South Korea: Forest Cover, 2005
| Total Land Area (ha) | 9,873,000 | | Total Forest Area (ha) | 6,265,000 | | Percent Forest Cover | 63.46% | | Primary Forest Cover (ha) | - | | Primary Forest, % total forest | - | | Primary Forest, % total land | - | | Other wooded land (ha) | - |
South Korea: Forest types
| Tropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Subtropical (% forest area) | 15% | | Temperate (% forest area) | 85% | | Boreal/polar (% forest area) | 0% |
South Korea: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
| Primary forest (ha | %) | - | - | | Modified natural (ha | %) | 4,901,000 | 78.2% | | Semi-natural (ha | %) | - | - | | Production plantation (ha | %) | 1,364,000 | 21.8% | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | - |
South Korea: Change in Forest Cover
| TOTAL FOREST COVER | | Forest 1990 (ha) | 6,371,000 | | Forest 2000 (ha) | 6,300,000 | | Forest 2005 (ha) | 6,265,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (7,100) | -0.11% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (7,000) | -0.11% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (106,000) | -1.66% | | Change in rate (%) | -0.30% | | PRIMARY FOREST COVER | | Primary 1990 (ha) | - | | Primary 2000 (ha) | - | | Primary 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | | OTHER WOODED LAND | | Other 1990 (ha) | - | | Other 2000 (ha) | - | | Other 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | | PLANTATIONS | | Other 1990 (ha) | 748,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 1,188,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 1,364,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 44,000 | 5.88% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 35,200 | 2.96% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 616,000 | 82.35% | | Change in rate (%) | -49.63% | TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations | | Other 1990 (ha) | 5,623,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 5,112,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 4,901,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (51,100) | -0.91% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (42,200) | -0.83% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (722,000) | -12.84% | | Change in rate (%) | -9.16% |
South Korea: Primary
| Primary or "old-growth" vegetation | | Primary Forest 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) | 0.00% |
South Korea: Forest designation
| Ownership of forest land, 2000 | | Public (%) | 30.0% | | Private (%) | 70.0% | | Other (%) | 0.0% | | Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 | | Public (%) | - | | Private (%) | - | | Other (%) | - | | Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 | | Production (%) | 77.8% | | Protection (%) | 11.4% | | Conservation (%) | 7.5% | | Social Services (%) | 3.3% | | Multiple Services (%) | - | | None of Unknown (%) | 0.0% |
South Korea: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
| Forest Area annually affected by | | Fire (%) | 0.11% | | Insects (ha) | 5.40% | | Diseases (ha) | - | | Other (ha) | - |
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
South Korea: Biodiversity - Plants
| Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | 52.20% | | Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | 85.50% | | Number of Native tree species | | | Native tree species | 1,049 | | Number of tree species in IUCN red list | | Critically Endangered | | 0 | | Endangered | 0 | | Vulnerable | 0 | | Vascular Plant Species, 2004 | | Total | 2898 | | Number endemic | 224 | | Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 | | Species threatened | 0 |
South Korea: Value of forests
| Biomass stock in forest, 2005 | | Above-ground biomass (M t) | 383 | | Below-ground biomass (M t) | 132 | | Dead wood (M t) | 57 | | Total (M t) | 572 | | Carbon stock in forest, 2005 | | Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) | 192 | | Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) | 66 | | Carbon in dead wood (M t) | 28 | | Carbon in litter (M t) | - | | Soil carbon (M t) | - | | Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) | | 1990-2000 | 15,900 | | 2000-2005 | 19,000 | | Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) | | 1990-2000 | 2.57 | | 2000-2005 | 3.1 | | Wood removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) | 1,754 | | Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) | 2,320 | | Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) | 4,074 | | Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) | 1 | | Plant products 2005 | | Food (t) | 231,199 | | Fodder (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | 1,233 | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) | - | | Ornamental plants (t) | - | | Exudates (t) | - | | Other plant products (t) | - | | Animal products 2005 | | Living animals (units) | - | | Hides, skins and trophies (units) | - | | Wild honey and bee-wax (t) | - | | Bush meat (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Other edible animal products (t) | - | | Other non-edible animal products (t) | - | | Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (US$) | $202,667,000 | | Wood fuel (US$) | $13,404,000 | | Non-wood forest products (US$) | $937,990,000 | | Total value (US$) | $1,154,061,000 | | Total value ($USD/ha) | $184 | | Employment in forestry 2000 | | Total people employed | 20,000 |
