Ganghwa, Kanghwa, or
Kanghoa
[key], administrative district, 163 sq mi (422 sq km), of Incheon (Inchon)
city, consisting of 29 islands in the Yellow Sea (or West Sea) off NW South
Korea. Farming, especially ginseng and rice, and fishing are important
occupations. The largest island, also called Ganghwa, was briefly the site
of the Korean capital in the 13th cent. It was early fortified as an outer
defense for Seoul and was stormed by the French in 1866 and by the Americans
in 1871.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Korean Political Geography
