The Korean peninsula extends southward from the eastern end of the Asian continent. The peninsula is roughly 1,030 km (612 miles) long and 175 km (105 miles) wide at its narrowest point. 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 has created breathtaking landscapes of scenic hills and valleys. The mountain range that stretches the length of the east coast plunges 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.

The Korean peninsula is divided just slightly north of the 38th parallel. The democratic Republic of Korea in the south and communist North Korea are separated by a demilitarized zone.

Administratively, the Republic of Korea consists of nine provinces; the capital Seoul; and the six metropolitan cities of Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon and Ulsan. In total, there are 77 cities and 88 counties.

The Republic of Korea achieved what is widely acclaimed as "the Economic Miracle on the Han River" in the short period of three decades. Economic development began in earnest in 1962 and since then the speed of growth has accelerated. As a result, once a poor agriculture-oriented nation transformed itself into a fast industrializing country.

In only thirty years from 1962 to 1997, Korea's GNP (Gross National Product) soared from US$2.3 billion to US$ 437.4 billion, with per capita GNP jumping from US $87 to around US $9,511 at current price levels. This was attributable to the government's adoption of an outward-looking development strategy that made exports the growth engine of Korea. A strategy that tapped into the abundant and industrious workforce and expanded limited domestic markets, taking into account Korea's lack of natural resources.

Korea's rapid development is extraordinary when we look back on Korea in the early 1960's. The Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945 devastated Korea as the Japanese ruthlessly exploited the nation's resources. The Korean economy further deteriorated as the Korean War broke out in 1950, which lasted for three years. Korea had to rise from the ashes of war, and even in 1961, the country was plagued by many problems commonly faced by less developed countries.

However, from the 1960's, the government instituted sweeping economic reforms emphasizing exports and labor-intensive light industries. It carried out currency reform, strengthened financial institutions, and introduced flexible economic planning. Korea's rapid and sustained development can be ascribed to a peculiar combination of social and economic factors: the high level of industriousness and literacy among the people, the introduction in the early 1960s of economic reforms, the gradual removal of import barriers, the extreme flexibility of economic management, the close cooperation between government and private industry, and the autonomy of the banking system and the development of an efficient financial market.

Today, dynamic Korea pulsates with life and vitality, embracing both modernity and tradition. Korea is striving to become a modern and advanced country while preserving thousands of years of tradition. In the 21st century, Korea is committed to becoming the hub of Northeast Asia.

The Korean flag is called Taegeukgi. Its design symbolizes the principles of Eum and Yang in Oriental philosophy. The circle in the center of the flag is divided into two equal parts. The upper red section represents the positive cosmic forces of Yang, while the lower blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of Eum. These two forces together embody the concepts of continual movement, balance and harmony that characterize infinity. The circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in each corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of the four universal elements: heaven, earth, sun (or fire) and moon (or water). The white background represents peace, and also stands for the purity and homogeneity of the Korean people.

The national flower of Korea is the rose of Sharon, or Mugunghwa as it is called in Korean.

Every year from July to October, a profusion of Mugunghwa grace the entire country. They are remarkably tenacious and able to withstand both blight and insects. Mugung means immortality, and hwa means flower, thus it is a flower symbolizing the immortality, determination and perseverance of the Korean people.

The Korean Peninsula, which lies on the northeastern edge of the Asian continent, shares its northern border with China and Russia and juts toward Japan to the southeast. The highest peak is Baekdu mountain in North Korea, which rises 2,744 meters above sea level along the northern border facing China. This mountain is regarded as an important symbol of the Korean spirit and is featured in Korea's national anthem.

The second highest mountain is the 1,950-meter Halla mountain in South Korea. The peninsula has a significant number of rivers, including the Hangang (514 km) and Nakdonggang (525 km), both in South Korea, and the Amnokgang (Yalu, 790 km) and Dumangang (Tumen, 521 km), both in North Korea. Considering its territorial size, the peninsula has a relatively large number of rivers and streams. Except for its northern area, seas surround Korea on three sides, with some 3,400 islands dotting the coastline.

Korea is roughly 1,000 kilometers long and encompasses a total of 222,154 square kilometers (South Korea - 99,392 sq. km; North Korea - 122,762 sq. km). It is nearly the same size as Britain and a little larger than Portugal. Excluding some plains in the southwestern area, approximately 70 percent of South Korea is mountainous. Along the southern and western coasts, the mountains descend gradually to the coastal plains.

The Republic of Korea is home to 48.28 million people (as of 2004). Administratively, Korea consists of nine provinces, one special municipality - Seoul, and the six metropolitan cities of Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejon and Ulsan. Seoul, the capital of Korea, is divided into 25 gu, or wards.

