The southern border of the province is marked by the Korean Demilitarized Zone with South Korea.

The Northern Limit Line, which runs through the region and demarcates a disputed maritime boundary between the north and south, is another frequent subject of contention between the two countries.

The province, being not very mountainous, is uniquely suited to farming, and is thus often referred to as the "bread-basket" of North Korea.

Much of the land is devoted to farming and thus was not hit as hard as other parts of the country during the Arduous March of the 1990s.

These are further divided into villages (ri) in rural areas and dong (neighborhoods) in cities, which are detailed on each county's individual page.