Source: Wikipedia
Flag of South Korea
Capital: Seoul 37°35′N 127°0′E
Official language: Korean
Government: Republic
President: Roh Moo-hyun
Prime Minister: Han Myung-sook

Establishment:
- Gojoseon October 3, 2333 BCa
- Republic declared March 1, 1919 (de jure)
- Liberation August 15, 1945
- First Republic August 15, 1948
- [Nations Recognition] December 12, 1948

Area:
- Total 99,646 km² (108th) 38,492 sq mi
- Water (%) 0.3

Population:
- July 2006 estimate 48,846,823 (25th)
- Density 480/km² (19th) 1,274/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2005[1] estimate:
- Total $994.4 billion (14th)
- Per capita $20,590 (33rd)

HDI (2004): 0.912 (high)

Currency: South Korean won (KRW)

Time zone: Korea Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+9)

Internet TLD: .kr

Calling code: +82

In the Korean language, South Korea is called Daehan Min-guk, literally "Great People's Nation"), or Hanguk for short or Namhan, referring to South Korea specifically). North Koreans refer to the South as Namjosŏn.

The name Han dates back to the ancient Samhan Confederacies of the Proto-Three Kingdoms era of Korea.

In English, the nation is often referred to simply as "Korea", a corruption of the name of the Goryeo Dynasty (sometimes spelled Koryo), which in turn derived its name from the more ancient Kingdom of Goguryeo