Geography

Economics

Demographics

Military

Politics

Surface

Surface (in square kilometers)

Surface (in square miles)

Surface (water)

Water Surface (in square kilometers)

Water Surface (in square miles)

Share of water (%)

Temperature

Average temperature (in Celcius)

Average temperature (in Farenheit)

Average high temperature (in Celcius)

Average high temperature (in Farenheit)

Average low temperature (in Celcius)

Average low temperature (in Farenheit)

Rainfall

Average rainfall (mm)

Average rainfall (inch)

Distance to other capitals (kilometers)

Distance to other capitals (miles)

Proximity

Economic organizations

Gross Domestic Product (US$)

Gross Domestic Product per capita

Amount of memberships (economic organizations)

Absolute earnings for every 1$

Relative earnings

GDP in PPP per capita (in US$)

 

GDP in PPP per capita

Gross Domestic product (in million US$)

GDP per capita (in US$)

Surface GDP

GDP per square kilometer (in US$)

GDP per square mile(in US$)

Relative GDP in PPP

Population

Population density

Emigration

Immigration

Literacy

Health

Population density (in km2)

Population density (in mi2)

Religion

Christianity (share of the total population)

Islam (share of the total population)

Buddhism (share of the total population)

Hinduism (share of the total population)

Judaism (share of the total population)

Other religions (share of the total population)

Non-religious (share of the total population)

Military spending (in % of GDP)

Military spending

In total, South Korea spends US$45.945 million or 2.9 percent of its GDP on its military. This makes South Korea the 10th highest military spender in the world and represents 2.4 percent of total global military expenditure. 

Following the second world war, South Korea erected the Republic of Korea Armed Forces which consists of a Navy, an Air force and ground forces. Because of its economic development as well as its technological development, the South Korean military has some of the most modern armies in the world. Its main task is to secure its border with North Korea which has made several attempts to infiltrate its border. Other activities are mainly in regards to peacekeeping missions mandated by the United Nations.

Military membership

South Korea is also a member of 8 international military organizations. This makes it the 46th most militarily connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Conference on Disarmament 
  • Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons 
  • Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 
  • Wassenaar Arrangement 
  • Nuclear Suppliers Group 
  • Missile Technology Control Regime 
  • International Atomic Energy Agency 
  • Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization 

Military membership

International wars

South Korea fought in 3 international wars. These are: 

  • Korean conflict 1945-present 
  • Korean War 1950-1953 
  • Vietnam War 1955-1975 

Number of international wars fought

Military spending (in US$ million)

Membership (international political organizations)

In total, South Korea is a member of 15 international political organizations. This makes it the 46th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Member state of the United Nations 
  • International Labour Organization 
  • Asia Cooperation Dialogue 
  • Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia 
  • Colombo Plan 
  • Asian–African Legal Consultative Organization 
  • International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property 
  • UNIDROIT 
  • International Criminal Court 

Political Membership

Democracy/dictatorship rating

Despite its historical rotations between electoral representation and military doctrine, South Korea has remained stable over the last 30 years. Regular elections have taken place with peaceful transitions of power which ranks South Korea as the 26th most democratic state in the world. However, some pro-North Korean activities, corruption and a large influence by the financial and business sector on politics impede its democracy. 

Democracy/Dictatorship

The politics of South Korea are in form the of a presidential republic where the president is head of state as well as head of government. Since the division with North Korea after the second world war, the politics of South Korea has made large changes throughout the 20th century. After initially being under the rule of the United States, its first Republic was established in 1948. However, after the Korean War, a new government was formed after heavy clashes in the 1960’s. The new government was overthrown during a coup that lasted until 1963 when South Korea returned to a presidential system. This republic lasted until 1972 when the government of South Korea was dissolved by the military of South Korea in 1972. Military rule continued until 1987 when a civilian government returned which has been in power to this day. 

