Changwon-si was originated on April 1, 1974, when the government announced Changwon-myeon, Sangnam-myeon and Ungnam-myeon of Masan as 'Industrial Base Development District to construct the Mechanic and Industrial complex'.
This district became the branch office of Changwon district, and the other area changed its name to Euichang-gun in 1976. On April, 1980, this district incorporated Euichang-dong, Masan and became Changwon-si with 18 administrative districts, 'dong'.
On July 1, 1983 Gyeongnam provincial office was moved here from Busan and Changwon became the capital of Gyeongnam. The old Changwon-gun area covering Dong-eup, Buk-myeon, Daosan-myeon is known for gardening and breeding farm animals like cattle and pigs.
The Daesan Plain has bees the major rice field since the Japanese colonial period as the result of irrigation and flood control at the downstream of the Nakdonggang river. Now it is fostered as Korea's largest sweet persimmon cultivation complex, and gardening is prospering here in winter.
Junam Wetland, known as the habitat for the migratory birds, was formed by building a bank in order to block the wetland in the south western area of the Daesan Plain. It is assumed that migratory birds moved here from Eulsukdo, where the ecosystem was destroyed with the dam-building in the downstream of the Nakdonggang river.
Changwon-si is the representative planned city in Korea. The pavement rate is highest in the nation(18.3%). Changwon Daero, the grand street stretching from northwest to southeast, divides the city into two areas; the northern administrative, business, commercial, educational, residential district and the southern industrial complex. This grand road leads to Jangyu, Gimhae through the Changwon Tunnel. The Central Street, 70m wide and 2.8km long, is stretching from the Gyeongnam Provincial Office to Changwon City Plaza. The Central Street together with Changwon Daero make the axis forming the rectangular street nets, boasting the capital city and Korea's biggest industrial complex.