South Korea: Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
| Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 2,458 | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 2,458 | | Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 1,592 | | Imports | 7,657 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 9,249 | | Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 5,194 | | Imports | 848 | | Exports | 14 | | Consumption | 6,028 | | Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 3,513 | | Imports | 3,349 | | Exports | 101 | | Consumption | 6,761 | | Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | 587 | | Imports | 2,521 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 3,108 | | Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | 9,812 | | Imports | 784 | | Exports | 2,430 | | Consumption | 8,166 |
|
|
South Korea: Environment
| Environment - current issues | air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing | | Environment - international agreements | 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 | | Natural hazards | occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest |
South Korea: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 17.18%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 80.87% (2001) | | Natural resources | coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential |
South Korea: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.9% in 1998, then strongly recovered to 9.5% in 1999, and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7.0%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2005, growth moderated to about 4%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. In 2005, the government proposed labor reform legislation and a corporate pension scheme to help make the labor market more flexible, and new real estate policies to cool property speculation. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy. | | GDP - per capita | $20,300 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 3.7% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 3.8%, industry: 41.4%, services: 54.8% (2005 est.) | | Industries | electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel | | Population below poverty line (%) | 4% (2001 est.) | | Debt - external | $188.4 billion (30 June 2005 est.) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (2004 est.) |
South Korea: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 48,422,644 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 0.38% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 493.2 | | Median age (years) | total: 34.51 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 1.26 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) |
Largest Cities in South Korea
Cities and urban areas in South Korea with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Seoul | South Korea | 11153200 | 19844500 |
| Pusan | South Korea | 4085300 | 4292900 |
| Taegu | South Korea | 2543800 | 2976700 |
| Incheon | South Korea | 2433000 | 2433000 |
| Taejeon | South Korea | 1386800 | 1612900 |
| Kwangju | South Korea | 1371000 | 1464000 |
| Seongnam | South Korea | 1071200 | 1071200 |
| Ulsan | South Korea | 870300 | 1137900 |
| Pucheon | South Korea | 850000 | 850000 |
| Suweon | South Korea | 824000 | 824000 |
| Anyang | South Korea | 644700 | 644700 |
| Cheonju | South Korea | 614200 | 614200 |
| Cheongju | South Korea | 579500 | 579500 |
| Koyang | South Korea | 565300 | 565300 |
| Ansan | South Korea | 556600 | 556600 |
| Changweon | South Korea | 486700 | 1253800 |
| Pohang | South Korea | 435100 | 435100 |
| Masan | South Korea | 421000 | 421000 |
| Kwangmyeong | South Korea | 382700 | 382700 |
| Euijeongbu | South Korea | 301100 | 301100 |
| Chinju | South Korea | 290600 | 290600 |
| Cheju | South Korea | 281900 | 281900 |
| Kumi | South Korea | 271600 | 271600 |
| Mokpo | South Korea | 269900 | 269900 |
| Iksan | South Korea | 253200 | 253200 |
| Cheonan | South Korea | 241800 | 241800 |
| Kunsan | South Korea | 229900 | 229900 |
| Pyeongtaek | South Korea | 223900 | 223900 |
| Chuncheon | South Korea | 215200 | 215200 |
| Weonju | South Korea | 201100 | 201100 |
| Yeosu | South Korea | 200200 | 200200 |
| Suncheon | South Korea | 196500 | 196500 |
| Kangneung | South Korea | 173100 | 173100 |
| Kyeongju | South Korea | 164700 | 164700 |
| Chungju | South Korea | 160300 | 160300 |
| Andong | South Korea | 137300 | 137300 |
| Poryong | South Korea | 133700 | 133700 |
| Chechon | South Korea | 116000 | 116000 |
| Tongyong | South Korea | 104700 | 104700 |
| Tonghae | South Korea | 104100 | 104100 |
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
|
|
|