  • Interpol 

  • Permanent Court of Arbitration 

  • Global Green Growth Institute 

  • Association of World Election Bodies 

  • World Organization for Animal Health 

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If you want to know more about other states, click on the flag on the right to discover South Sudan.

South Korea 

Known for its fermented food, low birth rate as well as being one of the central conflicts during the Cold War, South Korea has transformed itself into an economic powerhouse. In its early history, the area was inhabited by the Korean people which came under the rule of China during the seventh century BC. After expelling the Chinese, South Korea mainly came under the rule of several smaller kingdoms which became two kingdoms, the Baekje and the Silla kingdom by the fifth century. From the eight century until the 10th century, the Silla kingdom became the dominant ruler over South Korea. However, these kingdoms were finally united by the Goryeo dynasty in the 10th century which covers most of the Korean Peninsula. At the end of the 14th century, the Goryeo dynasty was overthrown by the Joseon which ruled until the start of the 20th century when it became a vassal state to Imperial Japan. After Japan lost the second world war, the Korean Peninsula was divided up into a Soviet controlled north and a US controlled South which was divided among the 38th parallel. However, in 1950, the leader of North Korea decided to invade South Korea and almost fully conquered South Korea with the exception of a small patch of land to its southeast. After a military intervention by the United States, South Korea was able to regain its land and has taken large parts of North Korea as well. As a result of the military intervention by the Chinese, North Korea had regained much of its lost territory and by 1953, both sides agreed upon a cease-fire and the establishment of a demilitarized zone. After 1953, South Korea started to transform its economy and has become one of the most developed economies of Asia. .

 Located on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, the geography of South Korea mainly consists of high mountains that run along its eastern coast which descend into low lying mountains in its center and along its western coast. Most of its terrain is densely forested with the exception of large patches of flat terrain which are mainly used for agriculture. In total, South Korea borders one other state which is North Korea. 

It is the 107th largest state with a total surface area of 100.711 square kilometers or 38.883 square miles. This makes South Korea slightly smaller than Hungary and slightly larger than Iceland. 

It has a total water surface area of 303 square kilometers or 117 square miles. This makes South Korea the 125th largest state in the world. 

 

Below, a graph is shown which displays the absolute amount of water of each state in square kilometers and square miles.

Because of its mountainous terrain, South Korea is home to numerous small rivers and lakes which flow throughout its territory. Most of its drinking water is derived from groundwater which is considered to be among the safest in the world. 

Despite being surrounded by sea, South Korea mainly has a continental climate with four distinct seasons. Its winters are heavily influenced by the extreme freezing temperatures from Russia to the north and can be very cold and dry. Its summers are considered to be hot and humid and the see a low amount of sunshine throughout this period. The average temperature is 11.8 degrees Celsius or 53 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes South Korea the 144th warmest state in the world. 

The average high temperature is 16.5 degrees Celsius or 62 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The average low temperature is 7.4 degrees Celsius or 45.3 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Rainfall is fairly evenly spread out throughout South Korea. It mainly occurs during its summer season when the water from its surrounding seas collides with the cooler air from the mainland. On average, South Korea receives 13.2 centimetres or 51.3 inches of rainfall per year which ranks it as the 64th highest in the world. 

The capital of South Korea, Seoul, is home to approximately 10 million people. The closest capital is Pyongyang, North Korea, with a distance of 201 kilometers or 125 miles. The capital that is the furthest removed is Montevideo, Uruguay, with a distance of 19.629 kilometers or 12.197 miles.  

Following the war with North Korea and the establishment of a cease-fire, South Korea has made one of the largest economic growths throughout human history. Within 40 years, it's transformed itself from a developing economy into one of the most developed economies in the world. This is mainly done with the development of its tech sector which has become the second largest tech sector in the world. Most of these products are exported to China which is solely responsible for 25 percent of all exports. Most of its imports comes from China and the United States which combined represent just over 30 percent of all imports. 

