 
For much of its long history, the land we now call South Korea was totally dominated by its two powerful neighbors - China and Japan. Korea was an independent kingdom for much of the past millennium. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy.
South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il.
This beautiful country is densely populated, and (land for farming) and (land for living) aggressively compete, as South Korea moves into the 21st century.
Population
48,422,644 (July 2005 est.)
Capital City
Seoul
Languages
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
Official Currency
Won
Religion
Christian, Buddhist, Confuscianism
Climate
Temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
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