正式名稱大韓民國（Republic of Korea）
東亞朝鮮半島南半部國家。位於日本西北方，包括北距朝鮮半島97公里遠的濟州島。面積99,274平方公里。人口約47,676,000（2001）。首都︰漢城。在人種上，幾乎全是朝鮮人。語言︰朝鮮語（亦稱韓語，官方語）。宗教：佛教、基督教新教、儒家學説（普遍），以及天道教。第二次世界大戰期間外國傳教團皆被逐出。貨幣︰韓元（won）。近3/4土地是山地，人口十分稠密的低地地區以種植水稻為主。洛東江和漢江是該國主要河川。南韓經濟大部分以服務業和工業（包括石化產品、電子物件和鋼）為基礎。政府形式為多黨制中央集權共和國，一院制。國家元首是大統領（總統），政府首腦是國務總理。
早期歷史參閲朝鮮。1948年在朝鮮半島南部成立大韓民國，第二次世界大戰後曾被美軍佔領。1950年北韓入侵南韓，陷入韓戰。聯合國軍隊幫助南韓，而北韓有中共撐腰，1953年才簽署停戰協定。戰後此殘破的國家在美國援助下重建，並繁榮起來，發展了一種以出口為導向的強大經濟。1990年代中葉經歷了一次經濟衰退，在亞洲區受到許多經濟的衝擊。2000年南、北韓領袖舉行一次高峯會談，燃起統一的希望。
Korea, South
Country, occupying the southern half of the Korean peninsula, East Asia. It is located northwest of Japan and includes Cheju Island, located about 60 mi (97 km) south of the peninsula. Area: 38,330 sq mi (99,274 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 45,628,000. Capital: Seoul. The population is almost entirely ethnically Korean. Language: Korean (official). Religions: Buddhism, Protestant Christianity, Confucianism (widespread); Ch'ondogyo. Currency: won. Nearly three-fourths of the total land area of South Korea consists of mountains and uplands; the densely populated lowlands are heavily cultivated for wet rice. The Naktong and Han are the country's principal rivers. South Korea's economy is based largely on services and industry (including petrochemicals, electronic goods, and steel). It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president, assisted by the prime minister. For early history, see Korea. The Republic of Korea was established in 1948 in the southern portion of the Korean peninsula, which had been occupied by the U.S. after World War II. In 1950 North Korean troops invaded South Korea, precipitating the Korean War. UN forces intervened on the side of South Korea, while Chinese troops backed North Korea in the war, which ended with an armistice in 1953. The devastated country was rebuilt with U.S. aid, and South Korea prospered in the postwar era, developing a strong export-oriented economy. It experienced an economic downturn in the mid-1990s that affected many economies in the area. In 2000 the leaders of North and South Korea held a summit that revived hopes for reunification.
