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According to topmbadirectory, South Korea is a country of its own, but also unique. Despite progress and development, it has remained the land of the morning calm. Natural beauty, art treasures and, last but not least, the sociable people make Korea a country for connoisseurs and connoisseurs.

South Korea has four distinct seasons. Therefore, visitors can enjoy beautiful natural landscapes at any time. Nature unfolds differently depending on the season. Mountains make up 70 percent of the country. South Korea is surrounded by sea on three sides. South Korea’s capital, Seoul, comes alive especially at night. The modern skyscrapers that reach into the sky. While the Hangang River flows right through the city. For example the streets at night. It’s noisy and crowded there until early morning. All of this exudes a special energy that condenses the atmosphere of the city. With 5000 years of history, South Korea boasts many historical sites. In addition, these can be found in all parts of the country. The traditional buildings characterize the philosophy of the ancestors. To do this, they strived for harmony with nature. Seoul: The 24-hour vibrant city where tradition and modernity coexist. Incheon & Gyeonggi-do: The port city of Incheon is west of Seoul. The city opened its port in 1883. Seoul International Airport is also in Incheon. Gyeonggi-do Province surrounds Seoul, making it a popular weekend getaway for many of the capital’s residents. Busan: The city of Busan with its port is the hub of logistics in Asia and is the second largest city in South Korea. Gangwon-do: Gangwon-do Province is 77 percent mountainous, making it the most popular vacation spot among Koreans looking for relaxation. Jeju-do Island: Jeju-do is a volcanic island, formed by volcanic activity over a long period of time and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chungcheonbuk-do: Chungcheonbuk-do Province is a mainland region. Large lakes and mountains surround them. Daejeon & Chungcheongnam-do: Daejeon City is a major transportation hub. One must invariably pass the city if one wants to go to another region from Seoul. West of Daejeon is Chungcheongnam-do Province. The province borders the western lake. It also offers a beautiful seascape at sunset. Jeollabuk-do: Visitors who want to experience Korean cuisine at its fullest should definitely head to Jeollabuk-do. Gwangju & Jeollanam-do: Gwangju is the city of art. This is where the «Gwangju Biennale» takes place. Beautiful nature and many traditions have been well preserved in Jeollanam-do Province. Daegu & Gyeongsangbuk-do: Daegu is surrounded by mountains of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. The city is constantly developing. In addition, it has preserved its old townscape. Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is still strongly influenced by traditional Korean culture. Ulsan & Gyeongsangnam-do: The city of Ulsan is located on the southeast coast of Gyeongsangnam-do Province. There are also many historical sites in Ulsan. Gyeongsangnam-do Province has many beautiful coastal areas bordering the South Seas.

State name

The official German state name is Republic of Korea; Colloquially, however, one usually speaks of South Korea. In Korean, the country is officially called Daehan Minguk. In South Korea it is generally called Hanguk or Namhan in its short form, in contrast to Bukhan. Since in North Korea “Korea” is not called Han, but as Chosŏn, “South Korea” is called Nam-Chosŏn there.

Geography

South Korea’s area is 100,284 square kilometers. Of this, 290 square kilometers are water surfaces; there are no larger natural lakes. South Korea includes the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and offshore islands. Near the west coast and in the southeast lies flat land, but almost everywhere interspersed with hills, which makes up at most a third of the national territory but is home to the great majority of the inhabitants. Much of the rest of the country is mountainous; except for a narrow strip on the east coast and small valley bottoms, there are no lowlands. Both the mountains and the hills of the plains are mostly forested; although they seldom reach great heights, they often have a steep relief.

Flora and Fauna

About two thirds of the country is forested. The original mixed forests with oak, maple, beech, elm, poplar, spruce and aspen have given way to secondary forest in many places, as a great deal of the forest has fallen victim to the need for firewood and slash-and-burn agriculture. At higher altitudes, coniferous forest with spruces and larches adjoins. The flora of South Korea is considerably richer in species than that of Central Europe. The easily visible higher plants alone are represented with around 3400 species and subspecies in 880 genera. Korea’s flora ranges from alpine mountain pines and rhododendrons above the tree line in the northern mountains to subtropical bamboo, laurel and camellias on the warm south coast and on Jeju.

Climate

South Korea is located in the temperate climate zone, in which four different seasons are distinguished. Exceptions to this are some subtropical valleys on the south coast of Jejudo and some high-altitude regions over 1700 meters. Climate diagram Seoul Spring usually begins between the end of March and the beginning of April and is mild and quite sunny. The winds then often carry fine yellow desert dust from the Gobi desert to South Korea. In summer, southerly winds bring hot, humid air from the Philippines. The summer monsoon season, called jangma in South Korea, usually begins in late June or early July and lasts into September. Much of the annual precipitation falls during this time. Rain alternates with clear days. This is followed by a very hot midsummer, which is difficult to bear, especially due to the high humidity.

Population

South Korea had (as of October 2015) around 51.501 million inhabitants and at the time had a population density of around 513 people per square kilometer. Around 92% of all South Koreans live in cities. Population growth was 0.25% annually in 2015. Forecasts predict a shrinking of the population from the year 2028. On September 30, 2010, the 50 millionth resident was registered with the authorities. In the official notification of the “Ministry of Public Administration & Security” (MOPAS), 25,034,736 of these were male and 24,942,224 female (which in total does not exactly correspond to the total number also mentioned in the official notification). It is believed that there are around 466,000 unregistered residents.

Language and writing

The Korean language is the official and written language in South Korea. There are no recognized minority languages. The Korean language is counted by some linguists among the Altai languages, viewed by others as an isolated language. It may be more closely related to Japanese Ryūkyū. About 78 million people speak Korean worldwide. The differences between the regional dialects are marginal, with the exception of the dialect spoken in Jejudo. For many terms, the language has both a purely Korean word and a so-called Sino-Korean word borrowed from Chinese. In addition, many English words are adopted into the Korean language today.