Below we list some basic facts about South Korea, for
a quick reference.
South Korea political facts
Country name (Conventional form): Republic
of Korea, South Korea
Country name local form: Taehan-min'guk,
Han'guk
Abbreviation: ROK
South Korean flag:
The South Korean national flag is called Taegukki and
it has a deep philosophical 
meaning
that originates in the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang.
The Korean flag represents the origin of all things in
the universe and perfect harmony and balance.
The circle in the middle of the Korean flag represents
yin and yang that are the opposite forces of the universe;
yin (dark and cold) is represented by the blue part at
the bottom, while yang (hot and bright) by the red half
on top. The symbols in the four corners, called Kwae (Kun,
Kam, Yi, and Kon), represent the principle of movement
and harmony. The white background of the South Korean
flag represents peace.
South Korea quick facts
Government type: Republic
Capital city: Seoul
Administrative divisions: 7 metropolitan
cities and 9 provinces
South Korea geographical facts
Korean climate: Continental, with cold
and dry winters and hot and humid summers.
Geographical coordinates: 37 00 N, 127
30 E
Area: 99,000 sq km
Natural hazards: Occasional typhoons
bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity
common in southwest
Natural resources: Coal, tungsten, graphite,
molybdenum, lead.
South Korea economic facts
Currency: South Korean Won – KRW
South Korean companies famous worldwide:
LG, Samsung, Hyundai
South Korean GDP: Over 20,000 USD in
2007
South Korean economic
sectors: Service industry (55% of GDP); manufacturing
sector (over 40% GDP); agriculture (about 4% GDP)
South Korea social facts
Population in South Korea: About 50
million people mostly of Korean ethnicity apart from about
20,000 Chinese.
Official Language: Korean
Religions: Christian 26.3% (Protestant
19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or
unknown 1.3%, none 49.3%
South Korea various facts
International sport events hosted: Summer
Olympics in 1988 and Football
World Cup in 2002 (together with Japan). Also in line
to hold the Korean Formula
1 motor racing from 2010.
Telephone country code: 82
Internet country code: .co.kr
