| Republic of Korea Taehan-min'guk
Location far eastern
Asia
Bordered By North Korea
Area 38,025 sq mi
(98,484 sq km)
Greatest Distance N-S 300 mi (480 km)
Greatest Distance E-W 185 mi (298
km)
Coastline 819 mi (1,318 km)
Highest Point Halla-san, 6,398 ft (1,950
m)
Lowest Point sea level
Natural Resources coal, tungsten,
graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
Nationality Korean
Population (July 2015 est) 49,115,196
Largest Cities Seoul, Pusan
Ethnic Groups Korean
Religions Christian, Buddhist
Languages Korean, English
Capital Seoul
Form of Government republic
Present Constitution Adopted July 17,
1948
Chief of State Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn
(since December 9, 2016)
Head of Government Prime Minister Hwang
Kyo-ahn (since June 18, 2015)
Cabinet State Council appointed by the
President
Legislature unicameral National Assembly
(Kuk Hoe)
Judiciary Supreme Court, Constitutional Court
Administrative Divisions 9 provinces (do),
1 special city (gwangteoksi), 1 self-governing
city (teugbyeolsi), 1 special self-governing
city (teukbyeoljachisi)
Currency South Korean Won
Per Capita Income $35,400
Industries electronics,
telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel
Agricultural Products rice, root crops,
barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk,
eggs; fish
Export Commodities semiconductors,
wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles,
computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
Import Commodities machinery,
electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel,
transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics
Independence Achieved August 15, 1945
From Japan
National Holiday Liberation Day, August
15
Flag white with a red 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
SEE ALSO
Seoul
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