South Korea is a member of 16 international economic organizations. This makes it the 39th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • African development Bank 

  • Asian Development Bank 

  • Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 

  • Financial Action Task Force 

  • Inter-American Development Bank 

  • International Energy Agency 

  • International Monetary Fund 

  • OECD - Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development   

  • World Bank Group 

  • World Customs Organization 

  • World Trade Organization 

  • Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 

  • Central American Bank for Economic Integration 

  • International Energy Agency 

  • Nuclear Energy Agency 

  • G20 

It has a GDP of US$1.602.704 million, which makes it the 12th highest in the world and represents 1.9 percent of total global GDP.  

Its GDP per surface area is the 15th highest in the world with US$15.913.882 per square kilometer or US$41.218.146 per square mile.  

Its GDP per capita is the 30th highest in the world with US$31.080. 

The absolute earnings (GDP per capita) reflect the average yearly income. The figure below shows how much, on average, an inhabitant of another state earns for every $1 earned by a citizen of this state.

Its purchasing power parity per capita is the 30th highest in the world with US$42.278. 

The relative Gross Domestic Product in Purchasing Power Parity compares the purchasing power of this state with that of the rest of the world. The graph on the left shows how much purchasing power of 1$ compared to the purchasing power of other states

South Korea is the 27th most populous state in the world with a total population of 51.6 million people. The vast majority is ethnically Korean which has Korean as their official language. 

It has the 16th highest population density in the world with 511 people per square kilometer or 1322 people per square mile.  

Around 4.4 percent of the population, or nearly 2.3 million people have migrated to other states. This makes South Korea the 28th state with the highest number of emigrants and represents 0.9 percent of total global emigration. The main destination has been the United States which is solely responsible for more than 45 percent of all migrants. The main reason has been economic, with a lack of job opportunities for a highly educated population, as well as enduring tensions with North Korea. 

Immigration to South Korea has been limited, but it has been slowly opened up due to a high labour shortage. Currently, 1.1 million people, or 2.15 percent of the population has migrated to South Korea which makes it the 37th state with the highest number of immigrants and represents 0.45 percent of total global immigration. The largest supplier of migrants has been China which is solely responsible for roughly 60 percent of all migrants. 

With a total literacy rate of 97.9 percent, South Korea is the 58th most literate state in the world. its education is free and compulsory between the ages of six and 16 and is socially seen as necessary and highly regarded. This has led to South Korea having one of the highest educated labour forces in the world. 

The health care system of South Korea has developed significantly over the last four decades and is currently a high the developed healthcare system. The health threats that South Korea faces are mainly related to an aging population and age-related diseases. The average life expectancy is 83.52 years which is the 31st highest in the world. Women have an average life expectancy of 86.42 years, while men have an average life expectancy of 80.5 years. 

The government of South Korea provides freedom of religion towards all religions and its Constitution prevents any form of discrimination between religions. 

South Korea is ranked as the 138th most Christian state in the world with 24.5 percent of the population adhering to Christianity. The largest denominations are divided between Catholicism and Protestantism and has been introduced into South Korea at the start of the 17th century through its contacts with the Chinese. 

Islam has been introduced in South Korea during the 10th century when Muslim traders arrived in South Korea. This number has remained relatively low, but grew at the end of the 20th century with the help of immigration from Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh due to labour shortages. Today, Islam represents 0.2 percent of the population which makes it the 151st most Islamic state in the world. 

Buddhism is represented by 15.3 percent of the population and has arrived in South Korea through contacts with China. However, contrary to other Buddhist religions, South Korea has developed its own form of Buddhism which is derived from the Mahayana denomination. 

Hinduism is represented by 0.04 percent of the population and is mainly represented by migrants from India and Nepal. 

Judaism is represented by 0.03 percent of the population and mainly consists of Korean converts. 

Other religions are represented by 0.7 percent of the population and are mainly related to local Korean religions such as Shamanism and other semi religious movements that are also considered to be cultural movements. 

Irreligion is represented by 31.08 percent of the population and is the largest group in South Korea.