General Information

Area : 98,500 km2
Border : 241 km
Coastline : 2,413 km
Territorial Waters : 12 nautical miles (economic water 200 nautical miles)
Population : approximately 48 million
Capital : Seoul
Official Language : Korean
Political System : Democratic republic
Government : Presidential system
Religion : Buddhism -23.3%, Christianity-19.7%, Roman Catholicism -6.6%, Confucianism 0.5%, Won Buddhism -0.2 %, Cheon-do-gyo religion 0.1%
UN member : Since September 17, 1991
Currency : Won

* Climate

Korea is located in the temperate climate zone, and has four distinctive seasons. During summer, which is July and August, the average temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius, and the temperature can rise up to 38 degrees when it is hot. A rainy spell usually falls from late June through mid July, and during this period the humidity as well as temperature is so high that it can cause you some discomfort and affect your mood. In winter, which is from December through February, the average temperature is -5 degrees Celsius, and the lowest point can be around –15 degrees.

It is cold and windy in winter in Korea. The best seasons are spring from March through May and fall from September through November. In spring and fall, it is sunny and best for living. As Korea has four seasons, students must be prepared for a hot summer as well as a cold winter. Students from Southeast Asian countries may have some difficulty in adjusting themselves to cold weather, but it also can be a good chance to enjoy various seasonal sports and scenery each season. The Korean heating system is called "Ondol," where the floor is heated with hot water through pipes. In the past it used to be common for people to sleep on mats on the heated floor. Nowadays it is more common to have a bed on the heated floor. Air conditioning, cooling fans, or heating fans are also used, so there will not be much discomfort in terms of indoor temperatures.

Spring

Spring lasts from late March to May with warm comfortable temperature. Due to fluctuating morning, afternoon, and night temperatures, it's recommended to layer up with light clothing. Yellow sand which originates in the desert or arid areas of Mongolia and China, known as hwangsa, occasionally blows into Korea during early spring. The hwangsa often causes low visibility and eye irritation

Summer

The summer can be divided into two periods: jangma, a rainy period which occurs during the early summer months, and a hot and humid period which occurs in August. Rainfall during the summer time is characterized by heavy showers. Daily precipitation often exceeds 100mm (4 inches), with extremes topping 300mm (12 inches). Occasional storms caused by typhoons that pass through the peninsula sometimes cause a great deal of damage, although the loss of life is rare.

The weather turns hot and humid after jangma period with the average temperature from about 25 degrees Celsius
(77 degrees fahrenheit). During mid-summer, the temperature often hovers well above 30 C (86 F) with high humidity.

Fall

Autumn in Korea is cool with summer-like weather often stretching into the end of September. By October, the air turns crisper in the mornings and the air becomes dry. Evenings are a bit cooler.

Winter

During the winter months, the average temperature is lower than other regions located on the same latitude due to the expansion of high-pressure air masses formed over inland Siberia, whose strong northwestward winds bring dry, cold air into Korea. Notably, the winter climate follows a predictable cycle of three cold days followed by four warm ones due to the rise and fall of the high-pressure air masses.

Significant regional climate variations are caused by differences in elevation and proximity to the sea as well as by differences in latitudinal location. The monthly average temperature during the month of January differs by about 20 degrees centigrade between the northern and southern peninsula. In areas outside of Seoul, heavy snowfall frequents during winter.