About > Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea
The Korean peninsula is roughly 1,030 km (612 miles) long and 175 km (105 miles) wide at its narrowest point. The land area is 99,200 sq km (38,301 square miles), and it has a population of 48.9 million people in South Korea (2006).
South Korea is a major economic power and one of the wealthiest countries in Asia. It had one of the world's fastest growing economies since the 1960s, now is the fourth largest in Asia and 13th largest in the world. Today, its success story is known as the "Miracle on the Han River," a role model for many developing countries.