1. The Koreas

2. The Koreas
It is currently divided into two political entities: South Korea, a capitalist liberal democracy, and North Korea, a totalitarian communist dictatorship.
In 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan and remained a colony until the end of World War II. In 1945, American and Soviet troops occupied the country and helped establish governments sympathetic to their respective ideologies, leading to its current division.

3. North Korea

4. North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is an East Asian country in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea is one of the world's last communist states.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations accuse North Korea of having one of the worst human rights records of any nation, severely restricting most freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of movement, both inside the country and abroad.

5. Tower of Juche Idea statue in central Pyongyang

6. North Korea: Geography & Climate
North Korea is on the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula
The local climate is relatively temperate, with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma, and winters that can be bitterly cold on occasion
The terrain consists mostly of hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys. The coastal plains are wide in the west and discontinuous in the east.

8. North Korea: Economy
North Korea's economy has been relatively stagnant since the 1970s
The government continues to focus on heavy military industry.
The agricultural outlook is poor
North Korea has previously received international food and fuel aid from China, South Korea, and the United States in exchange for promises not to develop nuclear weapons

9. Liberation Street, Pyongyang.

10. North Korea: Demographics
North Korea's population is one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous in the world, with only very small numbers of Chinese and Japanese minorities. Most others are temporary residents, mostly being Russians and other East Europeans, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
North Korea shares with South Korea a Buddhist and Confucianist heritage and recent history of Christian and Chondogyo ("Heavenly Way") movements.
North Korea shares the Korean language with South Korea.

11. Arirang Festival, Pyongyang. Dance and gymnastics extravaganza

12. South Korea

13. South Korea
South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea, is an East Asian country on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula
Approximately one-half of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital and largest city, Seoul, the third largest metropolitan area in the world
South Korea is now a multi-party democracy

14. Won composite of images from Bank of Korea

15. South Korea: Geography & Climate
South Korea's land is mountainous, and most of it is not arable
South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains; a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills; a southwestern region of mountains and valleys and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River
The local climate is relatively temperate, with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma, and winters that can be bitterly cold

16. Administrative district centered around Nam-daemun in Seoul metropolitan area

17. South Korea: Economy
South Korea is the 10th largest economy in the world
South Korea is also one of the world's most technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries. It has the highest number of broadband Internet connections per capita in the world and is a global leader in computer games, digital displays, and mobile phones

18. KTX train, DongDaegu Station

19. South Korea: Demographics
Most South Koreans live in urban areas
About 46% of South Korean citizens profess to follow no particular religion
Of the remainder, Christians account for 27.3% of the population and Buddhists 25.3%

20. A Taekwondo sparring match

21. Copyright (c) P. Uselding
Copyright (c) P. Uselding.Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNUFree Documentation License".
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