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Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

37 00 N, 127 30 E

asia

total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km

slightly larger than Indiana

total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km

2,413 km

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
continental shelf: not specified
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

arable land: 17.18%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 80.87% (2001)

11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

strategic location on Korea Strait

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