The Korean Peninsula, which is situated on the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent, lies between 33�� and 43�� north latitude. With the Taebaek mountain range forming the backbone of the Korean Peninsula, Korea has a diverse climate in spite of its small size. It lies in the temperate zone, and has four distinct seasons as well as diverse topography.

Although Korea has the general characteristics of a continental climate having monsoonal weather in the summer, it is bitterly cold and dry in the winter due primarily to the Siberian air mass. Torrential rains fall during the rainy season that begins in late June, often causing severe damage to property and loss of life. It is hot and humid in July and August due mainly to the maritime Pacific high. The transitional seasons, spring and autumn, are generally sunny and clear, although they are short in comparison with winter and summer and have distinct weather patterns.

 Spring
Mostly clear and dry days. Temperature ranges from 16'C to 19'C in May.

 Summer
Hot and humid. Temperatures range from 23'C to 27'C in August. Daytime highs are usually over 30'C in mid-summer. Also, two to three typhoons usually hit Korea during this season. 50 to 60 percent of the annual precipitation comes in summer. Monsoon season (heavy rain season) starts in June and lasts about 30 days. Humidity is high in both July and August.

 Fall
A little cooler than spring but still mostly clear and dry days. Temperatures range from 11'C to 19'C in October.

 Winter
Cold and dry. January is the coldest month of the year. Temperatures range from -6'C to 7'C in January. Most of the snowfall occurs in mountainous areas with little snow in urban areas.

In 1443, King Sejong promoted the creation of an alphabet for writing that could simply and accurately convey the sound of the spoken language. Originally known as Hunminjeongeum, or " the correct sounds for the instruction of the people," it is an easy-to-learn phonetic alphabet that enabled the common people to express themselves in writing. Hangeul, as the alphabet has come to be known, is unique among the world's writing systems as its creation is well documented, including the date it originated and the names of the people who invented it. And it was created without any direct influence from already existing writing systems to become the national written language. Hangeul has contributed greatly to enriching Korean literature.

Although Korea's first kingdom, Gojoseon, was founded in 2333 B.C., it is presumed that mankind began to inhabit the Korean Peninsula several centuries earlier. The ideology of the Gojoseon Kingdom was characterized by the devotion to the welfare of mankind. Gojoseon's rule of the peninsula lasted some 2,400 years.

Data available to date indicates that the Three Kingdoms - Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla - lasted from 57 B.C. to 668 A.D. Goguryeo, which was the first to be founded, occupied the largest part of the peninsula. Its territory encompassed the northern part of the peninsula, which is now North Korea, and Manchuria. As such, Goguryeo was the most powerful of the Three Kingdoms. Baekje and Silla were established in the central and southern parts of the peninsula that is now South Korea. Wiryeseong, the capital of Baekje, was established in the area that is now Seongnam, a satellite city southeast of Seoul. Silla unified the kingdoms of the central and southern part of the peninsula later, ushering in the Unified Silla period. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram were built during the Unified Silla period. Meanwhile, Balhae, the kingdom that succeeded Goguryeo in part of Manchuria and the northern part of the peninsula, lasted for some 230 years.

Goryeo was founded in 918 after the fall of Unified Silla. The name "Korea" comes from Goryeo, as foreigners began to call the kingdom "Korea". The peninsula suffered frequent foreign invasions after Goryeo developed relations with other countries. Of particular note, Mongols and Khitans invaded on many occasions. Among the numerous cultural legacies of the Goryeo Dynasty are the internationally renowned blue-green inlaid celadon pottery and the world 's very first metal type.

The Joseon Dynasty was established in 1392 after the fall of Goryeo. Joseon adopted Neo-Confucianism as its state ideology. It put in place acentralized political structure based on the yangban (noble) class. Class distinction between the upper and lower classes was strictly enforced. The vast majority of the population belonged to the so-called middle class. The hereditary system of these people was again divided into peasants, artisans and merchants. Moral, ethical and social principles prescribed by Neo-Confucian codes of conduct were enforced along the extended family system to strengthen the status of the yangban class. The family system and moral and social codes were thoroughly based on Confucian codes of conduct. Under the extended family system, the head of a family exerted absolute control over his family in line with Confucian traditions. The head of the family represented and controlled his family and performed rites for his ancestors.

Because Buddhism was suppressed, few Buddhist works of art, such as those produced during the Silla and Goryeo periods, were created during the Joseon era.

However, Joseon's political and social stability, along with the buildup of national strength, enabled the kingdom to produce outstanding cultural and academic achievements. Of special note, academic activities in this era made significant headway as Neo-Confucianism became a source of politics, society and culture.

After emerging victorious from the Sino-Japanese War, Japan set its sights on taking over Korea. Korea lost its sovereignty with Japan's annexation of the country in 1910. Korea regained its independence in 1945 with Japan's defeat in World War II.

