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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

multiple national TV networks with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly operated; the largest privately owned network, Seoul Broadcasting Service (SBS), has ties with other commercial TV networks; cable and satellite TV subscription services available; publicly operated radio broadcast networks and many privately owned radio broadcasting networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations (2010)

Internet country code [time series]

.kr

Internet users [time series]

total: 44.9 million | percent of population: 91.5% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 96, FM 322, shortwave 1 (2008)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies | domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available with a combined telephone subscribership of roughly 170 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce | international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 66 (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 29.48 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 57.2 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

57 (plus 103 cable operators and 119 relay cable operators) (2008)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $350.7 billion | expenditures: $337.9 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

0.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Central bank discount rate [time series]

2% (31 December 2014) | 2.5% (31 December 2013) | country comparison to the world: 118

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

4.5% (31 December 2014 est.) | 4.64% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Current account balance [time series]

$89.22 billion (2014 est.) | $81.15 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Debt - external [time series]

$425.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $423.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

30.2 (2013 est.) | 35.8 (2000) | country comparison to the world: 113

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

South Korea over the past four decades has demonstrated incredible economic growth and global integration to become a high-tech industrialized economy. In the 1960s, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion-dollar club of world economies. A system of close government and business ties, including directed credit and import restrictions, initially made this success possible. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods, and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios and massive short-term foreign borrowing. GDP plunged by 7% in 1998, and then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. South Korea adopted numerous economic reforms following the crisis, including greater openness to foreign investment and imports. Growth moderated to about 4% annually between 2003 and 2007. South Korea's export focused economy was hit hard by the 2008 global economic downturn, but quickly rebounded in subsequent years, reaching over 6% growth in 2010. The US-Korea Free Trade Agreement was ratified by both governments in 2011 and went into effect in March 2012. Between 2012 and 2014, the economy experienced slow growth due to sluggish domestic consumption and investment. The administration in 2015 is likely to face the challenge of balancing heavy reliance on exports with developing domestic-oriented sectors, such as services. The South Korean economy's long-term challenges include a rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, dominance of large conglomerates (chaebols), and the heavy reliance on exports, which comprise about half of GDP. In an effort to address the long term challenges and sustain economic growth, the current government has prioritized structural reforms, deregulation, promotion of entrepreneurship and creative industries, and the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises.

Exchange rates [time series]

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - | 1,053 (2014 est.) | 1,095 (2013 est.) | 1,126.47 (2012 est.) | 1,108.29 (2011 est.) | 1,156.1 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$572.7 billion (2014 est.) | $559.6 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Exports - commodities [time series]

semiconductors, petrochemicals, automobile/auto parts, ships, wireless communication equipment, flat display displays, steel, electronics, plastics, computers

Exports - partners [time series]

China 25.4%, US 12.3%, Japan 5.6%, Hong Kong 4.8%, Singapore 4.2% (2014 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$1.41 trillion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$1.781 trillion (2014 est.) | $1.724 trillion (2013 est.) | $1.676 trillion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 14

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 2.3% | industry: 38.3% | services: 59.4% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$35,300 (2014 est.) | $34,100 (2013 est.) | $33,200 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 46

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.3% (2014 est.) | 2.9% (2013 est.) | 2.3% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Gross national saving [time series]

35.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | 34.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | 34.2% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 6.8% | highest 10%: 37.8% (Q4 2014)

Imports [time series]

$525.5 billion (2014 est.) | $515.6 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Imports - commodities [time series]

crude oil/petroleum products, semiconductors, natural gas, coal, steel, computers, wireless communication equipment, automobiles, fine chemical, textiles

Imports - partners [time series]

China 17.1%, Japan 10.2%, US 8.7%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Qatar 4.9%, Germany 4.1% (2014 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Industries [time series]

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (2014 est.) | 1.3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Labor force [time series]

26.27 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 5.7% | industry: 24% | services: 70.4% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$1.269 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.193 trillion (31 December 2013) | $1.121 trillion (28 December 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Population below poverty line [time series]

14.6% (2013 est.)

