Location
The Korean Peninsula is located in North-East Asia.
It is bordered by the Amnok River (Yalu River) to
the northwest, separating Korea from China, and the
Duman River (Tumen River) to the northeast which separates
Korea from both China and Russia. The country itself
is flanked by the Yellow Sea to its west and the East
Sea to the east. There are several notable islands
that surround the country including Jeju-do, Ulleung-do
and Dok-do (Liancourt Rocks).
The Korean peninsula is roughly 1,030 km (612 miles)
long and 175 km (105 miles) wide at its narrowest
point. The land area is 99,200 sq km (38,301 square
miles), and it has a population wof 48.9 million people
(2006). Because of its unique geographical location,
Korea is a very viable piece of land and an international
hub of Asia.
Geographical
Make-up
Mountains cover 70% of Korea's land mass, making
it one of the most mountainous regions in the
world. The lifting and folding of Korea¡¯s granite
and limestone base create a breathtaking landscape
of scenic hills and valleys. The mountain range
that stretches the length of the east coast falls
steeply into the East Sea, while along the southern
and western coasts, the mountains descend gradually
to the coastal plains that produce the bulk of
Korea¡¯s agricultural crops, especially rice.
Division
of the 38th Parallel
The Korean peninsula is divided just slightly
north of the 38th parallel. The democratic Republic
of Korea in the south and the communist government
of North Korea are separated by a demilitarized
zone.
Geographic
position
- Between 33¢ª and 43¢ª north latitude,
and 124¢ª and 131¢ª east longitude (including
North Korea)
Highest
mountains in S. Korea
- Hallasan on Jeju Island, 1,950 meters
(6400 ft); Jirisan, 1,915 meters (6,283
ft); and Seoraksan, 1,708 meters (5,604
ft)
Rivers
- Nakdonggang, 522 km (324 miles); Hangang,
494 km (307 miles); Geumgang, 396 km (246
miles)
Economic
status (2006)
- GNI US $ 887.3 billion; GNI per capita
US $ 18,372
