Land & Climate
The Korean Peninsula, located in Northeast Asia,
is bordered on the north by China and Vladivostock,
Russia. To the southeast, it juts toward the lower
islands of Japan. The northernmost point is Yeopojin
in Onseong-gun, Hamgyeongbuk Province, and the southernmost
point is Mara Island, Cheju Province. The westernmost
point is Maan Island in Yongcheon-gun, Pyeonganbuk
Province, and the easternmost is Dok Island in Ulleung-gun,
Gyeongsangbuk Province. The Korean Peninsula is
222,154 square kilometers, almost the same size
as the U.K. or Romania. The administrative area
of the Republic of Korea is 99,392 square kilometers,
slightly larger than Hungary or Portugal and a little
smaller than Ireland.
The Republic of Korea is composed of nine provinces.
Its capital city is Seoul. Other major cities
include Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon,
and Ulsan. The landscape of the country is spectacular
in its variations, about 70 percent of it being
mountainous. More than 3,000 islands dot the coastline.
The largest, about 60 km off the southwestern
tip of the peninsula, is semi-tropical Jeju Island,
among Koreans a popular honeymoon destination.
There are several major rivers in the south, the
greatest of them being the Han, which cuts through
Seoul as it winds its way toward the East Sea.
Like other countries in the temperate zone, Korea
has four distinct seasons. In spring and autumn,
the weather is superb: clear, blue skies and warm,
gentle sunshine. Summer is hot and humid, with
heavy rainfall occurring during the monsoon season.
Winter is cold and dry, with occasional snow.
However, these cold spells alternate with periods
of milder weather held to occur with more or less
predictable frequency.
Spring of Korea
Spring lasts from late March to May and
is warm. Various flowers, including the
picturesque cherry blossom, cover the nation's
mountains and fields during this time. |
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Summer of Korea
Summer lasts from June to early September.
It is a hot and humid time of the year.
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Autumn of Korea
Autumn lasts from September to November,
and produces mild weather. It is the best
season for visiting Korea. |
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Winter of Korea
Winter lasts from December to mid-March.
It can be bitterly cold during this time
due to the influx of cold Siberian air.
Heavy snow in the northern and eastern parts
of Korea makes favorable skiing conditions.
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In fact, the lunar calendar, still in use in Korea,
divides the four main seasons of the year into
a total of twenty-four sub-seasons. These account
for smaller climatic patterns akin to our "Dog
Days" of summer. While by no means unvarying,
these patterns occur with such a surprising degree
of regularity, that it is not unusual for a Korean
calendar to pinpoint, as if they were holidays,
the hottest and coldest days of the year.
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