Public debt [time series]

34.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | 33.8% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$363.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $346.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Stock of broad money [time series]

$1.973 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.754 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$278.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $254.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$152.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $140.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$1.187 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.055 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$556.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $470.9 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

24.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.5% (2014 est.) | 3.1% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

688.3 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Crude oil - imports [time series]

2.949 million bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl | country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - consumption [time series]

474.8 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

69.6% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

1.7% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

26.8% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

1.9% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

86.97 million kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12

Electricity - production [time series]

517.1 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

53.15 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - imports [time series]

46.26 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - production [time series]

515 million cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

5.748 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

2.261 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

1.182 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

911,700 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

2.745 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 99,720 sq km | land: 96,920 sq km | water: 2,800 sq km | country comparison to the world: 109

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Indiana

Climate [time series]

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters

Coastline [time series]

2,413 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 25.47 cu km/yr (26%/12%/62%) | per capita: 548.7 cu m/yr (2003)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location on Korea Strait

Irrigated land [time series]

8,804 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 237 km | border countries (1): North Korea 237 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 18.1% | arable land 15.3%; permanent crops 2.2%; permanent pasture 0.6% | forest: 63.9% | other: 18% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: not specified

Natural hazards [time series]

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest | volcanism: Halla (elev. 1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

69.7 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 provinces (do, singular and plural), 6 metropolitan cities (gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), 1 special city (teugbyeolsi), and 1 special self-governing city (teukbyeoljachisi) | provinces: Chungbuk (North Chungcheong), Chungnam (South Chungcheong), Gangwon, Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam (South Gyeongsang), Jeju, Jeonbuk (North Jeolla), Jeonnam (South Jeolla) | metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan | special city: Seoul | special self-governing city: Sejong

Capital [time series]

name: Seoul | geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E | time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

effective 17 July 1948; amended several times, last in 1987 (2013)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Korea | conventional short form: South Korea | local long form: Taehan-min'guk | local short form: Han'guk | abbreviation: ROK

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark William LIPPERT (since 21 November 2014) | embassy: 188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 | mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, Unit | telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 | FAX: [82] (2) 725-0152

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador AHN Ho-young (since 7 June 2013) | chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 | FAX: [1] (202) 797-0595 | consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President PARK Geun-hye (since 25 February 2013) | head of government: Prime Minister HWANG Kyo-ahn (since 18 June 2015); Deputy Prime Ministers HWANG Woo-yea (since 7 November 2014), CHOI Kyung-hwan (since 13 June 2014) | cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation | elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; election last held on 19 December 2012 (next to be held in December 2017); prime minister appointed by president, approved by National Assembly | election results: PARK Geun-Hye elected president; percent of vote - PARK Geun-Hye (NFP) 51.6%, MOON Jae-In (DUP) 48%, other 0.4%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field; the South Korean national flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; the blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of the yin, while the red symbolizes the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram (kwae) denotes one of the four universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court of South Korea (consists of a chief justice and 13 justices); Constitutional Court (consists of a court head and 8 justices) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; other justices appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the chief justice and consent of the National Assembly; position of the chief justice is a 6-year non-renewable term; other justices serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 3 by the president, 3 by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Supreme Court chief justice; court head serves until retirement at age 70, while other justices serve 6-year renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65 | subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Branch Courts (organized under the District Courts); specialized courts for family and administrative issues

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral National Assembly or Kuk Koe (300 seats; 246 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 54 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 11 April 2012 (next to be held in April 2016) | election results: percent of vote by party - NFP 42.8%, DUP 36.5%, UPP 10.3%, LFP 3.2%, other 7.2%; seats by party - NFP 152, DUP 127, UPP 13, LFP 5, independent 3 | note: seats by negotiation group as of August 2015 - NFP 160, NPAD 130, Justice Party 5, Independents 3; note - 2 seats are vacant

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Aegukga" (Patriotic Song) | lyrics/music: YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay | note: adopted 1948, well-known by 1910; both North Korea's and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics

National holiday [time series]

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

National symbol(s) [time series]

taegeuk (yin yang symbol), Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon); national colors: red, white, blue, black

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Justice Party [CHEON Ho-sun] | Liberty Forward Party or LFP (merged with NFP in October 2012) | New Frontier Party (NFP) or Saenuri (formerly Grand National Party) [KIM Moo-sung] | New Politics Alliance for Democracy or NPAD [MOON Jae-in] (merger of the Democratic Party or DP (formerly DUP) [KIM Han-gil] and the New Political Vision Party or NPVP [AHN Cheol-soo] in March 2014) | Unified Progressive Party or UPP (disbanded in December 2014)

