Korea is an East Asian country that is currently divided into two separate states- North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People’s Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and separated from the Republic of China (“Taiwan”) to the south by the East China Sea.
Map of North Korea:
Map of South Korea
Archaeological and linguistic evidence suggest the origins of the Korean people were Altaic language-speaking people from south-central Siberia, who populated ancient Korea in successive waves from the Neolithic age to the Bronze Age.
History of Korea
The Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 700,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BCE, and the Neolithic period began before 6000 BCE, followed by the Bronze Age around 1500 BCE, and the Iron Age begins around 400 BCE. Korea is considered to be one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world
Geography of Korea
Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in North-East Asia. To the northwest, the Amnok River (Yalu River) separates Korea from China and to the northeast, the Duman River (Tumen River) separates Korea from China and Russia. The Yellow Sea is to the west, the East China Sea and Korea Strait is to the south, and the Sea of Japan is to the east. Notable islands include Jeju Island (Jejudo), Ulleung Island (Ulleungdo), and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo).
Religion in Korea
Religion in Korea encompasses a number of different traditions. Traditional Buddhism, Mugyo with a background of Korean Confucianism and later Christianity all play a role in Korea’s religious tradition. The modern separation of Korea into North and South Korea has also shaped religious practice, especially in the communist North
Education in Korea
The modern Korean school system consists of six years in elementary school, three years in middle school, and three years in high school. Students are required to go to elementary and middle school, and do not have to pay for their education, except for a small fee called a “School Operation Support Fee” that differs from school to school.
