The Korean Peninsula extends southward from the northeast part of the Asian continent between 33 and 43 North Latitude and 124 and 132 degree East Longitude. The standard meridian of the peninsula is 135, nine hours ahead of GMT. The Amnokgang and Dumangang Rivers border both China and Russia to the north, and Japan is just across the East Sea. Since 1945, as a by-product of the Cold War, the peninsula has been divided at 38 North Latitude into the capitalist Republic of Korea, or South Korea, and the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea, more commonly known as North Korea.

Korea is roughly 1,000 km (600 miles) long and 216 km (135 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Mountains cover 70% of Korea's land area, making the peninsula 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 mountains. The mountain range that traverses the entire length of the east coast plunges steeply into the East Sea. Along the southern and western coasts, the mountains descend gradually to the coastal plains. Korea's 99,434 sq.km(24,570acres) is populated by 46.85 million people. Administratively, the Republic of Korea consists of nine provinces (do) ; one special city, Seoul ; and the six metropolitan cities of Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejon, and Ulsan. In total, there are 72 cities (si) and 94 counties (gun) in the nine provinces.

The total area of the peninsula is 222,196 km², similar in size to that of England, New Zealand, or Romania. South Korea possesses 99,434 km² or 45% of the total land mass, and North Korea 122,762 km², the remaining 55%. About 70% of the land is mountainous, mainly to the north and east. Along the southern and western coasts the mountains descend gradually towards broad coastal plains. Most of the rivers have their tributaries on the north and east sides, and flow into the Yellow and Korea Strait. Concentrated for the most part off the southern coast are upwards of 3,000 islands of various sizes that provide scenery unparalleled in the world.

Korea lies in the temperate zone and has four distinct seasons. In late March or early April, the trees burst into leafy splendor to mark the beginning of spring. Occasional showers can be expected from March to May. During the relatively hot and rainy summer season, the vegetation is green and lush. The monsoon rains usually begin at the end of June, however the heaviest rainfall occurs in July. The coming of autumn in late September brings continental winds and clear, dry weather, making the fall months the most pleasant time of year. The vivid golds and vibrant reds of the changing leaves create a colorful panorama. December to February are cold and dry with occasional rain or snow. During the winter months, the cold is normally punctuated by a few warmer days.

Koreans, like many other Asian peoples, are descendants of Mongolian Tungus stock. They differ from the neighboring Japanese and Chinese, however, in that Koreans are a homogeneous ethnic group with their own language, culture, and customs. Korean people are characterized by their generosity, warmth, and kindness, and are renowned as one of the hardest working people in the world. Koreans all speak and write the same language, which has been a key factor in their strong national identity. The Korean language, like Hungarian, Mongolian, and Finnish, is classified as a Ural-Altaic language. Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, is composed of 10 vowels and 14 consonants. A group of scholars, under the patronage of King Sejong, invented Hangeul in 1443. The Korean government adopted a new format of putting Korean words into Romanized form in July 2000 to replace the McCune-Reischauer(M-R) system which had been used since 1939. The new Romanization is based on standard Korean pronunciation.

Rice, either plain or cooked with other grains, is the main dish at Korean meals. Rice is accompanied by a variety of side dishes that vary greatly according to the region and the season. Next to rice comes "gimch'i", a spicy vegetable dish generally comprised of celery, cabbage and turnips or cucumbers seasoned with salt, garlic, onions, ginger, red pepper and shellfish. Soup is also a vital part of almost every meal. Other dishes include seafood, meat or poultry, greens, herbs and roots. Each person has his own rice and soup bowls but all other dishes are placed in the center of the table for everyone to partake of. A spoon and chopsticks are used for eating. A favorite dish is bulgogi, strips of beep roasted over a brazier at the table after being marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, green onions and other seasonings. Koreans generally like hot, spicy foods, so red pepper is an indispensable seasoning.

At the end of 1999, the population of South Korea was estimated to be 46.85 million - North Korea 22.08 million -  with the annual growth rate of 0.92% (1998) and the urbanization ratio of 86.4% (1998). Average family size was about 3.3 persons (1998). Number of foreign residents was 55,016 (1998).

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