tourism
- Geoje's Geography and Climate
- What Geoje Grows and Collects
- Islands of Geoje City
- Education in Geoje
- Geoje's Sister Cities
- Images for kids
- See also
What Does "Geoje" Mean?
The name Geoje comes from Korean words. Geo (Hangul: 거; Hanja: 巨) means "great," and je (Hangul: 제; Hanja: 濟) means "rescue." So, Geoje means "great rescue"!
A Look Back in Time: Geoje's History
Geoje has a very long history, going back thousands of years.
- Ancient Times: People lived on Geoje as early as the Stone Age. Tools and other items from that time have been found on islands like Naedo and Isudo.
- Early Kingdoms: Geoje was part of the Dokro kingdom, then the Gaya confederacy, before becoming part of the Silla Kingdom around 562 AD.
- Medieval Period: In 757, the island was named "Geoje-gun" (Geoje county). Later, in 1170, King Uijong of Goryeo even hid on Geoje after a rebellion.
- Important Battles: Geoje was a key spot for naval forces. In 1419, a Korean general named Yi Jong Mu prepared his ships here for an expedition. Later, during the Seven-Year War in 1592, the famous Admiral Yi Sun-sin won a huge naval battle against Japanese invaders near Okpo in Geoje. He became a national hero!
- Korean War Era: During the Korean War (1950–53), Geoje Island was used as a large prisoner of war camp. About 170,000 prisoners were held there. After the war, part of the camp was turned into a museum and tourist spot.
- Modern Growth: In recent decades, Geoje has become a world leader in shipbuilding. This industry has helped the city grow and stay strong, even during tough economic times.
Famous People from Geoje
Some important people were born in Geoje:
- Former President Kim Young-sam
- The famous poet Yu Chi-hwan, also known as Cheongma.
- Former President Moon Jae-in
Who Lives in Geoje?
In 2014, Geoje had over 243,000 people living there. About 12,000 of them were people from other countries. A lot of people in Geoje work in the shipbuilding industry – almost one-third of all workers!
Fun Things to Do in Geoje: Tourism
Geoje has many amazing places to visit, from beautiful islands to historic sites.
Islands to Explore
- Oedo Botania: This is a marine botanical garden built on an island! It's like a beautiful Western-style garden in the middle of the sea. You can visit it by ferry boat.
- Jisim-do: This island is perfect for hiking. It's famous for its many Camellia trees, which have beautiful flowers.
- Haegeumgang-do: Located southeast of Geoje, this island has a cool place called Sipja Donggul Cave. Inside, you can find old Buddhist and Shamanist sculptures.
Historic and Cultural Spots
Geoje POW Camp
The Geoje POW Camp (Hangul: 거제도포로수용소) was a large camp for prisoners during the Korean War. Today, part of it is a museum where you can learn about its history.
Gohyeon Castle
Gohyeon Castle (Hangul: 고현성) is an old fortress built in 1451 during the Joseon dynasty. It was once the largest castle in the South Sea region, with walls that stretched for about 9.2 kilometers (5.7 miles)!
Oksangeum Fortress Area
The Oksangeum Fortress Area (Hangul: 옥산금성지) was a fortress built to protect against Japanese invasions. It's considered an important cultural treasure of South Gyeongsang Province.
Pyewang Fortress
Pyewang Fortress (Hangul: 폐왕성) is the oldest fortress still standing in Geoje. It was first built during the Silla Dynasty. King Uijong of Goryeo even used it as a refuge when he was escaping from a military coup.
Okpo Great Victory Park
This park is in Okpo2Dong and celebrates a huge naval victory. It honors General Yi Sun-sin's amazing win against the Japanese navy on May 7, 1592.
Blue Horse (Poet) Museum
This museum is dedicated to the famous poet "Blue Horse" (whose real name was Yu Chi-hwan). You can visit his preserved birthplace and learn about his life and poems.
Jisimdo Island
Jisimdo (Hangul: 지심도) is an island off the east coast of Geoje. It's known for its many Camellia trees. It also has some old Japanese military buildings from the early 1900s.
Museums to Visit
Haegeumgang Theme Museum
The Haegeumgang Theme Museum (Hangul: 해금강테마박물관) takes you back in time! It shows what life and travel were like in Korea from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Geoje Shipbuilding Marine Cultural Center
This center is actually two museums in one!
- Fishing Village Folk Museum: Learn about the sea and how people traditionally lived by fishing.
- Shipbuilding Theme Park Museum: Explore the history of ships, how they are built, and what the future of ocean travel might look like. There's even a "Children's Shipbuilding yard"!
Geoje Museum
The Geoje Museum (Hangul: 거제박물관) in Okpo displays many local items and artifacts used by the people of Geoje over hundreds of years.
Amazing Natural Attractions
Hill of Wind
The Hill of Wind (Hangul: 바람의 언덕) is a beautiful spot that overlooks the South Sea. It's known for its strong winds and a cool windmill on top. It became super famous after being featured on a popular Korean TV show!
Haegeumgang
Haegeumgang (Hangul: 해금강) is one of Geoje's most famous tourist spots. It's named because it looks a bit like the famous Haegeum mountain in North Korea.
Oedo and Naedo Islands
These two islands, Oedo (Hangul: 외도) and Naedo (Hangul: 내도), are located southeast of Geoje Island. Oedo is home to the incredible Botania botanical gardens, which are a must-see!
Sanbangsan Botanical Garden
This botanical garden (Hangul: 산방산비원) has many different kinds of flowers and trees. It's a bit hidden, so it's a great place to enjoy nature quietly.
Mundong Waterfall
Mundong Waterfall (Hangul: 문동폭포) is a small, pretty waterfall located above the Mundong Reservoir. You can find trails and picnic areas here.
