Korea, South (2007) | Northern Mariana Islands (2001) | |
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) |
none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 4,714,103/female 4,262,873)
15-64 years: 72.1% (male 18,004,719/female 17,346,594) 65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,921,803/female 2,794,698) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
23.55% (male 8,929; female 8,639) 15-64 years: 74.72% (male 26,242; female 29,509) 65 years and over: 1.73% (male 639; female 654) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish | coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle |
Airports | 105 (2007) | 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 68
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: 19 (2007) |
total:
3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 37
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 34 (2007) |
total:
3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km |
total:
477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Indiana | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. 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 Young-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. | Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978. |
Birth rate | 9.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 20.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $219.5 billion
expenditures: $215.7 billion (2006 est.) |
revenues:
$221 million expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7 million (1996) |
Capital | name: Seoul
geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Saipan |
Climate | temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter | tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October |
Coastline | 2,413 km | 1,482 km |
Constitution | 17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987 | Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978 |
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:
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 2.4 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $187.2 billion (2006 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs |
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, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845 |
- |
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 |
- |
Disputes - international | Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $744 million (2005) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | extensive funding from US |
Economy - overview | Since the 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 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 by 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 2006, growth moderated to about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy. | The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions. |
Electricity - consumption | 352.5 billion kWh (2005) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | 366.2 billion kWh (2005) | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing | contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) | Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean |
Exchange rates | South Korean won per US dollar - 955.3 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister HAN Duck-soo (since 2 April 2007); 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 on 19 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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor in a three-way race; percent of vote - Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican Party) 47% |
Exports | 644,100 bbl/day (2004) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals | garments |
Exports - partners | China 21.3%, US 13.3%, Japan 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.9% (2006) | US |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
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 | blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 39.6% services: 57.2% (2006 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2006 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 37 00 N, 127 30 E | 15 12 N, 145 45 E |
Geography - note | strategic location on Korea Strait | strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean |
Heliports | 536 (2007) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | - | total:
362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | 2.83 million bbl/day (2004) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics | food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | Japan 16.8%, China 15.7%, US 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, UAE 4.2% (2006) | US, Japan |
Independence | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) | none (commonwealth in political union with the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (2006 est.) | NA% |
Industries | electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel | tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.2% (2006 est.) | 1.2% (1997 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, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 8,780 sq km (2003) | NA sq km |
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) | Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court |
Labor force | 23.98 million (2006 est.) | 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 6.4%
industry: 26.4% services: 67.2% (2006 est.) |
NA |
Land boundaries | total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 16.58%
permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005) |
arable land:
21% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: 0% other: 60% |
Languages | Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school | English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home |
Legal system | combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP 9, PFP 5, independents 5 note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 and 2006 by-elections; MDP became DP in May 2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006 |
bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 9 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2001); House of Representatives - last held 9 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 6, Democratic Party 2, Reform Party 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 10, Democratic Party 8 note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.23 years
male: 73.81 years female: 80.93 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
75.74 years male: 72.65 years female: 79.02 years (2001 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: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea | Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines |
Map references | Asia | Oceania |
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 |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 738 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,636,466 GRT/17,371,943 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 187, cargo 202, carrier 1, chemical tanker 119, container 81, liquefied gas 26, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 21, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 8 foreign-owned: 22 (China 2, France 8, Japan 1, Sweden 2, UK 1, US 7, Vietnam 1) registered in other countries: 386 (Belize 4, Cambodia 29, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 2, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia 4, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Panama 316, Russia 1, Singapore 7, unknown 4) (2007) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.7% (2006) | - |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) | Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
noun:
NA adjective: NA |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest | active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) |
Natural resources | coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential | arable land, fish |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 [PARK Sang-chun]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup]; People-First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM Dae-pyung]; Uri Party [Chung Sye-kyun] | Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL] |
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 | 49,044,790 (July 2007 est.) | 74,612 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 15% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.394% (2007 est.) | 3.62% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Saipan, Tinian |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | total: 3,472 km
standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006) |
0 km |
Religions | Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census) | Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.106 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.688 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 19 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 26.866 million (2006) | 21,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 40.197 million (2006) | 1,200 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005) | 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south | southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.3% (2006 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | 1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007) | none |