Korea, Republic of
Year
INTRODUCTION
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Ministry of Health and Welfare
Government Complex-Gwacheon, 1, Jungang-dong, Gwacheon-si 427-721, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Tel:(822) 503-7524
Fax:(822) 504-6418
Country Liaison Officer for South Korea
Room 306, 2-dong, Government Complex-Gwacheon, 1 Jungang-dong, Gwacheon-si, 427-760, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
CPO Box 540, Seoul
Tel:(822) 503-7533/7592
Fax:(822) 502-7818
clokor@kor.wpro.who.int
The Korean peninsula extends southward from the north-eastern section of the Asian continent. The Republic of Korea is characterized by hills and mountains, which occupy nearly 70% of its territory. The irregular coastline is dotted with 3579 islands (about 830 are inhabited). The total land area is 99 590 square kilometres (km2).
The Republic of Korea has experienced rapid socioeconomic changes during the past three decades. Rapid economic growth and industrialization have accelerated urbanization and by 2001 82% of the population was urbanized.
Table 1. Core population and health data (2002) |
|
Population |
[Total] |
48 199 000 (2004) |
Life expectancy
at birth (years) |
[Both] |
76.53 (2001) |
|
[0-14 years] |
9 639 800 (20.00%) |
[Male] |
72.84 (2001) |
|
[65+ years] |
4 193 313 (8.70%) |
[Female] |
80.01 (2001) |
|
Crude birth rate
(per 1 000 population) |
|
10.30 |
Total fertility rate |
|
1.17 |
|
Crude death rate
(per 1 000 population) |
|
5.10 |
% of population served with safe water |
[Total] |
88.70 |
|
[Urban] |
… |
|
[Rural] |
… |
|
Infant mortality rate
(per 1 000 live births) |
|
6.20 (1999) |
% of population with adequate sanitary facilities |
[Total] |
75.70 |
|
[Urban] |
… |
|
[Rural] |
… |
|
Maternal mortality rate
(per 100 000 live births) |
|
15.00 (2000) |
|
|
|
The Republic of Korea has a temperate climate with four distinctive seasons. Typhoons usually occur between June and October and, in general, two to three typhoons affect, directly or indirectly, the Korean peninsula each year. In 2003, enormous damage and flooding was inflicted by typhoon Maemi, which hit the south-east part of the Republic of Korea on 12 September. The death toll was 130 persons, with 4089 households and 10 975 persons affected. The property damage stood at KRW 4.7810 trillion (about US$ 4.1 billion).
In the Human Development Index prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (Human Development Report 2003), the Republic of Korea ranks 30th out of 175 nations.
Continuous rapid socioeconomic development, leading to a transition from recipient to donor country, has led to WHO and other development partners gradually changing their role within the Republic of Korea, moving chiefly to liaison and resource mobilization.
Disclaimer: The boundaries and names shown and the designations
used on this map do not imply the expression of an opinion whatsoever on the
part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any
country, territory, city or areas or its authorities, or concerning the
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.