After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK)
11 March 2008
Full name: The Republic of Korea
Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the East Sea and the Yellow Sea
Population: 49,232,844 (July 2008 est)
Capital: Seoul
Area: 98,480 sq km
Major language: Korean
Major religions: Christianity 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: won
Internet domain: .kr
International dialling code: +82
Flying time: 10.5 hours from direct from London
Time Difference: GMT+9
Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
Terrain: Mostly hills and mountains, wide coastal plains in the west and the south
Tipping: Tipping is not customary as service charge is usually included in the bill.