Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) | Korea, South (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | none | 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*, Ulsan-gwangyoksi* |
Age structure | - | 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.) |
Agriculture - products | - | rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish |
Airports | none (2003 est.) | 102 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 69
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 21 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 33
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 31 (2002) |
Area | total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly larger than Indiana |
Background | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002) |
revenues: $118.1 billion
expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6 billion (2000) |
Capital | Vatican City | Seoul |
Climate | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) | temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 2,413 km |
Constitution | new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) | 17 July 1948 |
Country name | conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: none note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country abbreviation: ROK |
Currency | euro (EUR) | South Korean won (KRW) |
Death rate | - | 6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $135.2 billion (yearend 2002 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Sung-chu (HAN Sung-joo)
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam) |
Disputes - international | none | Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) are disputed with Japan |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA $200 million |
Economic aid - recipient | none | - |
Economy - overview | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. | As one of the Four Tigers of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Three decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. 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 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in 1998, then strongly recovered to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 6.2%, despite anemic global growth, followed by moderate 2.8% growth in 2003. In 2003 the six-day work week was reduced to five days. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 270.3 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 290.7 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 62.4%
hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Italians, Swiss, other | homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) | South Korean won per US dollar - 1,251.09 (2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
chief of state: President NO Mu-hyun (ROH Moo-hyun) (since 25 February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (KOH Kun) (since 27 February 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Chin-p'yo (KIM Jin-pyo) (since 27 February 2003) and YUN Tok-hong (since 6 March 2003) 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 19 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - NO Muh-hyun elected president, took office 25 February 2003; percent of vote - NO Muh-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-ch'ang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5% |
Exports | 0 kWh | 804,700 bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish |
Exports - partners | - | US 20.4%, China 14.7%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.3% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band | 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $941.5 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 4.4%
industry: 41.6% services: 54% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 6.3% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 41 54 N, 12 27 E | 37 00 N, 127 30 E |
Geography - note | urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights | strategic location on Korea Strait |
Heliports | - | 204 (2002) |
Highways | none; all city streets | total: 86,990 km
paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.) |
Imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | 2.965 million bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains |
Imports - partners | - | Japan 19.6%, US 15.2%, China 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2002) |
Independence | 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 6.5% (2002 est.) |
Industries | printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities | electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.8% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) | AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 11 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 11,590 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946 |
Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly) |
Labor force | NA | 22 million (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican | services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001) |
Land boundaries | total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001) |
arable land: 17.44%
permanent crops: 2.05% other: 80.51% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages | Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school |
Legal system | based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it | combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought |
Legislative branch | unicameral Pontifical Commission | unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total - 227 elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms); note - beginning in 2004, all members will be directly elected; possible redistricting before 2004 may affect the number of seats in the National Assembly
elections: last held 13 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8; note - the distribution of seats as of April 2003 was: GNP 153, MDP 101, ULD 11, DPP 1, PPR 1, independents 5; one seat vacant |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 75.36 years
male: 71.73 years female: 79.32 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) | Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea |
Map references | Europe | Asia |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait |
Merchant marine | - | total: 541 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,490,521 GRT/10,602,751 DWT
ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 174, chemical tanker 63, combination bulk 9, container 52, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 69, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, China 1, Greece 1, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, UK 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope | - |
Military branches | Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera) | Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $13,094.3 million (FY02) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 2.8% (FY02) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 14,252,851 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 345,331 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) | Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) |
Nationality | noun: none
adjective: none |
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
Natural hazards | NA | occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest |
Natural resources | none | coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Democratic People's Party or DPP [leader NA]; Grand National Party or GNP [CH'OE Pyong-ryol, chairman]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [CHO Sun-hyong, chairman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, president]; Uri Party [KIM Kun-t'ae, chairman] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) | Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations |
Population | 921 (July 2004 est.) | 48,289,037 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 4% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.01% (2004 est.) | 0.66% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001) |
Railways | - | total: 3,125 km
standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002) |
Religions | Roman Catholic | Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1% |
Sex ratio | - | 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.) |
Suffrage | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old | 20 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system |
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 24 million (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 28 million (September 2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1996) | 121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999) |
Terrain | low hill | mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 3.1% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | - | 1,609 km
note: restricted to small native craft |