Korea, South (2002) | French Polynesia (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 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* | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 5,488,808; female 4,875,379)
15-64 years: 71% (male 17,404,645; female 16,894,361) 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 1,434,873; female 2,225,934) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925) 15-64 years: 65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076) 65 years and over: 5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products |
Airports | 102 (2001) | 45 (2000 est.) |
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) |
total:
32 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 33
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 31 (2002) |
total:
13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km |
total:
4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Indiana | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
Background | 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. The Korean War (1950-53) had US and other UN forces intervene 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. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. |
Birth rate | 14.55 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $118.1 billion
expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6 billion (2000) |
revenues:
$1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
Capital | Seoul | Papeete |
Climate | temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 2,413 km | 2,525 km |
Constitution | 25 February 1948 | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | 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 |
conventional long form:
Territory of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Currency | South Korean won (KRW) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
Death rate | 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $128.2 billion (2001) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of France since 1946 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy: 82 Sejong-ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Song-chol
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam) |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks/Take-shima/Tok-do disputed with Japan | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA $200 million (2000) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $367 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | 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 roughly 20 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 by 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 have stalled. Led by industry and construction, growth in 2002 was an impressive 5.8%, despited anemic global growth. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs. |
Electricity - consumption | 254.08 billion kWh (2000) | 399.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 273.2 billion kWh (2000) | 430 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 61%
hydro: 1% nuclear: 38% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
51.16% hydro: 48.84% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing | NA |
Environment - international agreements | 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 | homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | South Korean won per US dollar - 1,317.01 (January 2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
Executive branch | chief of state: President ROH Muh-hyun (since 25 February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (since 27 February 2003); Deputy Prime Minister KIM Chin-p'yo (since 27 February 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 - ROH Muh-hyun elected president, took office 25 February 2003; percent of vote - ROH Muh-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5% |
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
Exports | $159.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $205 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Exports - commodities | electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) |
Exports - partners | US 20.7%, China 12.1%, Japan 11.0%, Hong Kong 6.3%, Taiwan 3.9% (2001) | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $931 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 42% services: 54% (2002 est.) |
agriculture:
4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.8% (2002 est.) | 2.5% (1997 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 37 00 N, 127 30 E | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location on Korea Strait | includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Heliports | 204 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 87,534 km
paved: 65,388 km (including 1,996 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,146 km (1999) |
total:
792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1998 est.) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $146.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $749 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment |
Imports - partners | Japan 18.9%, US 15.9%, China 9.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.7%, Australia 3.9% (2001) | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) |
Independence | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.5% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Industries | electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 7.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2002 est.) | 1.5% (1994) |
International organization participation | AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 11 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 11,590 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | 22 million (2001) | 70,000 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 69%, industry 22%, agriculture 10% (2001) | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) |
Land boundaries | total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 17.44%
permanent crops: 2.05% other: 80.51% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 31% other: 57% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought | based on French system |
Legislative branch | 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 January 2002 is: GNP 136, MDP 118, ULD 15, DPP 2, independents 2 |
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.88 years
male: 71.2 years female: 78.95 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
75.01 years male: 72.67 years female: 77.46 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 99.3% female: 96.7% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | 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 |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 501 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,679,171 GRT/9,172,403 DWT
ships by type: bulk 104, cargo 160, chemical tanker 47, combination bulk 6, container 52, liquefied gas 16, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 25, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 5, 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, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard) | French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $12.8 billion (FY00) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.8% (FY00) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 14,194,960 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 8,990,488 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 394,397 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
noun:
French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 455 km; note - additionally, there is a parallel petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) pipeline being completed | - |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic People's Party or DPP [CHO Sun, chairman]; Grand National Party or GNP [YI Hoe-chang, president]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [leader NA]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, honorary chairman, KIM Chong-ho, acting president]
note: on 20 January 2000, the National Congress for New Politics or NCNP was renamed the Millennium Democratic Party or MDP |
Centrist Union or UC [leader NA]; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | 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 | NA |
Population | 48.324 million (July 2002 est.) | 253,506 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 4% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.85% (2002 est.) | 1.72% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 47.5 million (2000) | 128,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 3,124 km
standard gauge: 3,124 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2000) |
0 km |
Religions | Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1% | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone 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) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 24 million (2000) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 28 million (September 2000) | 5,427 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999) | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.1% (2002 est.) | 15% (1992 est.) |
Waterways | 1,609 km
note: restricted to small native craft |
none |