Capital
Seoul

Political system
Republic; parliamentary democracy

Geography
Area: 99,268 square kilometers

Korea is a peninsula in the China Sea, across from Japan. It is mostly mountainous (with an altitude of more than 1900 m) and covered with forest. The coasts are inset with many bays and fjords and bordered by numerous islands. The central plains are lined with fast-flowing rivers.

Population
South Korea has approximately 45.9 million inhabitants, 99% of whom are of Korean ancestry. Most foreigners are Japanese and westerners. A third of the population lives in the Seoul region.

Language
The official language is Korean, which is distinct from Japanese, Chinese and other Asian languages. Traditionally, few Koreans learn foreign languages but the younger generation is learning English on a unprecedented scale.

Climate
The climate is continental. Summers are hot and rainy with occasional hurricanes, and the winters cold and dry. Fall, from September to early November, is a good time to visit.