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Compare Korea, South (2003) - China (2001)

Compare Korea, South (2003) z China (2001)

 Korea, South (2003)China (2001)
 Korea, SouthChina
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* 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**, Chongqing**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang; note - China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau
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.)
0-14 years:
25.01% (male 166,754,893; female 151,598,117)

15-64 years:
67.88% (male 445,222,858; female 418,959,646)

65 years and over:
7.11% (male 42,547,296; female 48,028,480) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish
Airports 102 (2002) 489 (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:
324

over 3,047 m:
27

2,438 to 3,047 m:
88

1,524 to 2,437 m:
147

914 to 1,523 m:
30

under 914 m:
32 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 33


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 31 (2002)
total:
165

over 3,047 m:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
29

914 to 1,523 m:
56

under 914 m:
78 (2000 est.)
Area total: 98,480 sq km


land: 98,190 sq km


water: 290 sq km
total:
9,596,960 sq km

land:
9,326,410 sq km

water:
270,550 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Indiana slightly smaller than the US
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. 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. For centuries China has stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the first half of the 20th century, China was beset by major famines, civil unrest, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making. Output quadrupled in the next 20 years and China now has the world's second largest GDP. Political controls remain tight even while economic controls continue to weaken.
Birth rate 12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 15.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $118.1 billion


expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6 billion (2000)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Seoul Beijing
Climate temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Coastline 2,413 km 14,500 km
Constitution 17 July 1948 most recent promulgation 4 December 1982
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:
People's Republic of China

conventional short form:
China

local long form:
Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

local short form:
Zhong Guo

abbreviation:
PRC
Currency South Korean won (KRW) yuan (CNY)
Death rate 6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $135.2 billion (yearend 2002 est.) $162 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph W. PRUEHER

embassy:
Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing

mailing address:
PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone:
[86] (10) 6532-3431

FAX:
[86] (10) 6532-6422

consulate(s) general:
Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang
Diplomatic representation in the US 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)
chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate YANG Jiechi

chancery:
2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 328-2500

consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international 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 most of boundary with India in dispute; dispute over at least two small sections of the boundary with Russia remains to be settled, despite 1997 boundary agreement; portions of the boundary with Tajikistan are indefinite; 33-km section of boundary with North Korea in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary agreement with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin awaits ratification; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan
Economic aid - donor ODA $200 million -
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
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 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. In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state managers and enterprises has been steadily increasing. The authorities have switched to a system of household responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. In 2000, with its 1.26 billion people but a GDP of just $3,600 per capita, China stood as the second largest economy in the world after the US (measured on a purchasing power parity basis). Agricultural output doubled in the 1980s, and industry also posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. On the darker side, the leadership has often experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (windfall gains and stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises many of which had been shielded from competition by subsides and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to continued rapid economic growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Weakness in the global economy in 2001 could hamper growth in exports. Beijing will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure--such as water control and power grids--and poverty relief and through rural tax reform aimed at eliminating arbitrary local levies on farmers.
Electricity - consumption 270.3 billion kWh (2001) 1.084 trillion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 7.2 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 90 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 290.7 billion kWh (2001) 1.173 trillion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 62.4%


hydro: 0.8%


nuclear: 36.6%


other: 0.2% (2001)
fossil fuel:
79.82%

hydro:
18.98%

nuclear:
1.2%

other:
0.01% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m


highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
lowest point:
Turpan Pendi -154 m

highest point:
Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Environment - current issues air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal, produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species
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
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%
Exchange rates 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) yuan per US dollar - 8.2776 (January 2001), 8.2785 (2000), 8.2783 (1999), 8.2790 (1998), 8.2898 (1997), 8.3142 (1996)

note:
beginning 1 January 1994, the People's Bank of China quotes the midpoint rate against the US dollar based on the previous day's prevailing rate in the interbank foreign exchange market
Executive branch 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%
chief of state:
President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) and Vice President HU Jintao (since 16 March 1998)

head of government:
Premier ZHU Rongji (since 18 March 1998); Vice Premiers QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March 1993), WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995), and WEN Jiabao (since 18 March 1998)

cabinet:
State Council appointed by the National People's Congress (NPC)

elections:
president and vice president elected by the National People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 16-18 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); premier nominated by the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress

election results:
JIANG Zemin reelected president by the Ninth National People's Congress with a total of 2,882 votes (36 delegates voted against him, 29 abstained, and 32 did not vote); HU Jintao elected vice president by the Ninth National People's Congress with a total of 2,841 votes (67 delegates voted against him, 39 abstained, and 32 did not vote)
Exports 804,700 bbl/day (2001) $232 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish machinery and equipment; textiles and clothing, footwear, toys and sporting goods; mineral fuels
Exports - partners US 20.4%, China 14.7%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.3% (2002) US 21%, Hong Kong 18%, Japan 17%, South Korea, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Singapore, Taiwan (2000)
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 red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $941.5 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $4.5 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4.4%


