Page last updated on February 5, 2013

Location:
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:
37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 99,720 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 109
land: 96,920 sq km
water: 2,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
2,413 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources:
coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use:
arable land: 16.58%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 2.01%
other: 81.41% (2005)

Irrigated land:
8,320 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
69.7 cu km (1999)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
volcanism: Halla (elev. 1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries

Environment - current issues:
air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on Korea Strait