Capital

Republik Korea

name: Seoul; note - Sejong, located some 120 km (75 mi) south of Seoul, is being developed as a new capital geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Republik Korea

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Regierungstyp

Republik Korea

presidential republic

Legal system

Republik Korea

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

Suffrage

Republik Korea

19 years of age; universal

Area

Republik Korea

total: 99,720 sq km land: 96,920 sq km water: 2,800 sq km

Land use

Republik Korea

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

Location

Republik Korea

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

Age structure

Republik Korea

0-14 years: 13.03% (male 3,448,627 /female 3,251,786) 15-24 years: 12.19% (male 3,295,814 /female 2,970,439) 25-54 years: 45.13% (male 11,986,760 /female 11,220,268) 55-64 years: 15.09% (male 3,825,127 /female 3,935,700) 65 years and over: 14.55% (male 3,202,232 /female 4,281,344) (2018 est.)

Birth rate

Republik Korea

8.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death rate

Republik Korea

6.30

Languages

Republik Korea

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

Life expectancy at birth

Republik Korea

82.50

Major urban areas - population

Republik Korea

9.963 million SEOUL (capital), 3.467 million Busan, 2.763 million Incheon, 2.221 million Daegu (Taegu), 1.558 million Daejon (Taejon), 1.518 million Gwangju (Kwangju) (2018)

Median age

Republik Korea

total: 42.3 years male: 40.6 years female: 44 years (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

Republik Korea

31 years (2014 est.)

Net migration rate

Republik Korea

2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Population distribution

Republik Korea

with approximately 70% of the country considered mountainous, the country's population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is quite high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated

Population growth rate

Republik Korea

0.44% (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate

Republik Korea

1.27 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Republik Korea

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Education expenditures

Republik Korea

5.30

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Republik Korea

female: 16 years (2013)

Country Comparison :: GDP - real growth rate

Republik Korea

3.10

Country Comparison :: Gross national saving

Republik Korea

36.60

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Republik Korea

1.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

Republik Korea

$2,035,000,000,000

Industrial production growth rate

Republik Korea

4.60

Country Comparison :: Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

Republik Korea

10.4

Country Comparison :: GDP - per capita (PPP)

Republik Korea

$39,500

Country Comparison :: Labor force

Republik Korea

27,750,000

Country Comparison :: Unemployment rate

Republik Korea

3.70

Labor force

Republik Korea

27,750,000

Population below poverty line

Republik Korea

14.4% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

Republik Korea

3.7% (2017 est.) 3.7% (2016 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

Republik Korea

total: 10.4% male: 11.3% female: 9.7% (2017 est.)

Country Comparison :: Public debt

Republik Korea

39.50

Public debt

Republik Korea

39.50

Country Comparison :: Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Republik Korea

1.90

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Republik Korea

1.90

Country Comparison :: Central bank discount rate

Republik Korea

1.50

Central bank discount rate

Republik Korea

1.50

Country Comparison :: Exports

Republik Korea

$577,400,000,000

Exports

Republik Korea

$577,400,000,000

Exports - partners

Republik Korea

China 25.1%, US 12.2%, Vietnam 8.2%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Japan 4.7% (2017)

Country Comparison :: Imports

Republik Korea

$457,500,000,000

Imports

Republik Korea

$457,500,000,000

Imports - partners

Republik Korea

China 20.5%, Japan 11.5%, US 10.5%, Germany 4.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2017)

Country Comparison :: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

Republik Korea

$230,600,000,000

Country Comparison :: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

Republik Korea

$344,700,000,000

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

Republik Korea

$344.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $358 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

Republik Korea

$230,600,000,000

Country Comparison :: Electricity - production

Republik Korea

526,000,000,000

Country Comparison :: Electricity - consumption

Republik Korea

507,600,000,000

Country Comparison :: Electricity - exports

Republik Korea

2016 est.

Country Comparison :: Electricity - imports

Republik Korea

2016 est.

Country Comparison :: Crude oil - production

Republik Korea

2017 est.

Country Comparison :: Crude oil - exports

Republik Korea

2017 est.

Country Comparison :: Crude oil - imports

Republik Korea

3,057,000

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - production

Republik Korea

339,800,000

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - exports

Republik Korea

2017 est.

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - imports

Republik Korea

48,650,000,000

Country Comparison :: Telephones - fixed lines

Republik Korea

26,842,952

Country Comparison :: Telephones - mobile cellular

Republik Korea

63,658,688

Country Comparison :: Internet users

Republik Korea

44,153,000

Country Comparison :: Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Republik Korea

21,195,918

Country Comparison :: Airports

Republik Korea

111

Country Comparison :: Railways

Republik Korea

3,979

Country Comparison :: Roadways

Republik Korea

100,428

Country Comparison :: Waterways

Republik Korea

1,600

Airports

Republik Korea

111

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Republik Korea

total: 21,195,918 (2017 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

Republik Korea

0

Crude oil - imports

Republik Korea

3.057 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - production

Republik Korea

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Electricity - consumption

Republik Korea

507,600,000,000

Electricity - exports

Republik Korea

0

Electricity - imports

Republik Korea

0

Electricity - production

Republik Korea

526,000,000,000

Internet users

Republik Korea

total: 44.153 million (July 2016 est.)

Natural gas - exports

Republik Korea

0

Natural gas - imports

Republik Korea

48.65 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

Republik Korea

339.8 million cu m (2017 est.)

Railways

Republik Korea

total: 3,979 km (2016) standard gauge: 3,979 km 1.435-m gauge (2,727 km electrified) (2016)

Roadways

Republik Korea

100,428

Telephones - fixed lines

Republik Korea

total subscriptions: 26,842,952 (2017 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Republik Korea

63,658,688

Waterways

Republik Korea

1,600

Disputes - international

Republik Korea

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