industry: 41.6%


services: 54% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
15%

industry:
50%

services:
35% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.3% (2002 est.) 8% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 37 00 N, 127 30 E 35 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on Korea Strait world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US)
Heliports 204 (2002) -
Highways total: 86,990 km


paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)


unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)
total:
1.4 million km

paved:
271,300 km (with at least 16,000 km of expressways)

unpaved:
1,128,700 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.)
lowest 10%:
2.4%

highest 10%:
30.4% (1998)
Illicit drugs - major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for chemical precursors and methamphetamine
Imports 2.965 million bbl/day (2001) $197 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and steel, chemicals
Imports - partners Japan 19.6%, US 15.2%, China 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2002) Japan 18%, Taiwan 11%, US 10%, South Korea 10%, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, Malaysia (2000)
Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan) 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949)
Industrial production growth rate 6.5% (2002 est.) 10% (2000 est.)
Industries electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, telecommunications
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.)
28.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2002 est.) 0.4% (2000 est.)
International organization participation 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 AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 11 (2000) 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 11,590 sq km (1998 est.) 498,720 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly) Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate and local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime, and railway transport courts)
Labor force 22 million (2001) 700 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001) agriculture 50%, industry 24%, services 26% (1998)
Land boundaries total: 238 km


border countries: North Korea 238 km
total:
22,147.24 km

border countries:
Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia 4,676.9 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
Land use arable land: 17.44%


permanent crops: 2.05%


other: 80.51% (1998 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
14%

other:
33% (1993 est.)
Languages Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)
Legal system combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law
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 April 2003 was: GNP 153, MDP 101, ULD 11, DPP 1, PPR 1, independents 5; one seat vacant
unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,979 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held NA December 1997-NA February 1998 (next to be held late 2002-NA March 2003)

election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.36 years


male: 71.73 years


female: 79.32 years (2003 est.)
total population:
71.62 years

male:
69.81 years

female:
73.59 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.1%


male: 99.3%


female: 97% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
81.5%

male:
89.9%

female:
72.7% (1995 est.)
Location Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Map references Asia Asia
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
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

territorial sea:
12 NM
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.)
total:
1,745 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,533,521 GRT/24,746,859 DWT

ships by type:
barge carrier 2, bulk 324, cargo 825, chemical tanker 21, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 1, container 132, liquefied gas 24, multi-functional large-load carrier 5, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 45, petroleum tanker 258, refrigerated cargo 22, roll on/roll off 23, short-sea passenger 41, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard) People's Liberation Army (PLA) - which includes Ground Forces, Navy (includes Marines and Naval Aviation), Air Force, Second Artillery Corps (the strategic missile force), People's Armed Police (internal security troops, nominally subordinate to Ministry of Public Security, but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA in wartime)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $13,094.3 million (FY02) $12.608 billion (FY99); note - China's real defense spending may be several times higher than the official figure because a number of significant items are funded elsewhere
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.8% (FY02) 1.2% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 14,252,851 (2003 est.) males age 15-49:
366,306,353 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.) males age 15-49:
200,886,946 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 345,331 (2003 est.) males:
10,089,458 (2001 est.)
National holiday Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1 October (1949)
Nationality noun: Korean(s)


adjective: Korean
noun:
Chinese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Chinese
Natural hazards occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts
Natural resources coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2003) crude oil 9,070 km; petroleum products 560 km; natural gas 9,383 km (1998)
Political parties and leaders 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] Chinese Communist Party or CCP [JIANG Zemin, General Secretary of the Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
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 no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the Falungong sect and the China Democracy Party as potential rivals
Population 48,289,037 (July 2003 est.) 1,273,111,290 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% (2001 est.) 10% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.66% (2003 est.) 0.88% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Tianjin, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang
Radio broadcast stations AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001) AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)
Radios - 417 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,125 km


standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002)
total:
67,524 km (including 5,400 km of provincial "local" rails)

standard gauge:
63,924 km 1.435-m gauge (13,362 km electrified; 20,250 km double track)

narrow gauge:
3,600 km 0.750-m and 1.000-m gauge local industrial lines (1998 est.)

note:
a new total of 68,000 km was estimated for early 1999 to take new construction programs into account (1999)
Religions Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1% Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.)

note:
officially atheist
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.)
at birth:
1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.89 male(s)/female

total population:
1.06 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:
domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns

domestic:
interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place

international:
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 24 million (2000) 135 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 28 million (September 2000) 65 million (January 2001)
Television broadcast stations 121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999) 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)
Terrain mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east
Total fertility rate 1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.1% (2002 est.) urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2000 est.)
Waterways 1,609 km


note: restricted to small native craft
110,000 km (1999)
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