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Compare Korea, South (2006) - Dominican Republic (2008)

Compare Korea, South (2006) z Dominican Republic (2008)

 Korea, South (2006)Dominican Republic (2008)
 Korea, SouthDominican Republic
Administrative divisions 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)


provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)


metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde
Age structure 0-14 years: 18.9% (male 4,844,083/female 4,368,139)


15-64 years: 71.9% (male 17,886,148/female 17,250,862)


65 years and over: 9.2% (male 1,818,677/female 2,678,914) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 32.1% (male 1,532,813/female 1,477,033)


15-64 years: 62.2% (male 2,971,620/female 2,851,207)


65 years and over: 5.7% (male 247,738/female 285,407) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Airports 107 (2006) 34 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 69


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 21


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 20 (2006)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 38


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 35 (2006)
total: 19


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Area total: 98,480 sq km


land: 98,190 sq km


water: 290 sq km
total: 48,730 sq km


land: 48,380 sq km


water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Indiana slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Background Korea was an independent kingdom for much of its millennia-long history. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. 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 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Yo'ng-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. 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 Jong Il. Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.
Birth rate 10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 22.91 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $195 billion


expenditures: $189 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $7.014 billion


expenditures: $6.985 billion (2007 est.)
Capital name: Seoul


geographic coordinates: 37 34 N, 127 00 E


time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Santo Domingo


geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Coastline 2,413 km 1,288 km
Constitution 17 July 1948 28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Korea


conventional short form: South Korea


local long form: Taehan-min'guk


local short form: Han'guk


abbreviation: ROK
conventional long form: Dominican Republic


conventional short form: The Dominican


local long form: Republica Dominicana


local short form: La Dominicana
Death rate 5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 5.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $153.9 billion (2005 est.) $8.842 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW


embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710


mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550


telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114


FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
chief of mission: Ambassador P. Robert FANNIN


embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo


mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500


telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171


FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik


chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600


FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205


consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario ESPINAL Jacobo


chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280


FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057


consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work
Economic aid - donor ODA, $423.3 million (2004) -
Economic aid - recipient - $76.99 million (2005)
Economy - overview Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. 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. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% 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 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2005, growth moderated to about 4%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. In 2005, the government proposed labor reform legislation and a corporate pension scheme to help make the labor market more flexible, and new real estate policies to cool property speculation. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy. The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP growth since 2005, with double digit growth in 2006. In 2007, exports were bolstered by the nearly 50% increase in nickel prices; however, prices are expected to fall in 2008, contributing to a slowdown in GDP growth for the year. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the source of nearly 80% of exports, and remittances represent about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed to in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's financial situation, lowereing inflation to less than 6%. A fiscal expansion is expected for 2008 prior to the elections in May and for Tropical Storm Noel reconstruction. Although the economy is growing at a respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an important challenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should boost investment and exports and diminishes losses to the Asian garment industry.
Electricity - consumption 321.1 billion kWh (2004) 8.791 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2004) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2004) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 342.1 billion kWh (2004) 12.22 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m


highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m


highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Environment - current issues air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Exchange rates South Korean won per US dollar - 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002), 1,291 (2001) Dominican pesos per US dollar - 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister HAN Myeong-sook (since 20 April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006); KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September 2006)


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 in December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation


election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2008)


election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA 8.7%
Exports 645,200 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Exports - partners China 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.5% (2005) US 72.7%, UK 3.2%, Belgium 2.4% (2006)
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 a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.3%


industry: 40.3%


services: 56.3% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 11.5%


industry: 28.3%


services: 60.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2005 est.) 7.2% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 37 00 N, 127 30 E 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Geography - note strategic location on Korea Strait shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti
Heliports 540 (2006) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.4%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2004)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions; significant amphetamine consumption
Imports 2.263 million bbl/day (2004) 116,700 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners Japan 18.5%, China 14.8%, US 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2005) US 46.9%, Venezuela 8.4%, Colombia 6.3%, Mexico 5.7% (2006)
Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan) 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Industrial production growth rate 5.9% (2005 est.) 5.5% (2007 est.)
Industries electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Infant mortality rate total: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 27.94 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 30.05 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2005 est.) 5.8% (2007 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC ACP, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 8,780 sq km (2003) 2,750 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court) Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)
Labor force 23.53 million (2005 est.) 3.986 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 6.4%


industry: 26.4%


services: 67.2% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 17%


industry: 24.3%


services: 58.7% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries total: 238 km


border countries: North Korea 238 km
total: 360 km


border countries: Haiti 360 km
Land use arable land: 16.58%


permanent crops: 2.01%


other: 81.41% (2005)
arable land: 22.49%


permanent crops: 10.26%


other: 67.25% (2005)
Languages Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school Spanish
Legal system combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by proportional representation)


elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008; byelections held on 30 April 2005 and on 26 October 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 144, GNP 127, DP 11, DLP 9, ULD 3, independents 5


note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of April and October 2005 byelections involving six and four seats respectively; MDP became DP in May 2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006. (2006)
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2008); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2008)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.04 years


male: 73.61 years


female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)
total population: 73.07 years


male: 71.34 years


female: 74.87 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.9%


male: 99.2%


female: 96.6% (2002)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 87%


male: 86.8%


female: 87.2% (2002 census)
Location Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Map references Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: not specified
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines


territorial sea: 6 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 669 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,634,188 GRT/13,733,624 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 157, cargo 193, chemical tanker 98, container 81, liquefied gas 22, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 6


foreign-owned: 22 (France 12, Japan 1, UK 2, US 7)


registered in other countries: 365 (Belize 4, Cambodia 23, China 2, Cyprus 1, Georgia 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia 3, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 291, Singapore 17, unknown 2) (2006)
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT


by type: cargo 1


registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)
Military branches Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006) Army, Navy, Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $21.06 billion FY05 (2005 est.) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% FY05 (2005 est.) 0.8% (2006)
National holiday Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Nationality noun: Korean(s)


adjective: Korean
noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
Natural hazards occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Natural resources coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -2.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup]; People-Centered Party or PCP [SHIN Kook-hwan]; Uri Party [KIM Geun-tae] Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]
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 Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)
Population 48,846,823 (July 2006 est.) 9,365,818 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 15% (2003 est.) 42.2% (2004)
Population growth rate 0.42% (2006 est.) 1.5% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005) AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways total: 3,472 km


standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005)
total: 517 km


standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge


note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2006)
Religions no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1% Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.042 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 19 years of age; universal 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: NA


international: country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables - 1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)
general assessment: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network


domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 50 per 100 persons


international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 23.745 million (2005) 897,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 38.342 million (2005) 4.606 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations terrestrial stations 43; cable operators 59; relay cable operators 190 (2005) 25 (2003)
Terrain mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Total fertility rate 1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.) 2.81 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.7% (2005 est.) 15.5% (2007 est.)
Waterways 1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006) -
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