Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
President: Lee Myung-bak
Population
24,589,122
48,860,500
Life Expectancy
69.200 years
79.300 years
Capital City
Seoul
Largest city
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Seoul (population: 10,349,300)
Human Development Index
0
0.928
GDP per capita
$32,100 US
Literacy Rate
99%
97.9%
Corruption Perception Index
Percentage of Women in Parliament
20.1%
13.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
3.400%
Death Penalty
Political System
Communist state one-man dictatorship
republic
Independence date
15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Religions
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
Languages
Korean
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
Exports
semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
External Debt
$397,300,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,101.7 (2008 est.), 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
6
31
Location
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Area
120,538 km sq
99,720 km sq
Coastline
2,495 km
2,413 km
Climate
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