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

19 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a democratic-based government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style government was installed in the north (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a DPRK invasion supported by China and the Soviet Union. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his regime, from 1961 to 1979, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former ROK Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam (1993-98) became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine" policy of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former ROK President PARK Chung-hee, took office in February 2013 and is South Korea's first female leader. South Korea held a non-permanent seat (2013-14) on the UN Security Council and will host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Discord with North Korea has permeated inter-Korean relations for much of the past decade, highlighted by the North's attacks on a South Korean ship and island in 2010, multiple nuclear and missile tests, and a five-month closure of the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex in 2013.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 13,185,794 | females age 16-49: 12,423,496 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 10,864,566 | females age 16-49: 10,168,709 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 365,760 | female: 321,225 (2010 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2011)

Military expenditures [time series]

2.8% of GDP (2012) | 2.77% of GDP (2011) | 2.8% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 25

Military service age and obligation [time series]

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; HIV-positive individuals are exempt from military service (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 13.69% (male 3,489,464/female 3,232,372) | 15-24 years: 13.52% (male 3,518,488/female 3,122,997) | 25-54 years: 46.63% (male 11,687,846/female 11,214,687) | 55-64 years: 13.14% (male 3,190,093/female 3,264,411) | 65 years and over: 13.02% (male 2,662,353/female 3,732,485) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

8.19 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

0.6% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 135

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

80% | note: percent of women aged 15-44 (2009)

Death rate [time series]

6.75 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 37.2% | youth dependency ratio: 19.2% | elderly dependency ratio: 18% | potential support ratio: 5.6% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.9% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 75

Ethnic groups [time series]

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

7.2% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 69

Hospital bed density [time series]

10.3 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Languages [time series]

Korean, English (widely taught in junior high and high school)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 80.04 years | male: 76.95 years | female: 83.34 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Major urban areas - population [time series]

SEOUL (capital) 9.774 million; Busan (Pusan) 3.216 million; Incheon (Inch'on) 2.685 million; Daegu (Taegu) 2.244 million; Daejon (Taejon) 1.564 million; Gwangju (Kwangju) 1.536 million (2015)

Median age [time series]

total: 40.8 years | male: 39.2 years | female: 42.2 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Korean(s) | adjective: Korean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

6.3% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 139

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

2.14 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population [time series]

49,115,196 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Population growth rate [time series]

0.14% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Religions [time series]

Christian 31.6% (Protestant 24%, Roman Catholic 7.6%), Buddhist 24.2%, other or unknown 0.9%, none 43.3% (2010 survey)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 17 years | male: 18 years | female: 16 years (2012)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.25 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 9% | male: 9.7% | female: 8.5% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 82.5% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.66% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limit Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

stateless persons: 204 (2014)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

111 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 53

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 71 | over 3,047 m: 4 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 | 914 to 1,523 m: 13 | under 914 m: 23 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 40 | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 | 38 (2013)

Heliports [time series]

466 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 786 | by type: bulk carrier 191, cargo 235, carrier 8, chemical tanker 130, container 72, liquefied gas 44, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 55, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 10, vehicle carrier 6 | foreign-owned: 31 (China 6, France 2, Japan 14, Taiwan 1, US 8) | registered in other countries: 457 (Bahamas 1, Cambodia 10, Ghana 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Kiribati 1, Liberia 2, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 41, North Korea 1, Panama 373, Philippines 1, Russia 1, Singapore 3, Tuvalu 1, unknown 8) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 14

Pipelines [time series]

gas 2,216 km; oil 16 km; refined products 889 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Busan, Incheon, Gunsan, Kwangyang, Mokpo, Pohang, Ulsan, Yeosu | container port(s) (TEUs): Busan (16,163,842), Kwangyang (2,061,958), Incheon (1,924,644) | LNG terminal(s) (import): Incheon, Kwangyang, Pyeongtaek, Samcheok, Tongyeong, Yeosu

Railways [time series]

total: 3,460 km | standard gauge: 3,460 km 1.435-m gauge (1,422 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 52

Roadways [time series]

total: 104,983 km | paved: 83,199 km (includes 3,779 km of expressways) | unpaved: 21,784 km (2009) | country comparison to the world: 44

Waterways [time series]

1,600 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 50

Korea, South