Short facts about the geography of Korea, South

Location:

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total:  98,480 sq km land:  98,190 sq km water:  290 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total:  238 km border countries:  North Korea 238 km

Coastline:

2,413 km

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

Climate:

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Sea of Japan 0 m highest point:  Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources:

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land:  19% permanent crops:  2% permanent pastures:  1% forests and woodland:  65% other:  13% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

13,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

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

Source: World Factbook