South Korea
Presidential republic
Official:
Republic of Korea
Local name:
대한민국 / 大韓民國
Region:
East Asia
Surface area:
100,339 km²
Capital:
Seoul
Geography
In East Asia, South Korea occupies just over the southern half of the Korean peninsula. The north borders North Korea and thus forms the only direct national border. In the south-east, the Japanese island chain is only 50 km away in places. South Korea is bordered by the Yellow Sea to the west and southwest, while the Sea of Japan lies to the south and east. To the west and southwest are the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. To the east is the Sea of Japan. Including the approximately 4,400 partly uninhabited islands, the coastline totals 2,413 km.Apart from the west of the country, there are numerous forests and mountainous landscapes. The most important mountain ranges include the Taebaek Mountains in the east and the Sobaek Mountains in the center. The highest mountain in South Korea is Hallasan on Jeju Island with an altitude of 1,950 meters. The proportion of inland waters is comparatively low and there are no large lakes.
On further pages:
Current time in South Korea:
The countrywide time in South Korea is Korea Standard Time (KST), which is currently 13 hours ahead of New York.
As in many countries, there is no daylight savings time in South Korea.
Related to Greenwich Mean Time, there's the same difference of 9 hours all over the year.
Public Holidays in South KoreaSunrise + Sunset00:00
July 2024
The countrywide time in South Korea is Korea Standard Time (KST), which is currently 13 hours ahead of New York.
As in many countries, there is no daylight savings time in South Korea.
Related to Greenwich Mean Time, there's the same difference of 9 hours all over the year.
Population
Population:51,673,000
Population per km²:515.0
Life expectancy males:Ø 79.9 years
Life expectancy females:
Ø 85.6 yearsBirth rate:
5.1 ‰Death rate:
7.3 ‰Males/Females:
49.9% : 50.1%Population pyramid
The currency in South Korea is the South Korean won (KRW).
1 Won is divided into 100 Chon.
Status: 07/05/2024
1 Won is divided into 100 Chon.
Status: 07/05/2024
1 US dollar = 1,380.90 Wons
10.000 Wons = 7.24 US dollar
10.000 Wons = 7.24 US dollar
Climate in South Korea
South Korea has a temperate climate. The country is under the influence of the Asian mainland and the Pacific Ocean. The summer is very warm, especially in August, with average daily maximum temperatures often above 30 degrees Celsius. The monsoon season from June to September brings heavy rains and high humidity. In winter, on the other hand, it is rather mild and temperatures fall only slightly below freezing. The weather is then dominated by cold and dry air from Siberia. Due to the dryness, snow rarely falls.Average daytime and nighttime temperatures
Languages
Official language:
Korean
| Mother tongue | Distribution |
|---|---|
| Korean | 99.9 % |
| Chinese | 0.1 % |
Religions
| Religion | Distribution |
|---|---|
| Buddhists | 24.2% |
| Cheondogyo | 0.8% |
| Roman Catholics | 7.6% |
| Protestants | 23.0% |
| nondenominational | 41.0% |
| other | 3.4% |
more...
Economy
| GDP: | 1,673.92 bn $ |
| Exportations: | 820.64 bn $ |
| Importations: | 811.13 bn $ |
| › Tourism receipts: | 11.08 bn $ |
| › Debt rate: | 54.33 % |
| › Unemployment rate: | 2.66 % |
| › Inflation rate: | 5.09 % |
| › Corruption index: | 63 (moderate) |
| › Energy consumption: | 531.3 bn kWh |
With a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.929, South Korea counts as one of the high developed economies by UN definition. The IMF also shares this classification.
With an average annual income of 36,190 USD South Korea is one of the high-income countries.
Land use
| 22% Urban areas: | 21,922 km² |
| 18% Agricultural areas: | 17,870 km² |
| 64% Forest: | 64,689 km² |
| 3% Water areas: | 2,850 km² |
more...
Transport
| Roadways: | 110,714 km |
| Railways: | 4,837 km |
| Waterways: | 1,600 km |
| Reg. vehicles: | 25,845,648 |
| › Airports: |
The most important cities and regions
A good 51.67 million people live on a total area of just 100,339 square kilometers. The population density is therefore very high at 515.0 inhabitants per square kilometer, making South Korea one of the most densely populated countries in the world. 81.4% of all South Koreans live in urban areas. Almost every fifth inhabitant lives in the capital Seoul alone. In the metropolitan region, it is almost half of all inhabitants.Population refers to the city proper, not metropolitan areas.
| City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul / Capital | Seoul | 9,618,000 |
| Busan | Busan | 3,356,000 |
| Incheon | Incheon | 2,951,000 |
| Daegu | Daegu | 2,414,000 |
| Daejeon | Daejeon | 1,492,000 |
| Gwangju | Gwangju | 1,480,000 |
| Suwon | Gyeonggi-do | 1,233,000 |
| Ulsan | Ulsan | 1,139,000 |
| Goyang | Gyeonggi-do | 1,073,000 |
| Changwon | Gyeongsangnam-do | 1,012,000 |
| Seongnam | Gyeonggi-do | 994,000 |
| Cheongju | Chungcheongbuk-do | 849,000 |
| Bucheon | Gyeonggi-do | 761,000 |
| Jeju | Jeju-do | 669,000 |
| Jeonju | Jeollabuk-do | 652,000 |
| Ansan | Gyeonggi-do | 651,000 |
| Pohang | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 516,000 |
| Cheonan | Chungcheongnam-do | 418,000 |
| Gumi | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 342,000 |
| Chinju | Gyeongsangnam-do | 340,000 |
| Kimhae | Gyeongsangnam-do | 332,000 |
| Iksan | Jeollabuk-do | 324,000 |
| Chuncheon | Gangwon-do | 286,000 |
| Hongsung | Chungcheongnam-do | 89,000 |
| Muan | Jeollanam-do | 76,000 |
The difference between the urban area and the city proper alone can be considerable. Seoul, for example, has an urban population of 26,037,000. However, the actual proper city is much smaller with only 9,618,000 inhabitants. The difference to metropolitan regions, i.e. conurbations with several cities, is even greater.
Political indicators
(Based on the "Worldwide Governance Indicators" project of the World Bank)
| Political stability: | ◈ |
| Rule of law: | ◈ |
| Effectivity: | ◈ |
| Regulatory quality: | ◈ |
| Voice accountability: | ◈ |
| Democratic values: | ◈ |
| Death penalty: | not practiced for 10+ years |
Country comparison: India / South Korea
North Korea: country data and statistics
Inflation rates by country