Map of South Korea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century Korea existed as a single country. It became a Chinese tributary state in 1392 with the formation of the Choson Dynasty. Korea became an independent country at the conclusion of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895 with the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Imperial Japan following the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 forced Korea to sign the Protectorate Treaty. In 1910 Tokyo annexed the Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53) US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953 splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter South Korea under the PARK Chung-hee regime achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea. In 1993 KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. President LEE Myung-bak has pursued a policy of global engagement since taking office in February 2008 highlighted by Seoul's hosting of the G-20 summit in November 2010 and its scheduled hosting of the Nuclear Security Summit in March 2012. Serious tensions with North Korea have punctuated inter-Korean relations in recent years including the North's sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010 and its artillery attack on South Korean soldiers and citizens in November 2010.


top of page


Location: Eastern Asia southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates: 37 00 N 127 30 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 99,720 km²
Rank: 109
Land: 96,920 km²
Water: 2,800 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries
Total: 238 km
Border countries: (1) North Korea 238 km

Coastline: 2,413 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: not specified

Climate: temperate with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
Extremes highest point: Halla-san 1950 m

Natural resources: coal tungsten graphite molybdenum lead hydropower potential

Land use
Arable land: 16.58%
Permanent crops: 2.01%
Other: 81.41% (2005)

Irrigated land: 8,320 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 69.7 km³ (1999)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
Volcanism: Halla (elev. 1950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries

Geography
Note: strategic location on Korea Strait


top of page


Population: 48,754,657 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 26
Growth rate: 0.23% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 177
Below poverty line: 15% (2006 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Korean
Adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Languages: Korean English (widely taught in junior high and high school)

Religions: Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7% Roman Catholic 6.6%) Buddhist 23.2% other or unknown 1.3% none 49.3% (1995 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.7%
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 18,151,023/female 17,400,809)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 2,259,621/female 3,312,032) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 38.4 years
Male: 37 years
Female: 39.8 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.23% (2011 est.)
Rank: 177

Birth rate: 8.55 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 215

Death rate: 6.26 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 156

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 94

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 83% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol Antarctic-Marine Living Resources Antarctic Treaty Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.069 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.16 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 198
Male: 4.37 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.93 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.05 years
Rank: 41
Male: 75.84 years
Female: 82.49 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 217

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.967 physicians/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 64

Hospital bed density: 12.28 beds/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 3

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 135
People living with hivaids: 9,500 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 100
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 90

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 3.2% (2001)
Rank: 64

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 95

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.9%
Male: 99.2%
Female: 96.6% (2002)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 17 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 16 years (2008)

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Korea
Conventional short form: South Korea
Local long form: Taehan-min'guk
Local short form: Han'guk
Abbreviation: ROK

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Seoul
Geographic coordinates: 37 33 N 126 59 E
Time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi singular and plural)
Provinces: Chungcheong-bukto (North Chungcheong) Chungcheong-namdo (South Chungcheong) Gangwon Gyeonggi Gyeongsang-bukto (North Gyeongsang) Gyeongsang-namdo (South Gyeongsang) Jeju Jeolla-bukto (North Jeolla) Jeolla-namdo (South Jeolla)
Metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan) Daegu (Taegu) Daejon (Taejon) Gwangju (Kwangju) Incheon (Inch'on) Seoul Ulsan

Dependent areas

Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday: Liberation Day 15 August (1945)

Constitution: 17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten many times; current constitution approved 29 October 1987

Legal system: mixed legal system combining European civil law Anglo-American law and Chinese classical thought

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 19 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak
Head of government: Prime Minister KIM Hwang-sik (since 1 October 2010)
Cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held on 19 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly
Election results: LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1%; others 10.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Gukhoe (299 seats; 245 members elected in single-seat constituencies 54 elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 172 UDP 83 LFP 20 PPA 8 DLP 5 RKP 1 independents 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [SONG Hak-kyu] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP); Democratic Labor Party or DLP [LEE Jung-hee]; Future Hope Alliance or FHA [ROH Cheoi-rae} (formerly Pro-Park Alliance); Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye]; Liberty Forward Party or LFP [SHIM Dae-pyeong]; Renewal Korea Party or RKP [HAN Myeon-hee]

International organization participation: ADB AfDB (nonregional member) APEC ARF ASEAN (dialogue partner) Australia Group BIS CD CICA CP EAS EBRD FAO FATF G-20 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC LAIA (observer) MIGA MINURSO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE (partner) Paris Club (associate) PCA PIF (partner) SAARC (observer) UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNISFA UNMIL UNMISS UNMOGIP UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Duk-soo
In the us chancery: 2,450 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-5,600
In the us fax: [1] (202) 387-0205
In the us consulate general: Agana (Guam) Atlanta Boston Chicago Honolulu Houston Los Angeles New York San Francisco Seattle
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Sung Y. KIM
From the us embassy: 32 Sejongno Jongno-gu Seoul 110-710
From the us mailing address: US Embassy Seoul APO AP 96,205-5,550
From the us telephone: [82] (2) 397-4,114
From the us fax: [82] (2) 738-8,845

