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NAVIGATION
Republic of Korea
South Korea
Taehan-min'guk
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han-guk" to refer to their country
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 20 times the level of North Korea. South Korea has maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Chong-il. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea |
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Geographic coordinates:
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37 00 N, 127 30 E |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Indiana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km |
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Coastline:
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2,413 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter |
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Terrain:
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mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential |
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Land use:
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arable land: 17.44%
permanent crops: 2.05% other: 80.51% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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11,590 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest |
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Environment - current issues:
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air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on Korea Strait |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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48,289,037 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.6% (male 5,256,451; female 4,703,853)
15-64 years: 71.5% (male 17,527,407; female 16,991,229) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,512,157; female 2,297,940) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 33.2 years
male: 32.2 years female: 34.2 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.66% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.36 years
male: 71.73 years female: 79.32 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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4,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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220 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
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Ethnic groups:
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homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) |
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Religions:
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Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1% |
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Languages:
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Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97% (2003 est.) |