Changwon was originated on April 1, 1974, when the government announced Changwon subcounty, Sangnam subcounty and Ungnam subcounty in 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 County in 1976. On April, 1980, this district incorporated Euichang-dong, and Masan became Changwon with 18 administrative districts, 'dong'.

On July 1, 1983 South Gyeonsang Provincial office was moved in from Busan and Changwon became the capital of South Gyeonsang Province. The old Changwon county area covering Dong town, Buk subcounty, Daosan County is known for breeding farm animals like cattle and pigs and gardening.

The Daesan Plain has been 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.

As a temperate region, Changwon exhibits relatively small degrees of climatic differences between summer and winter seasons and is largely influenced by seasonal winds. 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 Eulsuk Islet, where the ecosystem was destroyed with the dam-building in the downstream of the Nakdong River.

Changwon is the representative planned city in Korea. The pavement rate is the 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 street 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 makes the axis forming the rectangular street nets and boasting the Korea's biggest industrial complex.