I know what you’re thinking: “Where are the nukes?” While nuclear weapons haven’t been found on Google Maps, nuclear reactors certainly have. Dating back to the 1980s, the heart of the North Korean nuclear program is Yongbyon, a large complex whose 5-megawatt reactor is periodically activated whenever the government feels like it (it has been operating continuously since 2009 after the last round of UN inspectors were ejected).

It wouldn’t be a trip to North Korea without some propaganda, and these massive messages written on hillsides don’t disappoint: (“Let’s go ahead supporting three great revolutions”, “Hurray for revolutionary ideology of the great leader Comrade Kim Il-Sung!”, “If the party commands, we will do it!”). Other messages are a little more esoteric, such as “Let’s switch our goals to meat!”

Serious stuff perhaps, but don’t worry – even repressive hermit states know how to party! For example, North Korea has the Emerald, its own five-star waterfront hotel and casino. Sure, it’s operated by the Chinese government for Chinese tourists, but still…

How about a trip to Pyongyang’s Central Zoo? This is where animals have been forced to maul each other in staged fights), but on the plus side it is right next door to a fairground replete with a roller coaster. As you can see, both places are packed with tourists…

Visiting these attractions in person would mean getting into North Korea from China, which you won’t be able to do by crossing this bridge, that’s for sure.

There are also landmarks that remain a mystery. Take this giant X inside a huge parallelogram. Is it a guide used for aerial navigation? A plot for a future airport? A bombing target?

Korea may be the only place where you can find an island naturally shaped like the land it belongs to¹, although there’s no demilitarised zone splitting this island in two.

As mentioned above, this is just barely scratching the surface of what can be found in North Korea via Google Earth. For more information as well as a .KMZ download of the entire dataset, visit the North Korea Uncovered website.

Locations: North Korea / Categories: Bridges, Buildings, Islands, Large Type, Structures, Theme Parks, Weirdness

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What’s even more interesting though, is that this update includes a lot of the places in-between places – highways coast-to-coast are now on Street View, and the coverage in the US has actually been doubled.

This means that some of Google Sightseeing’s previously posted sights, like The Devil’s Tower are now visible in Street View for the first time.

While the update includes places in Maine, West Virginia, North Dakota and South Dakota, a full list of the updates hasn’t yet been compiled as far as I can tell.¹

With all this new coverage, perhaps you’ll be the person to stumble across the next street fight, house on fire, or epic bike-related fail – so get submitting your street view discoveries now!

Locations: Alabama, Maine, North Korea, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming / Categories: Natural Landmarks, Street Views

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In Cuba, the Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square) no longer bears witness to marathon speeches from Fidel Castro.

Up to a million local residents were ‘encouraged’ to stay for the entire duration of ‘inspirational’ speeches lasting many, many hours, standing in the shadow of the memorial to José Martí, Cuba’s national hero for his role in the battle for independence from Spain.

Lining the square are imposing buildings such as the National Library and the Ministry of the Interior, adorned with an ironwork image of another national hero, Che Guevara, and the text Hasta la Victoria Siempre (Forever Onwards Towards Victory).

With Fidel’s withdrawal from public life, brother Raúl has taken on the role of President, with some apparent easing of restrictions on personal freedoms.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the North Korean government has been rather less open about the plan for succession should rumours of Kim Jong-il’s ill-health actually prove to be true.

While some observers believe he died as long ago as 2003, there’s no denying that he missed more recent events such as the parade for the country’s 60th anniversary in September 2008, in which the usual collections of military muscle marched through the city with landmarks such as Kim Il-sung Square – named for his father whose statue was previously featured here – and the Arch of Triumph, which was specifically built to be slightly larger than the one in Paris, just to prove a point.

Rumours of Kim Jong-il’s health weren’t helped by the release of apparently doctored photographs of him. Perhaps he’s hiding out in the Ryugyong hotel, which we’ve previously featured on Google Sightseeing.

Locations: Cuba, North Korea / Categories: Buildings, Monuments

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As we can see, North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il and his associates have plans to go one better than the average Bond villain, and are imitating the Thunderbirds with this runway being constructed underneath a mountain.

