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.

• Population: 48,289,037
• Ethnic Groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
• Religions: Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, other 1%

Geography:

• Area: total: 98,480 sq km. water: 290 sq km, land: 98,190 sq km
• Borders: North Korea
• Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
• Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

• South Korea National Tourism Organization
• Embassy of South Korea, USA,
• South Korea History and Culture
• Korea Times, Online Newspaper

• Industries: electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

• Imports: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

• Exports: electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish