Korea, a country of mountains and hills
The geographical features of the Korean peninsula span almost the entire history of the Earth (from the Paleozoic to the Cenozoic).
70% of South Korea's territory is made up of relief, more or less high, but relief nonetheless. And that's what makes the country so attractive: big cities and small towns alike are all surrounded by verdant mountains.
Apart from the big peaks, the average height is 482 meters. This means that the vast majority of freeway journeys are made through tunnels. The biggest mountain ranges, rising to over 2,000 m, are in North Korea. In the south, you can discover the Taebaek mountain range, which covers the north-eastern part of the country and extends into North Korea, where it changes its name to Kumgang. On days when the weather is mild, there's plenty of good hiking to be had. In winter, the area is famous throughout Asia for its ski slopes. The town that gives it its name hosts an annual snow festival.
The second mountain range runs from the northeast to the southwest. These are the Sobaek Mountains. Here too, hiking is very popular, especially in autumn.
The country's three highest peaks are Mount Hallasan (extinct volcano on Jeju Island, 1950m), Mount Jirisan (part of the Sobaek range, 1915m) and Mount Seoraksan (1708m). The suffix -san / 산 / 山signifies mountain in Korean.
From an aesthetic point of view, these reliefs create an endlessly fascinating landscape. Historically, these mountains have led to a fragmentation of the population, resulting in notable linguistic and cultural divergences. And with no plains to speak of, it's easy to understand why South Korea is not a country of livestock farmers, but one that concentrates more on a specific type of agriculture.
The Korean territory can be divided into four distinct regions:
Mountainous regions in the northeast and from the center to the south.
A gigantic urban center around the capital Seoul.
A region to the south-west of Seoul with more plains, which is de facto the most agricultural.
A region in the southeast where linguistic and cultural variants are most marked.
Hydraulic geography
South Korea is surrounded by water on three of its coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Yellow Sea, to the south-west by the China Sea and to the east by the Sea of Japan (called the East Sea by the Koreans). Where there's sea, there's beach! There's plenty to do in Korea during the summer, with the option of a beach of your choice: pebbles, small pebbles or sand. In fact, the black sand on Jeju Island is well worth a visit. Where there's sea, there's island. Korea has no fewer than 3,000 islands, almost all of them located off the west coast in the Yellow Sea.
Inland, several rivers meander through the territory: Han-gang(gang means river), Nakdong-gang, Geum-gang, Seomjin-gang and finally Yeongsan-gang. Major cities are often close to or crossed by these rivers. The Han River, for example, is right in the middle of the capital, offering Seoulites a breath of fresh air and nature. The Nakdong River flows into the sea via the city of Busan. It is the longest of its kind at 521 km, followed by the Han at 514 km and the Geum at 401 km. Many migratory birds enjoy the banks of these rivers. They are therefore ideal places for birdwatching. Despite its small surface area, South Korea is endowed with numerous rivers. Up to 72% of the water supplied by these rivers is used for rice cultivation.
Natural resources and agriculture
Long periods of erosion have created atypical features in Korea. These low hills are ideal for growing cereals and fruit.
Nevertheless, South Korea is one of the world's biggest importers of agricultural products. In fact, it is only 30% self-sufficient.
The country's most important product is rice, despite a significant decline in recent years. It produces almost 4 million tonnes a year. In this respect, South Korea is 100% self-sufficient. Small farms, often family-run, also produce other cereals such as wheat and barley, as well as vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes (they're very fond of them), soybeans, cabbage and ginseng.
Fruit is also grown here. You'll find apples, pears, melons, strawberries and citrus fruits (particularly on Jeju Island).
The country's mineral resources are varied, but not abundant (graphite, iron, lead, gold, silver...). The country's most important resource is limestone. Limestone is an important source of exports. Vast limestone deposits ensure quarrying for the next 2,000 years.
Administrative geography
The heart of the country is made up of 9 provinces: Gyeonggi-do (the Seoul region), Gangwon-do, Chungcheongnam-do(nam means south), Chungcheongbuk-do(buk means north), Gyeongsannam-do, Gyeongsanbuk-do, Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do and Jeju.
Since 1394, the country's capital has been Seoul, physically located in the province of Gyeonggi-do, although its status as capital sets it apart. 6 cities have "metropolitan" status: Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju and Ulsan. They are all geographically included in a province, but not administratively. They lead their own lives, so to speak. In all, there are 78 cities in the country.
Here are a few vocabulary words to help you understand how the subdivision of the Korean administrative landscape works:
시 (si) : city
구 (gu): district
동 (dong) : district
군 (gun): district
읖 (eup) : town
리 (ri) : village
면 (myeon): rural commune