Flag description: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field; the Korean national flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; the blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of the yin while the red symbolizes the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram (kwae) denotes one of the four universal elements which together express the principle of movement and harmony

National symbols: taegeuk (yin yang symbol)

National anthem
Name: 'Aegukga'
Lyricsmusic: YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay
Note: adopted 1948 well known by 1910; both North Korea and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Since the 1960s South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and global integration to become a high-tech industrialized economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004 South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies and currently is among the world's 20 largest economies. Initially a system of close government and business ties including directed credit and import restrictions made this success possible. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios and massive short-term foreign borrowing. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998 and then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. Korea adopted numerous economic reforms following the crisis including greater openness to foreign investment and imports. Growth moderated to about 4-5% annually between 2003 and 2007. With the global economic downturn in late 2008 South Korean GDP growth slowed to 0.2% in 2009. In the third quarter of 2009 the economy began to recover in large part due to export growth low interest rates and an expansionary fiscal policy and growth exceeded 6% in 2010. The South Korean economy's long term challenges include a rapidly aging population inflexible labor market and overdependence on manufacturing exports to drive economic growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 13
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 50

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 44
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.6%
Industry: 39.3%
Services: 58.2% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: rice root crops barley vegetables fruit; cattle pigs chickens milk eggs; fish

Industries: electronics telecommunications automobile production chemicals shipbuilding steel

Industrial production growth rate: 16.6% (2010 est.)
Rank: 7

Labor force: 24.75 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 26
By occupation agriculture: 7.3%
By occupation industry: 24.3%
By occupation services: 68.4% (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (2009 est.)
Rank: 31

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 15% (2006 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.7%
Highest 10: 24.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index: 35.8 (2000)
Rank: 110

Budget
Revenues: $235.1 billion
Expenditures: $222.2 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 1.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 26

Taxes and other revenues: 23.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 131

Public debt: 23.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 104

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.8% (2009 est.)
Rank: 103

Central bank discount rate: 1.75% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 112

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.65% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 154

Stock of narrow money: $334.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 13

Stock of broad money: $1.132 trillion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 13

Stock of domestic credit: $1 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 16

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 16

Current account balance: $32.79 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 12

Exports: $358.2 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 8
Commodities: semiconductors wireless telecommunications equipment motor vehicles computers steel ships petrochemicals
Partners: China 27.9% US 10.2% Japan 5.8% (2010)

Imports: $320.4 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 11
Commodities: machinery electronics and electronic equipment oil steel transport equipment organic chemicals plastics
Partners: China 17.9% Japan 16.2% US 10.1% Saudi Arabia 5.2% Australia 4.9% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $270 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 6

Debt external: $380.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 25

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $117.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 29

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $74.6 billion (30 June 2008)
Rank: 25

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 417.3 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 11
Consumption: 402 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 11
Exports: 0 kWh (2010)
Imports: 0 kWh (2010)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 542 million m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 68
Consumption: 42.69 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 21
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 126
Imports: 43.58 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 7
Proven reserves: 50 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 65

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 28.543 million (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 11
Mobile cellular: 50.767 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 26

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies
Domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available with a combined telephone subscribership of roughly 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce
International: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia Australia the Middle East Europe and US; satellite earth stations - 66

Broadcast media: multiple national television networks with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly operated; the largest privately-owned network Seoul Broadcasting Service (SBS) has ties with other commercial TV networks; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; publicly-operated radio broadcast networks and a large number of privately-owned radio broadcasting networks each with multiple affiliates and independent local stations (2010)

Internet
Country code: .kr
Hosts: 291,329 (2010)
Hosts rank: 58
Users: 39.4 million (2009)
Users rank: 11

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 52

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 21 months (Army Marines) 23 months (Navy) 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women in service since 1950 admitted to 7 service branches including infantry but excluded from artillery armor anti-air and chaplaincy corps; HIV-positive individuals are exempt from military service (2011)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 116 (2010)
Rank: 53
With paved runways total: 72
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 21
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 12
With paved runways under 914 m: 22 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 44
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 42 (2010)

Heliports: 510 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 2,139 km; refined products 864 km (2010)

Railways
Total: 3,381 km
Rank: 51
Standard gauge: 3,381 km 1.435-m gauge (1843 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 103,029 km
Rank: 40
Paved: 80,642 km (includes 3,367 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 22,387 km (2008)

Waterways: 1608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2010)
Rank: 49

Merchant marine
Total: 819
Rank: 14
By type: bulk carrier 201 cargo 246 carrier 5 chemical tanker 132 container 69 liquefied gas 40 passenger 5 passenger/cargo 21 petroleum tanker 67 refrigerated cargo 15 roll on/roll off 9 vehicle carrier 9
Foreign owned: 33 (China 9 France 1 Japan 15 US 8)
Registered in other countries: 438 (Cambodia 11 Ghana 1 Honduras 6 Hong Kong 3 Indonesia 1 Kiribati 2 Liberia 1 Malta 3 Marshall Islands 25 North Korea 1 Panama 366 Philippines 1 Russia 1 Singapore 9 Tuvalu 1 unknown 6) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Incheon (Inch'on) Pohang


top of page


Disputes international: Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limit Line which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) occupied by South Korea since 1954

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs