36°N 128°E / 36°N 128°E / 36; 128
168-706: South Korea is located in East Asia , on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula located out from the far east of the Asian landmass. The only country that shares a land border with South Korea is North Korea , lying to the north with 238 kilometres (148 mi) of the border running along the Korean Demilitarized Zone . South Korea is mostly surrounded by water and has 2,413 kilometres (1,499 mi) of coast line along three seas; to
336-523: A U.S. zone and a Soviet zone . Dean Rusk and Charles H. Bonesteel III suggested the 38th parallel as the dividing line, as it placed Seoul under U.S. control. To the surprise of Rusk and Bonesteel, the Soviets accepted their proposal and agreed to divide Korea. Despite intentions to liberate a unified peninsula in the 1943 Cairo Declaration , escalating tensions between the Soviet Union and
504-413: A feed-in tariff . Around 350 residential micro combined heat and power units were installed in 2012. In 2017, South Korea was the world's seventh largest emitter of carbon emissions and the fifth largest emitter per capita. President Moon Jae-in pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero in 2050. Seoul's tap water recently became safe to drink, with city officials branding it " Arisu " in
672-563: A basaltic magma to a granitic magma, but the quantities produced are small. For example, granitic rock makes up just 4% of the exposures in the South Sandwich Islands . In continental arc settings, granitic rocks are the most common plutonic rocks, and batholiths composed of these rock types extend the entire length of the arc. There are no indication of magma chambers where basaltic magmas differentiate into granites, or of cumulates produced by mafic crystals settling out of
840-437: A bid to convince the public. Efforts have also been made with afforestation projects. Another multibillion-dollar project was the restoration of Cheonggyecheon , a stream running through downtown Seoul that had earlier been paved over by a motorway. One major challenge is air quality, with acid rain, sulfur oxides, and annual yellow dust storms being particular problems. It is acknowledged that many of these difficulties are
1008-640: A brief unification of the Three Kingdoms and becoming the most dominant power on the Korean Peninsula. In addition to contesting control of the Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties, most notably the Goguryeo–Sui War , in which Goguryeo defeated a huge force said to number over a million men. Baekje was a maritime power, sometimes called the " Phoenicia of East Asia". Its maritime ability
1176-648: A close election over the Democratic Party candidate by the narrowest margin ever. Yoon was sworn in on May 10, 2022. South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula , which extends some 1,100 km (680 mi) from the Continental and East Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Its southern tip lies on
1344-563: A conservative government was elected in 2007 led by President Lee Myung-bak , former mayor of Seoul . Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan jointly co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup . However, South Korean and Japanese relations later soured because of conflicting claims of sovereignty over the Liancourt Rocks . In 2010, there was an escalation in attacks by North Korea. In March 2010 the South Korean warship ROKS Cheonan
1512-517: A coup. Yi Seong-gye declared the new name of Korea as "Joseon" in reference to Gojoseon, and moved the capital to Hanseong (one of the old names of Seoul ). The first 200 years of the Joseon dynasty were marked by peace and saw great advancements in science and education, as well as the creation of Hangul by Sejong the Great to promote literacy among the common people. The prevailing ideology of
1680-520: A diapir it would expend far too much energy in heating wall rocks, thus cooling and solidifying before reaching higher levels within the crust. Fracture propagation is the mechanism preferred by many geologists as it largely eliminates the major problems of moving a huge mass of magma through cold brittle crust. Magma rises instead in small channels along self-propagating dykes which form along new or pre-existing fracture or fault systems and networks of active shear zones. As these narrow conduits open,
1848-578: A few decades. As Lelang Commandery was destroyed and rebuilt around this time, the place gradually moved toward Liaodong. Thus, its force was diminished and only served as a trade center until it was conquered by Goguryeo in 313. Beginning around 300 BC, the Japonic -speaking Yayoi people from the Korean Peninsula entered the Japanese islands and displaced or intermingled with the original Jōmon inhabitants. The linguistic homeland of Proto- Koreans
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#17327726913922016-610: A granite that is derived from partial melting of metasedimentary rocks may have more alkali feldspar, whereas a granite derived from partial melting of metaigneous rocks may be richer in plagioclase. It is on this basis that the modern "alphabet" classification schemes are based. The letter-based Chappell & White classification system was proposed initially to divide granites into I-type (igneous source) granite and S-type (sedimentary sources). Both types are produced by partial melting of crustal rocks, either metaigneous rocks or metasedimentary rocks. I-type granites are characterized by
2184-512: A high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies underground. It is common in the continental crust of Earth, where it is found in igneous intrusions . These range in size from dikes only a few centimeters across to batholiths exposed over hundreds of square kilometers. Granite is typical of a larger family of granitic rocks , or granitoids , that are composed mostly of coarse-grained quartz and feldspars in varying proportions. These rocks are classified by
2352-565: A high content of sodium and calcium, and by a strontium isotope ratio, Sr/ Sr, of less than 0.708. Sr is produced by radioactive decay of Rb, and since rubidium is concentrated in the crust relative to the mantle, a low ratio suggests origin in the mantle. The elevated sodium and calcium favor crystallization of hornblende rather than biotite. I-type granites are known for their porphyry copper deposits. I-type granites are orogenic (associated with mountain building) and usually metaluminous. S-type granites are sodium-poor and aluminum-rich. As
2520-514: A high sky of 3,000-5,000m by a strong ascending air current and then travels in westerlies and jets of about 30m per second. Since then, it has descended from Korea and Japan, where wind speed has slowed, and sometimes even moved to the United States (April 1998). It takes about two to three days to get to the Korean Peninsula from the origin. In South Korea, Yellow Dust is observed for 3 to 6 days mainly from March to May every year. In terms of
2688-824: A much higher proportion of clay with the Cecil soil series a prime example of the consequent Ultisol great soil group. Granite is a natural source of radiation , like most natural stones. Potassium-40 is a radioactive isotope of weak emission, and a constituent of alkali feldspar , which in turn is a common component of granitic rocks, more abundant in alkali feldspar granite and syenites . Some granites contain around 10 to 20 parts per million (ppm) of uranium . By contrast, more mafic rocks, such as tonalite, gabbro and diorite , have 1 to 5 ppm uranium, and limestones and sedimentary rocks usually have equally low amounts. Many large granite plutons are sources for palaeochannel -hosted or roll front uranium ore deposits , where
2856-475: A nationwide next-generation network that will be 10 times faster than broadband facilities, in order to reduce energy usage. The renewable portfolio standard program with renewable energy certificates runs from 2012 to 2022. Quota systems favor large, vertically integrated generators and multinational electric utilities, if only because certificates are generally denominated in units of one megawatt-hour. They are also more difficult to design and implement than
3024-659: A new renaissance of the Joseon dynasty during the 18th century. In the 19th century, Joseon began experiencing economic difficulties and widespread uprisings, including the Donghak Peasant Revolution . The royal in-law families had gained control of the government, leading to mass corruption and weakening of the state. In addition, the strict isolationism of the Joseon government that earned it "the hermit kingdom " became increasing ineffective due to increasing encroachment from powers such as Japan, Russia, and
3192-749: A northern zone , which was occupied by the Soviet Union , and a southern zone , which was occupied by the United States . After negotiations on reunification failed, the southern zone became the Republic of Korea in August 1948, while the northern zone became the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea the following month. In 1950, a North Korean invasion began the Korean War , which ended in 1953 after extensive fighting involving
3360-536: A peculiar mineralogy and geochemistry, with particularly high silicon and potassium at the expense of calcium and magnesium and a high content of high field strength cations (cations with a small radius and high electrical charge, such as zirconium , niobium , tantalum , and rare earth elements .) They are not orogenic, forming instead over hot spots and continental rifting, and are metaluminous to mildly peralkaline and iron-rich. These granites are produced by partial melting of refractory lithology such as granulites in
3528-456: A political prisoner sentenced to death (later commuted to exile). He won against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis , where he took IMF advice to restructure the economy and the nation soon recovered its economic growth, albeit at a slower pace. In June 2000, as part of President Kim Dae-jung's " Sunshine Policy " of engagement, a North–South summit took place in Pyongyang ,
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#17327726913923696-568: A range of hills, formed by the metamorphic aureole or hornfels . Granite often occurs as relatively small, less than 100 km stock masses ( stocks ) and in batholiths that are often associated with orogenic mountain ranges. Small dikes of granitic composition called aplites are often associated with the margins of granitic intrusions . In some locations, very coarse-grained pegmatite masses occur with granite. Granite forms from silica-rich ( felsic ) magmas. Felsic magmas are thought to form by addition of heat or water vapor to rock of
3864-413: A recovery in the 1950s. Comprehensive reforestation programs starting in the 1970s and continuing into the late 1990s aided in an acceleration of forest volume increase, and the forest cover reached a peak of 65% of national land area in 1980 as opposed to a low of 35% in 1955. News that North Korea was constructing a huge multipurpose dam at the base of Geumgangsan (1,638 m (5,374 ft)) north of
4032-706: A result of South Korea's proximity to China, which is a major air polluter. South Korea had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.02/10, ranking it 87th globally out of 172 countries. South Korea is a member of the Antarctic-Environmental Protocol , Antarctic Treaty , Biodiversity Treaty , Kyoto Protocol (forming the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG), regarding UNFCCC , with Mexico and Switzerland), Desertification , Endangered Species , Environmental Modification , Hazardous Wastes , Law of
4200-415: A result, they contain micas such as biotite and muscovite instead of hornblende. Their strontium isotope ratio is typically greater than 0.708, suggesting a crustal origin. They also commonly contain xenoliths of metamorphosed sedimentary rock, and host tin ores. Their magmas are water-rich, and they readily solidify as the water outgasses from the magma at lower pressure, so they less commonly make it to
4368-486: A series of massive public demonstrations from November 2016, and she was removed from office. After the fallout of Park's impeachment and dismissal, elections were held and Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party won the presidency, assuming office on May 10, 2017. His tenure saw an improving political relationship with North Korea, some increasing divergence in the military alliance with the United States, and
4536-526: A series of successful battles of attrition, the Japanese forces were eventually forced to withdraw, and relations between all parties became normalized. However, the Manchus took advantage of Joseon's war-weakened state and invaded in 1627 and 1637 and then went on to conquer the destabilized Ming dynasty. After normalizing relations with the new Qing dynasty , Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. Kings Yeongjo and Jeongjo particularly led
4704-473: A significant boost for South Korea's global image and economy. South Korea was formally invited to become a member of the United Nations in 1991. The transition of Korea from autocracy to modern democracy was marked in 1997 by the election of Kim Dae-jung, who was sworn in as the eighth president of South Korea on February 25, 1998. His election was significant given that he had in earlier years been
4872-500: A southwestern region of mountains and valleys; and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River . South Korea is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests , Manchurian mixed forests , and Southern Korea evergreen forests . South Korea's terrain is mostly mountainous, most of which is not arable . Lowlands , located primarily in the west and southeast, make up only 30% of
5040-536: A whole, rather than just the South Korean state. The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. According to Korea's founding mythology , the history of Korea begins with the founding of Joseon (also known as " Gojoseon ", or "Old Joseon", to differentiate it with the 14th century dynasty) in 2333 BCE by the legendary Dangun . Gojoseon was noted in Chinese records in
5208-417: Is Hallasan (1,950 m (6,398 ft)), which is the cone of a volcanic formation constituting Jeju Island . Geologically, Precambrian rocks such as granite make up the landmass. Approximately 30 percent of the area of South Korea consists of lowlands, with the rest consisting of uplands and mountains. The great majority of the lowland area lies along the coasts, particularly the west coast, and along
Geography of South Korea - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-466: Is grus , which is often made up of coarse-grained fragments of disintegrated granite. Climatic variations also influence the weathering rate of granites. For about two thousand years, the relief engravings on Cleopatra's Needle obelisk had survived the arid conditions of its origin before its transfer to London. Within two hundred years, the red granite has drastically deteriorated in the damp and polluted air there. Soil development on granite reflects
5544-545: Is microgranite . The extrusive igneous rock equivalent of granite is rhyolite . Granitic rock is widely distributed throughout the continental crust . Much of it was intruded during the Precambrian age; it is the most abundant basement rock that underlies the relatively thin sedimentary veneer of the continents. Outcrops of granite tend to form tors , domes or bornhardts , and rounded massifs . Granites sometimes occur in circular depressions surrounded by
5712-478: Is 30 to 35 days, but it does not continue to rain during this period. In fact, it rains for about 15 to 20 days, and among them, it falls only for about 12 to 16 days due to the stagnant front. However, the rainy season varies greatly from year to year. The rainy season is a representative summer weather in East Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea, and accounts for more than 30% of the precipitation on
5880-517: Is 3–6·10 Pa·s. The melting temperature of dry granite at ambient pressure is 1215–1260 °C (2219–2300 °F); it is strongly reduced in the presence of water, down to 650 °C at a few hundred megapascals of pressure. Granite has poor primary permeability overall, but strong secondary permeability through cracks and fractures if they are present. A worldwide average of the chemical composition of granite, by weight percent, based on 2485 analyses: The medium-grained equivalent of granite
6048-425: Is a comprehensive overhaul of South Korea's economy, utilizing nearly two percent of the national GDP. The greening initiative includes such efforts as a nationwide bike network, solar and wind energy, lowering oil dependent vehicles, backing daylight saving time and extensive usage of environmentally friendly technologies such as LEDs in electronics and lighting. The country—one of the world's most wired—plans to build
6216-519: Is a heavily guarded, 4,000-meter-wide strip of land that runs along the demarcation line established by the Korean Armistice Agreement from the east to the west coasts for a distance of 241 kilometers (238 kilometers of that line from the land boundary with North Korea). The total land area of the peninsula, including the islands, is 223,170 square kilometers. Some 44.8 percent (100 210 square kilometers) of this total, excluding
6384-491: Is a party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty , Biodiversity , Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol , Desertification , Endangered Species, Environmental Modification , Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea , Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution ( MARPOL 73/78 ), Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling South Korea South Korea , officially
6552-494: Is affected by the East Asian monsoon , with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma , which begins end of June and lasts through the end of July. In Seoul, the average January temperature range is −7 to 1 °C (19 to 34 °F), and the average August temperature range is 22 to 30 °C (72 to 86 °F). Winter temperatures are higher along the southern coast and considerably lower in
6720-538: Is also a strange tendency, such as yellow dust in December 2022 in winter. South Korea is less vulnerable to typhoons than Japan, Taiwan , the east coast of China, or the Philippines . From one to three typhoons can be expected per year. Typhoons usually pass over South Korea in late summer, especially in August, and bring torrential rains. Flooding occasionally causes considerable damage, as do landslides, given
6888-412: Is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Hallasan , an extinct volcano , reaches 1,950 meters (6,400 feet) above sea level . The easternmost islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo/Takeshima), while Marado and Socotra Rock are the southernmost islands of South Korea. South Korea tends to have a humid continental climate and a humid subtropical climate , and
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7056-410: Is an excess of aluminum beyond what can be taken up in feldspars (Al 2 O 3 > CaO + K 2 O + Na 2 O) are described as peraluminous , and they contain aluminum-rich minerals such as muscovite . The average density of granite is between 2.65 and 2.75 g/cm (165 and 172 lb/cu ft), its compressive strength usually lies above 200 MPa (29,000 psi), and its viscosity near STP
7224-637: Is believed to have a mass of around 81 tonnes. It was the tallest temple in south India. Imperial Roman granite was quarried mainly in Egypt, and also in Turkey, and on the islands of Elba and Giglio . Granite became "an integral part of the Roman language of monumental architecture". The quarrying ceased around the third century AD. Beginning in Late Antiquity the granite was reused, which since at least
7392-434: Is called a binary or two-mica granite. Two-mica granites are typically high in potassium and low in plagioclase, and are usually S-type granites or A-type granites, as described below . Another aspect of granite classification is the ratios of metals that potentially form feldspars. Most granites have a composition such that almost all their aluminum and alkali metals (sodium and potassium) are combined as feldspar. This
7560-505: Is concentrated in the summer months of June through September. The southern coast is subject to late summer typhoons that bring strong winds, heavy rains and sometimes floods. The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimeters (54 in) in Seoul to 1,470 millimeters (58 in) in Busan. During the first 20 years of South Korea's growth surge, little effort was made to preserve
7728-433: Is limited by the amount of thermal energy available, which must be replenished by crystallization of higher-melting minerals in the magma. Thus, the magma is melting crustal rock at its roof while simultaneously crystallizing at its base. This results in steady contamination with crustal material as the magma rises. This may not be evident in the major and minor element chemistry, since the minerals most likely to crystallize at
7896-682: Is located somewhere in southern Siberia / Manchuria , such as the Liao River area or the Amur River area. Proto-Koreans arrived in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula at around 300 BC, replacing and assimilating Japonic-speakers and likely causing the Yayoi migration. During the Proto–Three Kingdoms period , the states of Buyeo , Okjeo , Dongye , and Samhan occupied the whole Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria. From them,
8064-518: Is minimal; however, since 2016, there have been two earthquakes over 5.4 magnitude. Records of historical periods of Korean history (27AD to 1904), alongside data from surviving buildings, have been used to refine estimates for the severity of historical earthquakes both in and under the sea round the Korean peninsula. Habitat loss and degradation, especially of wetlands, through coastal reclamation (e.g. Saemangeum, Shiwa, Song Do, Namyang Bay, Asan Bay, in
8232-404: Is permeated by sheets and channels of light granitic rock (the leucosome ). The leucosome is interpreted as partial melt of a parent rock that has begun to separate from the remaining solid residue (the melanosome). If enough partial melt is produced, it will separate from the source rock, become more highly evolved through fractional crystallization during its ascent toward the surface, and become
8400-454: Is relieved when overlying material is removed by erosion or other processes. Chemical weathering of granite occurs when dilute carbonic acid , and other acids present in rain and soil waters, alter feldspar in a process called hydrolysis . As demonstrated in the following reaction, this causes potassium feldspar to form kaolinite , with potassium ions, bicarbonate, and silica in solution as byproducts. An end product of granite weathering
8568-411: Is self-sufficient in rice and potatoes but depends on imports to support its dominantly urban population. There are occasional big typhoons that bring high winds and floods. There is also low-level seismic activity, which is common in the southwest. Unlike Japan or the northern provinces of China, the Korean Peninsula is geologically stable. There are no active volcanoes (aside from Baekdu Mountain on
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#17327726913928736-411: Is some concern that some granite sold as countertops or building material may be hazardous to health. Dan Steck of St. Johns University has stated that approximately 5% of all granite is of concern, with the caveat that only a tiny percentage of the tens of thousands of granite slab types have been tested. Resources from national geological survey organizations are accessible online to assist in assessing
8904-479: Is that magma will rise through the crust as a single mass through buoyancy . As it rises, it heats the wall rocks , causing them to behave as a power-law fluid and thus flow around the intrusion allowing it to pass without major heat loss. This is entirely feasible in the warm, ductile lower crust where rocks are easily deformed, but runs into problems in the upper crust which is far colder and more brittle. Rocks there do not deform so easily: for magma to rise as
9072-410: Is the case when K 2 O + Na 2 O + CaO > Al 2 O 3 > K 2 O + Na 2 O. Such granites are described as normal or metaluminous . Granites in which there is not enough aluminum to combine with all the alkali oxides as feldspar (Al 2 O 3 < K 2 O + Na 2 O) are described as peralkaline , and they contain unusual sodium amphiboles such as riebeckite . Granites in which there
9240-404: Is the world's ninth-largest exporter and ninth-largest importer . Its armed forces are ranked as one of the world's strongest militaries, with the world's second-largest standing army by military and paramilitary personnel . In the 21st century, South Korea has been renowned for its globally influential pop culture, particularly in music , TV dramas , and cinema , a phenomenon referred to as
9408-459: Is typically orthoclase or microcline and is often perthitic . The plagioclase is typically sodium-rich oligoclase . Phenocrysts are usually alkali feldspar. Granitic rocks are classified according to the QAPF diagram for coarse grained plutonic rocks and are named according to the percentage of quartz , alkali feldspar ( orthoclase , sanidine , or microcline ) and plagioclase feldspar on
9576-428: Is uncommon, is classified simply as quartz-rich granitoid or, if composed almost entirely of quartz, as quartzolite . True granites are further classified by the percentage of their total feldspar that is alkali feldspar. Granites whose feldspar is 65% to 90% alkali feldspar are syenogranites , while the feldspar in monzogranite is 35% to 65% alkali feldspar. A granite containing both muscovite and biotite micas
9744-595: Is usually shorter than the early summer rainy season, it sometimes pours more rain than the summer rainy season. Due to severe climate change caused by global warming in India, daytime temperatures have risen to 32 degrees Celsius since mid-April and 39 degrees in late April, resulting in a strong heat wave in mid-summer, which also hit Korea in early June 2022. The head of the Korea Meteorological Administration pointed out in 2022 that it
9912-466: The 1987 constitution with a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly . It is considered a regional power and a developed country , with its economy ranked as the world's fourteenth-largest by nominal GDP and the fourteenth-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP . Its citizens enjoy one of the world's fastest Internet connection speeds and densest high-speed railway networks . The country
10080-706: The American-led United Nations Command and the People's Volunteer Army from China with Soviet assistance . The war left 3 million Koreans dead and the economy in ruins . The authoritarian First Republic of Korea led by Syngman Rhee was overthrown in the April Revolution of 1960. However, the Second Republic failed to control the revolutionary fervor. The May 16 coup of 1961 led by Park Chung Hee put an end to
10248-676: The Gwangju Democratization Movement . Chun subsequently created the National Defense Emergency Policy Committee and took the presidency according to his political plan. Chun and his government held South Korea under a despotic rule until 1987, when a Seoul National University student, Park Jong-chul , was tortured to death. On June 10 , the Catholic Priests Association for Justice revealed
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#173277269139210416-613: The Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi) exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) continental shelf: not specified Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea level 0 m highest point: Hallasan 1,950 m (6,398 ft) Part of the East Asian Monsoon region , South Korea has humid continental and humid subtropical climates, with four distinct seasons. The movement of air masses from
10584-499: The Korea Strait and the East China Sea . The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33° and 39°N , and longitudes 124° and 130°E . Its total area is 100,410 square kilometers (38,768.52 sq mi). 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;
10752-416: The Korean War , much of the existing Korean forests were cut down, which led to problems with flooding and soil erosion. Combination of reforestation efforts (e.g. Arbor Day was celebrated as a national holiday starting in 1949) and policies designed to reduce the use of firewood as a source of energy (e.g. restriction of inflow of firewood into Seoul and other major cities starting in 1958) helped to spark
10920-634: The Korean War , the Cold War 's first major conflict, which continued until 1953. At the time, the Soviet Union had boycotted the UN, thus forfeiting their veto rights . This allowed the UN to intervene in a civil war when it became apparent that the superior North Korean forces would unify the entire country. The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with the later participation of millions of Chinese troops . After an ebb and flow that saw both sides facing defeat with massive losses among Korean civilians in both
11088-807: The Korean Wave . It is a member of the OECD 's Development Assistance Committee , the G20 , the IPEF , and the Paris Club . The name Korea is an exonym , although it was derived from a historical kingdom name, Goryeo ( Revised Romanization ) or Koryŏ ( McCune–Reischauer ). Goryeo was the shortened name officially adopted by Goguryeo in the 5th century and the name of its 10th-century successor state Goryeo. Visiting Arab and Persian merchants pronounced its name as "Korea". The modern name of Korea appears in
11256-488: The Later Three Kingdoms period in the late 9th century. Buddhism flourished during this time. Many Korean Buddhists gained great fame among Chinese Buddhist circles and greatly contributed to Chinese Buddhism . Examples of significant Korean Buddhists from this period include Woncheuk , Wonhyo , Uisang , Musang , and Kim Gyo-gak . Kim was a Silla prince whose influence made Mount Jiuhua one of
11424-569: The Mongol invasions in the 13th century greatly weakened the kingdom. Goryeo was never conquered by the Mongols, but exhausted after three decades of fighting, the Korean court sent its crown prince to the Yuan capital to swear allegiance to Kublai Khan , who accepted and married one of his daughters to the Korean crown prince. Henceforth, Goryeo continued to rule Korea, though as a tributary ally to
11592-722: The Ogasawara Islands , resulting in a rainy season. However, in the case of the Korean Peninsula, not only the Okhotsk Sea air mass but also the cold and dry Siberian air mass contributes to the rainy season. Another cause of the rainy season is said to be the Bering Sea and the Tibetan Plateau . To be exact, the speed of high pressure formation varies depending on the amount of ice in the Bering Sea and
11760-412: The Philippines . From one to three typhoons can be expected per year. Typhoons usually pass over South Korea in late summer, especially in August, and bring torrential rains. Flooding occasionally causes considerable damage, as do landslides, given the country's generally mountainous terrain. In September 1984, record floods caused the deaths of 190 people and left 200,000 homeless. This disaster prompted
11928-485: The Republic of Korea ( ROK ), is a country in East Asia . It constitutes the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone ; though it also claims the land border with China and Russia . The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea , while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan . South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of
12096-478: The Seoul subway system , and laid the foundation for economic development during his 17-year tenure, which ended with his assassination in 1979. The years after Park's assassination were marked again by political turmoil, as the previously suppressed opposition leaders all campaigned to run for president in the sudden political void. In 1979, General Chun Doo-hwan led the coup d'état of December Twelfth . Following
12264-465: The Three Kingdoms of Korea emerged: Goguryeo , Baekje , and Silla . Goguryeo, the largest and most powerful among them, was a highly militaristic state and competed with various Chinese dynasties during its 700 years of history. Goguryeo experienced a golden age under Gwanggaeto the Great and his son Jangsu , who both subdued Baekje and Silla during their respective reigns, achieving
12432-643: The 17th ranking country in terms of how much tidal flat occurs there. The Nakdong is South Korea's longest river (521 km (324 mi)). The Han River , which flows through Seoul, is 514 km (319 mi) long, and the Geum River is 401 km (249 mi) long. These three rivers have their sources in the Taebaek Mountains. Other major rivers include the Imjin , which flows through both North Korea and South Korea and forms an estuary with
12600-602: The 8th and 9th centuries dominated the seas of East Asia and the trade between China, Korea, and Japan, most notably during the time of Jang Bogo . In addition, Silla people made overseas communities in China on the Shandong Peninsula and the mouth of the Yangtze River. However, Silla was later weakened due to internal strife and the revival of successor states Baekje and Goguryeo , which culminated into
12768-571: The A-Q-P half of the diagram. True granite (according to modern petrologic convention) contains between 20% and 60% quartz by volume, with 35% to 90% of the total feldspar consisting of alkali feldspar . Granitic rocks poorer in quartz are classified as syenites or monzonites , while granitic rocks dominated by plagioclase are classified as granodiorites or tonalites . Granitic rocks with over 90% alkali feldspar are classified as alkali feldspar granites . Granitic rock with more than 60% quartz, which
12936-991: The Asian continent exerts a greater influence on South Korea's weather than does air movement from the Pacific Ocean. Winters are usually long, cold, and dry, whereas summers are short, hot, and humid. Spring and autumn are pleasant but short in duration. Seoul's mean temperature in January is −5 to −2.5 °C (23.0 to 27.5 °F); in July the mean temperature is about 22.5 to 25 °C (72.5 to 77.0 °F). Because of its southern and seagirt location, Jeju Island has warmer and milder weather than other parts of South Korea. Mean temperatures on Jeju range from 2.5 °C (36.5 °F) in January to 25 °C (77 °F) in July. The country generally has sufficient rainfall to sustain its agriculture. Rarely does less than 750 millimeters (29.5 in) of rainfall fall in any given year; for
13104-883: The DMZ caused considerable consternation in South Korea during the mid-1980s. During 1987 the Geumgangsan Dam was a major issue that Seoul sought to raise in talks with Pyongyang . Though Seoul completed a "Peace Dam" on the Pukhan River to counteract the potential threat of Pyongyang's dam project before the 1988 Olympics, the North Korean project still was in its initial stages of construction in 1990. Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi); between 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) and 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) in
13272-615: The European Union safety standards (section 4.1.1.1 of the National Health and Engineering study) and radon emission levels well below the average outdoor radon concentrations in the US. Granite and related marble industries are considered one of the oldest industries in the world, existing as far back as Ancient Egypt . Major modern exporters of granite include China, India, Italy, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Spain and
13440-658: The Four Sacred Mountains of Chinese Buddhism. In 936, the Later Three Kingdoms were united by Wang Geon , who established Goryeo as the successor state of Goguryeo. Balhae had fallen to the Khitan Empire in 926, and a decade later the last crown prince of Balhae fled south to Goryeo, where he was warmly welcomed and included in the ruling family by Wang Geon, thus unifying the two successor nations of Goguryeo. Like Silla, Goryeo
13608-611: The Han River; the Bukhan , a tributary of the Han that also flows out of North Korea; and the Somjin . The major rivers flow north to south or east to west and empty into the Yellow Sea or the Korea Strait . They tend to be broad and shallow and to have wide seasonal variations in water flow. In the early part of the 20th century and especially the period during and after World War II and
13776-522: The Korean Peninsula, the heat wave began in earnest and entered the middle of summer. However, during the period from summer to autumn, as the North Pacific high pressure contracts and cold air expands in the north, the stagnant front moves south again and settles near the Korean Peninsula, which is called the "Autumn rainy season" or "second rainy season." The autumn rainy season generally occurs between late August and early September, and although it
13944-417: The Korean Peninsula. For this reason, some call the rainy season the "fifth season." It is usually a form of torrential rain that pours suddenly and then stops. In particular, the recent rainy season is referred to as a "nocturnal rainy season," and it is often in the form of a lull during the day, and local heavy rain pouring down at night. In the case of cloudy days, the upper layer may be heated rather than
14112-639: The Mohs hardness scale) , and tough. These properties have made granite a widespread construction stone throughout human history. The word "granite" comes from the Latin granum , a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of such a completely crystalline rock. Granitic rocks mainly consist of feldspar , quartz , mica , and amphibole minerals , which form an interlocking, somewhat equigranular matrix of feldspar and quartz with scattered darker biotite mica and amphibole (often hornblende ) peppering
14280-603: The Mongols for the next 86 years. During this period, the two nations became intertwined as all subsequent Korean kings married Mongol princesses, and the last empress of the Yuan dynasty was a Korean princess. In the mid-14th century, Goryeo drove out the Mongols to regain its northern territories, briefly conquered Liaoyang , and defeated invasions by the Red Turbans . However, in 1392, General Yi Seong-gye , who had been ordered to attack China, turned his army around and staged
14448-411: The North Korean government to make an unprecedented offer of humanitarian aid in the form of rice, medicine, clothes, and building materials. South Korea accepted these items and distributed them to flood victims. The rainy season of South Korea refers to a phenomenon in which it rains continuously for several days in summer or rainy season, or the weather, or the rain itself. On average, the rainy season
14616-506: The Pacific Ocean. Since 2013, the typhoon season has been delayed due to climate change, reducing summer typhoons and increasing autumn typhoons. The season came in October 2013, 2020, and November 2019. As a result, the number of super typhoons is increasing. Approximately 17% (as at 2022) of the land surface of South Korea is used for crop production (including temporary crops), most of the remainder being mountains and hill land. South Korea
14784-601: The Russian Far East and was called the "Prosperous Country in the East". Late Silla was a wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gyeongju grew to become the fourth largest city in the world. It experienced a golden age of art and culture, exemplified by monuments such as Hwangnyongsa , Seokguram , and the Emille Bell . It also carried on the maritime legacy and prowess of Baekje, and during
14952-557: The Sea , Marine Dumping , Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (not into force), Ozone Layer Protection , Ship Pollution , Tropical Timber 83 , Tropical Timber 94 , Wetlands , and Whaling . The South Korean government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea . Like many democratic states, South Korea has a government divided into three branches: executive , judicial , and legislative . The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at
15120-466: The Sea of Japan and Ganghwa Island at the mouth of the Han River. Although the eastern coastline of South Korea is generally unindented, the southern and western coasts are jagged and irregular. The difference is caused by the fact that the eastern coast is gradually rising, while the southern and western coasts are subsiding. South Korea is largely mountainous, with 3/4 of its landmass consisting of mountains. Early European visitors to Korea remarked that
15288-487: The Sea of Japan. The 8,640-kilometer coastline is highly indented. Some 3,579 islands lie adjacent to the peninsula. Most of them are found along the south and west coasts. After World War II and before June 25, 1950, the line between the two Korean states was the thirty-eighth parallel of latitude. After the Korean War , the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) formed the boundary between the two. The DMZ
15456-596: The Second Republic, signaling the start of the Third Republic in 1963. South Korea's devastated economy began to soar under Park's leadership, recording one of the fastest rises in average GDP per capita . Despite lacking natural resources, the nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers based on international trade and economic globalization , integrating itself within
15624-446: The South Korean public. South Korea saw another milestone in 2012 with the first ever female President Park Geun-hye elected and assuming office. The daughter of former President Park Chung Hee, she carried on a conservative brand of politics. President Park Geun-hye's administration was formally accused of corruption, bribery, and influence-peddling for the involvement of close friend Choi Soon-sil in state affairs. There followed
15792-709: The United States led to the division of Korea into two political entities in 1948: North Korea and South Korea. In the South, the United States appointed and supported the former head of the Korean Provisional Government Syngman Rhee as leader. Rhee won the first presidential elections of the newly declared Republic of Korea in May 1948. In the North, the Soviets backed a former anti-Japanese guerrilla and communist activist, Kim Il Sung , who
15960-448: The United States. The Red Pyramid of Egypt ( c. 2590 BC ), named for the light crimson hue of its exposed limestone surfaces, is the third largest of Egyptian pyramids . Pyramid of Menkaure , likely dating 2510 BC, was constructed of limestone and granite blocks. The Great Pyramid of Giza (c. 2580 BC ) contains a huge granite sarcophagus fashioned of "Red Aswan Granite". The mostly ruined Black Pyramid dating from
16128-867: The United States. This is exemplified by the Joseon–United States Treaty of 1882 , in which it was compelled to open its borders. In the late 19th century, Japan became a significant regional power after winning the First Sino-Japanese War against Qing China and the Russo-Japanese War against the Russian Empire . In 1897, King Gojong, the last king of Korea , proclaimed Joseon as the Korean Empire . However, Japan compelled Korea to become its protectorate in 1905 and formally annexed it in 1910. What followed
16296-462: The Vietnam War. Park was heavily criticized as a ruthless military dictator, who in 1972 extended his rule by creating a new constitution , which gave the president sweeping (almost dictatorial) powers and permitted him to run for an unlimited number of six-year terms. The Korean economy developed significantly during Park's tenure. The government developed the nationwide expressway system ,
16464-458: The addition of several conditions to the sand particles generated here affects South Korea. Deserts where Yellow dust usually occurs include Taklamakan , Ordos , and Gobi . In South Korea, Yellow Dust usually occurs in spring, especially in April. Yellow dust has been recorded since ancient times, and the damage was not so severe because it was only a sandstorm in ancient times, but in modern times,
16632-573: The amount of snow accumulated in the Tibetan Plateau, as the rainy season begins with the speed at which each high pressure in the north and south of the Korean Peninsula moves. For this reason, rainy seasons are regarded as a kind of East Asian seasonal wind climate abroad. The rainy season ends when the North Pacific high pressure expands and the Okhotsk Sea fleet retreats. Since then, as the North Pacific high pressure began to dominate
16800-432: The ancient kingdom of Gojoseon (2333 BCE). In 1897, the Joseon dynasty changed the country's official name from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk ( Korean Empire ). The name Daehan (Great Han) derives from Samhan (Three Han), referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , not the ancient confederacies in the southern Korean Peninsula. However, the name Joseon was still widely used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it
16968-535: The area within the DMZ, constitutes the territory of the Republic of Korea. The combined territories of North Korea and South Korea are about the same size as the United Kingdom . South Korea alone is about the size of Portugal or Hungary, or the U.S. state of Indiana. The largest island, Jeju Province , lies off the southwest corner of the peninsula and has a land area of 1,825 square kilometers. Other important islands include Ulleung and Liancourt Rocks in
17136-566: The authoritarian rule continued in the Fifth Republic led by Chun Doo-hwan , which violently seized power by two coups and brutally suppressed the Gwangju Uprising . The June Democratic Struggle of 1987 ended authoritarian rule , forming the current Sixth Republic. The country is now considered among the most advanced democracies in continental and East Asia. South Korea maintains a unitary presidential republic under
17304-419: The base of the chamber are the same ones that would crystallize anyway, but crustal assimilation is detectable in isotope ratios. Heat loss to the country rock means that ascent by assimilation is limited to distance similar to the height of the magma chamber. Physical weathering occurs on a large scale in the form of exfoliation joints , which are the result of granite's expanding and fracturing as pressure
17472-418: The big difference in rheology between mafic and felsic magmas makes this process problematic in nature. Granitization is an old, and largely discounted, hypothesis that granite is formed in place through extreme metasomatism . The idea behind granitization was that fluids would supposedly bring in elements such as potassium, and remove others, such as calcium, to transform a metamorphic rock into granite. This
17640-493: The border between North Korea and China, most recently active in 1903), and there have been no strong earthquakes. Historical records, however, describe volcanic activity on Mount Halla during the Goryeo Dynasty (no having kissits lowlands are the product of mountain erosion. Hallasan (elev. 1,950 m (6,398 ft)) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries. Earthquake activity
17808-524: The capital of North Korea. Later that year, Kim received the Nobel Peace Prize "for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asia in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in particular". However, because of discontent among the population for fruitless approaches to the North under the previous administrations and, amid North Korean provocations,
17976-453: The coexistence of the spellings Corea and Korea in 19th-century publications, some Koreans believe that Imperial Japan , around the time of the Japanese occupation, intentionally standardized the spelling of Korea , making Japan appear first alphabetically. After Goryeo was replaced by Joseon in 1392, Joseon became the official name for the entire territory, though it was not universally accepted. The new official name has its origin in
18144-499: The country's generally mountainous terrain. Typhoons often occur from midsummer to early autumn, July, August, and September. Most of the typhoons invading the Korean Peninsula are concentrated during this period, and sometimes indirect effects occur in June and October. Even October has a direct impact and lands.In the summer, the water on the surface of the ocean, which received hot heat, evaporates and rises by convection and condenses, and
18312-589: The coup d'état, Chun planned to rise to power through several measures. On May 17, Chun forced the Cabinet to expand martial law to the whole nation, which had previously not applied to Jeju Island . The expanded martial law closed universities, banned political activities, and further curtailed the press. Chun's assumption of the presidency through the events of May 17 triggered nationwide protests demanding democracy; these protests were particularly focused, Gwangju , to which Chun sent special forces to violently suppress
18480-421: The damage is getting worse due to China's rapid industrialization and desertification. In summer or autumn, the roots of rain and plants play a role in holding onto the sand. However, in spring, the dry soil, which had been frozen throughout the winter, melts and breaks down into small pieces, resulting in small sand dust of less than 20 μm in size. When low pressure passes over the generated sand dust, it rises to
18648-404: The division between S-type (produced by underplating) and I-type (produced by injection and differentiation) granites, discussed below. The composition and origin of any magma that differentiates into granite leave certain petrological evidence as to what the granite's parental rock was. The final texture and composition of a granite are generally distinctive as to its parental rock. For instance,
18816-473: The early 16th century became known as spolia . Through the process of case-hardening , granite becomes harder with age. The technology required to make tempered metal chisels was largely forgotten during the Middle Ages. As a result, Medieval stoneworkers were forced to use saws or emery to shorten ancient columns or hack them into discs. Giorgio Vasari noted in the 16th century that granite in quarries
18984-484: The early 7th century. Gojoseon expanded until it controlled the northern Korean Peninsula and parts of Manchuria . Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in the 12th century BCE, but its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era. In 108 BCE, the Han dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed four commanderies in the northern Korean peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within
19152-484: The entire peninsula and adjacent islands . It has a population of 51.96 million, of which half live in the Seoul Capital Area , the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world . Other major cities include Busan , Daegu , and Incheon . The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. After
19320-475: The environment. Unchecked industrialization and urban development have resulted in deforestation and the ongoing destruction of wetlands such as the Songdo Tidal Flat. However, there have been recent efforts to balance these problems, including a government run $ 84 billion five-year green growth project that aims to boost energy efficiency and green technology. The green-based economic strategy
19488-593: The exception of the short-lived Second Republic of Korea , the country has always had a presidential system with an independent chief executive. Under its current constitution the state is sometimes referred to as the Sixth Republic of Korea . The first direct election was also held in 1948. Granite Granite ( / ˈ ɡ r æ n ɪ t / GRAN -it ) is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic ) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz , alkali feldspar , and plagioclase . It forms from magma with
19656-526: The first Portuguese maps of 1568 by João vaz Dourado as Conrai and later in the late 16th century and early 17th century as Corea (Korea) in the maps of Teixeira Albernaz of 1630. The Kingdom of Goryeo became first known to Westerners when Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Malacca in 1511 and described the peoples who traded with this part of the world known by the Portuguese as the Gores . Despite
19824-579: The first magma to enter solidifies and provides a form of insulation for later magma. These mechanisms can operate in tandem. For example, diapirs may continue to rise through the brittle upper crust through stoping , where the granite cracks the roof rocks, removing blocks of the overlying crust which then sink to the bottom of the diapir while the magma rises to take their place. This can occur as piecemeal stopping (stoping of small blocks of chamber roof), as cauldron subsidence (collapse of large blocks of chamber roof), or as roof foundering (complete collapse of
19992-481: The form of rice, medicine, clothes, and building materials. South Korea accepted these items and distributed them to flood victims. As global warming progresses, the power of typhoons is likely to become stronger. In fact, hurricanes that occur in the Atlantic Ocean , where the average water temperature is 1 to 2 degrees higher than in the Pacific Ocean, are causing much more intensive damage than typhoons in
20160-713: The grotto is a highly regarded piece of Buddhist art , and along with the temple complex to which it belongs, Seokguram was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. Rajaraja Chola I of the Chola Dynasty in South India built the world's first temple entirely of granite in the 11th century AD in Tanjore , India . The Brihadeeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built in 1010. The massive Gopuram (ornate, upper section of shrine)
20328-417: The ground during the day, and at night, the clouds trap the heat of the lower layer while the upper layer cools, so convection develops. In fact, considering that showers come during the day, nights account for a high percentage of 55%. A distinct congestion front is created between the cold and humid Okhotsk Sea air mass located on the northern Russian coast and the hot and humid North Pacific air mass near
20496-720: The incident, igniting the June Democratic Struggle across the country. Eventually, Chun's party, the Democratic Justice Party , and its leader, Roh Tae-woo , announced the June 29 Declaration , which included the direct election of the president. Roh went on to win the election by a narrow margin against the two main opposition leaders, Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam . Seoul hosted the Olympic Games in 1988 , widely regarded as successful and