Korea's first President Syngman Rhee ruled South Korea for 12 years until 1960 when he was forced out of the presidency.

Then President Park Jung Hee established an iron rule after suppressing the rising popular aspirations for democracy. He pushed ahead with economic development, promoting Saemaul (New Community) projects designed to raise the income levels of people and foster long-term national development.

Korea began to be recognized globally when it hosted the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Summer Olympics. The co-hosting of the FIFA 2002 World Cup with Japan also put Korea on the map once again.

Hanbok is a comprehensive term used to describe Korean traditional clothing. Today, hanbok is worn mostly on special occasions, and is divided into categories based on its function.

Hanbok is characterized by its simple line and elegance. Women' s hanbok is comprised of a wrap-around skirt and a jacket. Females' hanbok is often called chima-jeogori, chima being the Korean word for skirt and jeogori the word for jacket. Men's hanbok consists of a short jacket and pants, called baji, that are roomy and bound at the ankles. A long coat of a similar cut called durumagi is worn on top of the hanbok.

To wear traditional hanbok, one needs to follow complex rules and pay meticulous attention to the details. For this reason, a simplified version of hanbok was introduced for daily use, which incorporates simplicity and convenience. An increasing number of people want to express their individuality by wearing something that combines traditional beauty and modern simplicity. The modern version comes in a wide variety of styles and fabrics.

A diverse array of foods and dishes can be found throughout Korea. Korea was once primarily an agricultural nation, and Koreans cultivated rice as their staple food since ancient times. These days Korean cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of wild greens and vegetables. Various fermented and preserved foods, such as kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), jeotgal (matured seafood with salt) and doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) are notable for their unique flavor and high nutritional value. The prominent feature of a Korean table setting is that all dishes are served at the same time.
　

Korean traditional dance, much like traditional music, can be divided into court dance and folk dance. Court dance includes jeongjaemu, dances performed at banquets, and ilmu, the line dances performed in Confucian rituals. Folk dance can be divided into religious dances led by monks and secular dances. Whereas the highly stylized court dances display dimensions of discipline, grandeur and elegance, folk dances, especially mask dances, exhibit spontaneity, humor, freedom and satire.

Korean traditional music can be broadly divided into jeongak (court music), which has an intellectual emphasis, and minsogak (folk music), which is full of emotional expression. The former is closely related to the culture of the royal family and the upper class, the latter belonging more to the common people. Most court music moves at a slow pace, sometimes so slow that a single beat can take up to three seconds. As a result, the mood of this music is static, meditative, and reposeful. However, folk music, such as farmer's music, pansori and musok (shaman's ritual music), is characterized by dynamic rhythm patterns.

A major characteristic of Korean traditional painting is its unique Oriental lines and colors that are seldom found in orthodox Western painting. Ancient tomb murals manifest traits of early Korean painting. The murals in the Three Kingdoms tombs depict the dynamism and lifestyle of Koreans during ancient times. In the Goryeo period when Buddhism blossomed, the arts flourished as well, particularly Buddhist painting and sculpture, and many impressive works from this time can be seen at Buddhist temples today. During the Joseon Dynasty, painting was influenced by Chinese art. Folk paintings, or minhwa, were popular among the masses and abound with satire and humor.

Handicrafts and ceramics made great headway following the introduction of Buddhism to Korea. In the Goryeo Dynasty, elegant jade green celadon became the mainstream ceramics. Plain celadon reached its zenith of refinement around the first half of the 12th century. Whereas Goryeo celadon has novelty, Joseon ceramics are infused with subtlety and naturalness, evoking the sentiments of humble, common people. Joseon white porcelain embodies the characteristics of the Korean people who prefer simplicity and the color white.

Seoul has been the capital of Korea for about 600 years, since the time of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Seoul was referred to as "Han Yang" during the Joseon Dynasty, but after the liberation from Japan, in 1945, the newly founded Republic of Korea officially changed its capital city's name to Seoul. Seoul has developed into a bustling metropolis, acting as the hub for political, economic, social, and cultural matters. The Han River runs through the heart of the city. The river divides the city in two; the northern part of the city is a focal point for culture and history, while the southern part is well known for its business district. Seoul has hosted many international events including: 1986 Asian Games, 1988 Olympic Games and 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA World Cup. The success of these events has shown people that Korea is truly an international city. In Seoul you can find ancient palaces and Royal Shrines of the Joseon Dynasty, as well as Seoul World Cup Stadium, 63 Building, Lotte World, Han River, Namsan, Bukhansan Mountain National Park, Daehangno, Insa-dong, Itaewon, Myeong-dong, Apgujeong, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets. On the outskirts of Seoul you can find Seoul Land, Everland, Caribbean Bay, The Korean Folk Village, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, and Namhansan Mountain Fortress.