Hwanghae is one of the eight provinces of Korea. It is located in the central-northwest of the country. The province was created in 1395 as Punghae, and renamed Hwanghae in 1417 after the principal cities, Haeju (the capital) and Hwangju. In 1895, the province was reorganized into the Districts of Haeju in the west and Gaeseong in the east, but in 1896 Hwanghae Province was reconstituted.