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; 3 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

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; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Desertification

NOTE: The information regarding Korea, South on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Korea, South Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Korea, South Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.