The runway, in the region of Wonsan, sticks out a bit at either end so we can measure it at 1800m long and 30m wide. A close up of the entrance shows it’s still being constructed.

The idea here seems to be that foreign military satellites (and Google Earth enthusiasts) would be unable to see what aircraft North Korea have under the mountain, so if a war broke out Thunderbird 2 could use the runway for launch.

The North Korean military are apparently so convinced that the “runway mountain” is the future of modern warfare that they’ve actually built three separate runways across the country. This second example is in the area of Onchon.

I’ve never claimed to be a military expert, but this all seems a bit mad to me – surely the benefits of hidden aircraft are outweighed by the fact that it would be very easy for an attacker to completely ruin the airbase with one strategically placed bomb at the entrance?

Thanks to danescombe.

Locations: North Korea / Categories: Aircraft

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During a professional wrestling match in 1995 the stadium held 190,000 people simultaneously, with crowds sprawling in its 8-tiered seating and across its 207,000m² pitch. The lofty canopies stretch 60m into the sky at their peaks.

This being North Korea however, the stadium’s primary use is actually to celebrate the President, Kim Jong-il, who holds elaborate parades and displays of power here each May Day. Even more disturbingly, during the 1990s a number of army generals were apparently executed by being burned alive here.

The petal-shaped structure is not the only major stadium in the city, though. Just a few hundred metres away, there’s another massive presidential ego boost – Kim-Il Sung Stadium², which can seat a not unimpressive 70,000 people.

A massive amount of entertainment, don’t you think, for a country where the GDP per capita fails to reach £1000, and 1 in 4 of the country’s 23 million people are short of food?

Of course the money handling skills of the North Korean leaders are infamous, as demonstrated so clearly by the previously featured Ryugyong Hotel which would have been the world’s tallest hotel – if they could have afforded to finish it.

You can read more about the Rungado May Day Stadium at Wikipedia and on The Guardian’s website.

Locations: North Korea / Categories: Stadiums and Sport, Structures

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But it’s not that big! The world’s tallest supported flagpole is on the border of North and South Korea and towers over the land at 160m. Basically, it’s very, very big.

Thanks: Jerry Mills & Me

Locations: Jordan, North Korea / Categories: Structures

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This ground level photo should give you an idea of the sheer scale of the monument, where couples visit to lay a wreath just before they get married.

Thanks: eRez

Locations: North Korea / Categories: Monuments

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Wikipedia says:

newspapers estimated the cost of construction was $750 million – 2% of North Korea’s GDP – and it is generally assumed construction came to a halt in 1992 due to lack of funding, acute electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine.

The building itself is complete, however it has no windows, fixtures or fittings – which makes it officially the world’s Tallest Unoccupied Building! In fact, it’s the tallest building by far in North Korea, the 18th tallest building in the entire world, and if it were ever to be completed, would be the world’s tallest hotel. Here’s a picture which really gives you a great impression of scale.

Thanks to Keith T, Soren Ragsdale, Josh Weinberg, zmaster and Jon Gaspar.

Locations: North Korea / Categories: Buildings, Shadows

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Taechon airfield has numerous biplanes sitting in little bunkers and a couple more randomly parked on the runway. One submitter reckoned they could be AN-2 Colts.

Kaechon airfield has loads of unidentifiable planes sitting at the south end of the runway. Following a small road leads to more planes, perhaps a service area? Also off the same road is what appears to be a cave entrance with another plane (maybe two) blocking the way. I wonder what else they’ve got hidden in there?

Thanks: kb, Michael Davis, Steve Rot, Marc Armstrong, Joey, Pete, Tiger Wang, toufox, Kowy, Ranty B, BenQ, DJ Swammi & TGM.

Locations: North Korea / Categories: Aircraft

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History lesson over If you’d like a more complete lesson, try the Wikipedia pages on the Korean War and P’anmunjÅ?m.

Thanks to Andry.

Locations: North Korea /

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