Gonggoji
Gonggoji (Hangul: 공곶이) is a unique garden on a mountainside, right across from Naedo island. It's famous for its Camellia trees and fields of daffodils. You have to walk to get there, as there's no road access!
Beaches in Geoje
Geoje has many lovely beaches where you can relax and enjoy the water. Some are sandy, and some have beautiful black pebbles!
- Gujora Beach (구조라 해수욕장)
- Myeongsa Beach (명사 해수욕장)
- Hakdong Pebble Beach (학동 흑진주 몽돌해변)
- Yeocha Pebble Beach (여차몽돌 해수욕장)
- Heungnam Beach (흥남 해수욕장)
- Wahyeon Sand Forest (와현 모래숲해변)
- Hwangpo Beach (황포 해수욕장)
- Guyeong Beach (구영 해수욕장)
- Hammok Beach (함목 해수욕장)
- Jukrim Beach (죽림 해수욕장)
- Deokpo Beach (덕포 해수욕장)
- Nongso Pebble Beach (농소몽돌 해수욕장)
- Mulan Beach (물안 해수욕장)
Shipbuilding Industry
Geoje is a global center for shipbuilding. You can even take tours of the huge shipbuilding docks run by companies like Daewoo and Samsung in Gohyeon and Okpo. It's amazing to see how massive ships are built!
Resorts and Activities
Daemyeong Resort
Daemyeong Resort in Ilun-myeon is a great place to stay. It has different restaurants, karaoke rooms, and even a water park called Ocean Bay Water Park. You can also rent yachts and motorboats at Marina Bay!
Other Fun Activities
Geoje has lots of trails for outdoor adventures. You can go hiking, cycling, or even use ATVs on some of them.
Geoje's Geography and Climate
Geoje city covers about 401.63 square kilometers (155 square miles). It includes the main Geoje Island and 60 smaller islands, with 10 of them being inhabited. The main island is connected to the mainland by two bridges to Tongyeong. It's also connected to Busan by a series of bridges and underwater tunnels called the Geoga Great Bridge.
Geoje's Weather
Geoje has a mild climate, meaning it doesn't get too hot or too cold. Winters can sometimes drop below freezing, but the warm ocean currents help keep the island relatively warm.
In 2022, a strong storm called Typhoon Hinnamnor passed directly over Geoje, causing some flooding and damage.
| Climate data for Geoje (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1972–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.3 (66.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
27.9 (82.2) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.5 (92.3) |
38.6 (101.5) |
37.4 (99.3) |
34.2 (93.6) |
29.9 (85.8) |
25.8 (78.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
38.6 (101.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.3 (45.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.5 (56.3) |
18.6 (65.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
25.8 (78.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
29.9 (85.8) |
26.5 (79.7) |
22.0 (71.6) |
15.7 (60.3) |
9.5 (49.1) |
19.1 (66.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.6 (36.7) |
4.4 (39.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
13.4 (56.1) |
17.9 (64.2) |
21.2 (70.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
22.0 (71.6) |
16.7 (62.1) |
10.6 (51.1) |
4.7 (40.5) |
14.4 (57.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.4 (29.5) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
3.5 (38.3) |
8.3 (46.9) |
13.0 (55.4) |
17.4 (63.3) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.9 (73.2) |
18.2 (64.8) |
12.2 (54.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
0.4 (32.7) |
10.2 (50.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10.4 (13.3) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
8.2 (46.8) |
13.8 (56.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
8.6 (47.5) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 40.4 (1.59) |
60.5 (2.38) |
112.2 (4.42) |
177.2 (6.98) |
203.0 (7.99) |
237.1 (9.33) |
367.6 (14.47) |
330.4 (13.01) |
209.5 (8.25) |
96.4 (3.80) |
59.0 (2.32) |
37.0 (1.46) |
1,930.3 (76.00) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 4.8 | 5.4 | 7.8 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 10.6 | 14.3 | 11.9 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 6.1 | 4.5 | 97.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 54.0 | 54.4 | 58.5 | 60.0 | 65.3 | 73.4 | 79.5 | 76.6 | 73.3 | 67.6 | 63.4 | 56.8 | 65.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 169.9 | 178.0 | 204.0 | 217.4 | 233.2 | 182.7 | 153.4 | 182.1 | 168.5 | 195.1 | 165.3 | 166.4 | 2,216 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 52.0 | 57.8 | 54.2 | 55.3 | 53.5 | 43.1 | 33.4 | 43.9 | 46.4 | 58.8 | 53.4 | 55.0 | 49.5 |
| Source: Korea Meteorological Administration (percent sunshine 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
What Geoje Grows and Collects
Because Geoje is on the coast and has a mild climate, it can grow some special crops that aren't common in other parts of Korea. These include yuja fruit, pineapples, and different kinds of mushrooms. Being an island also means there's lots of fresh seafood caught nearby!
Islands of Geoje City
Geoje city includes many islands, big and small:
- Geoje (Hangul: 거제도; Hanja: 巨濟島) - The main island
- Oedo
- Galgotdo (Haegeumgang)
- Chilcheondo
- Jisimdo
- Gajodo
- Haegando
- Sandaldo
- Hawdo
Education in Geoje
Geoje has schools for local students and also an international school called International School of Koje (거제국제외국인학교).
Geoje's Sister Cities
Geoje has special partnerships with other cities around the world:
Longjing, Jilin, China- Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Qidong, Jiangsu, China
Guam, United States
Yame, Fukuoka, Japan
Domestic Sister Cities (in Korea)
- Gurye County, South Jeolla Province
- Hadong County, South Gyeongsang Province
Images for kids
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Yugyo Fishing port
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Map of Geoje in Korean
See also
In Spanish: Geoje para niños