20664-602: The land resembled "a sea in a heavy gale" because of the large number of successive mountain ranges. Many tall mountains exceeding 1,000 m (3,281 ft), which are concentrated in the north and the east, form the "topological backbone" of the country. There are two major mountain ranges within South Korea: the Taebaek Mountains , and the Sobaek Mountains . The highest mountain peak in South Korea
20832-454: The latent heat released heats up the surrounding water vapor again to the troposphere interface. In the case of typhoons heading to Korea, most of them fall into Japan, or Jeju Island, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeollanam-do are often directly damaged. However, In September 1984, record floods caused the deaths of 190 people and left 200,000 homeless. This disaster prompted the North Korean government to make an unprecedented offer of humanitarian aid in
21000-570: The lighter color minerals. Occasionally some individual crystals ( phenocrysts ) are larger than the groundmass , in which case the texture is known as porphyritic . A granitic rock with a porphyritic texture is known as a granite porphyry . Granitoid is a general, descriptive field term for lighter-colored, coarse-grained igneous rocks. Petrographic examination is required for identification of specific types of granitoids. Granites can be predominantly white, pink, or gray in color, depending on their mineralogy . The alkali feldspar in granites
21168-474: The lower crust , rather than by decompression of mantle rock, as is the case with basaltic magmas. It has also been suggested that some granites found at convergent boundaries between tectonic plates , where oceanic crust subducts below continental crust, were formed from sediments subducted with the oceanic plate. The melted sediments would have produced magma intermediate in its silica content, which became further enriched in silica as it rose through
21336-729: The lower continental crust at high thermal gradients. This leads to significant extraction of hydrous felsic melts from granulite-facies resitites. A-type granites occur in the Koettlitz Glacier Alkaline Province in the Royal Society Range, Antarctica. The rhyolites of the Yellowstone Caldera are examples of volcanic equivalents of A-type granite. M-type granite was later proposed to cover those granites that were clearly sourced from crystallized mafic magmas, generally sourced from
21504-435: The magma is inevitable once enough magma has accumulated. However, the question of precisely how such large quantities of magma are able to shove aside country rock to make room for themselves (the room problem ) is still a matter of research. Two main mechanisms are thought to be important: Of these two mechanisms, Stokes diapirism has been favoured for many years in the absence of a reasonable alternative. The basic idea
21672-426: The magma. Other processes must produce these great volumes of felsic magma. One such process is injection of basaltic magma into the lower crust, followed by differentiation, which leaves any cumulates in the mantle. Another is heating of the lower crust by underplating basaltic magma, which produces felsic magma directly from crustal rock. The two processes produce different kinds of granites, which may be reflected in
21840-408: The magmatic parent of granitic rock. The residue of the source rock becomes a granulite . The partial melting of solid rocks requires high temperatures and the addition of water or other volatiles which lower the solidus temperature (temperature at which partial melting commences) of these rocks. It was long debated whether crustal thickening in orogens (mountain belts along convergent boundaries )
22008-716: The major rivers. The most important lowlands are the Han River plain around Seoul , the Pyeongtaek coastal plain southwest of Seoul, the Geum River basin, the Nakdong River basin, and the Yeongsan River and the Honam plains in the southwest. A narrow littoral plain extends along the east coast. A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 1,833 km of tidal flats in South Korea, making it
22176-405: The mantle. Although the fractional crystallisation of basaltic melts can yield small amounts of granites, which are sometimes found in island arcs, such granites must occur together with large amounts of basaltic rocks. H-type granites were suggested for hybrid granites, which were hypothesized to form by mixing between mafic and felsic from different sources, such as M-type and S-type. However,
22344-425: The most part, rainfall is over 1,000 millimeters (39.4 in). Amounts of precipitation, however, can vary from year to year. Serious droughts occur about once every eight years, especially in the rice-producing southwestern part of the country. About two-thirds of the annual precipitation occurs between June and September. South Korea is less vulnerable to typhoons than Japan, Taiwan , the east coast of China, or
22512-415: The mountainous interior. Summer can be uncomfortably hot and humid, with temperatures exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) in most parts of the country. South Korea has four distinct seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring usually lasts from late March to early May, summer from mid-May to early September, autumn from mid-September to early November, and winter from mid-November to mid-March. Rainfall
22680-478: The national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. Local governments are semi-autonomous and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. South Korea is a constitutional democracy. The constitution has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948 at independence. However, it has retained many broad characteristics and with
22848-470: The north and the south, the war eventually reached a stalemate. During the war, Rhee's party promoted the One-People Principle , an effort to build an obedient citizenry through ethnic homogeneity and authoritarian appeals to nationalism . The 1953 armistice , never signed by South Korea, split the peninsula along the demilitarized zone near the original demarcation line. No peace treaty
23016-528: The northeast part of the Asian continental landmass. The Japanese islands of Honshū and Kyūshū are located some 200 km (124 mi) to the southeast across the Korea Strait ; the Shandong Peninsula of China lies 190 kilometers to the west. The west coast of the peninsula is bordered by the Korea Bay to the north and the Yellow Sea and Korea Strait to the south; the east coast is bordered by
23184-441: The overlying crust. Early fractional crystallisation serves to reduce a melt in magnesium and chromium, and enrich the melt in iron, sodium, potassium, aluminum, and silicon. Further fractionation reduces the content of iron, calcium, and titanium. This is reflected in the high content of alkali feldspar and quartz in granite. The presence of granitic rock in island arcs shows that fractional crystallization alone can convert
23352-736: The reign of Amenemhat III once had a polished granite pyramidion or capstone, which is now on display in the main hall of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (see Dahshur ). Other uses in Ancient Egypt include columns , door lintels , sills , jambs , and wall and floor veneer. How the Egyptians worked the solid granite is still a matter of debate. Tool marks described by the Egyptologist Anna Serotta indicate
23520-420: The relative percentages of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase (the QAPF classification ), with true granite representing granitic rocks rich in quartz and alkali feldspar. Most granitic rocks also contain mica or amphibole minerals, though a few (known as leucogranites ) contain almost no dark minerals. Granite is nearly always massive (lacking any internal structures), hard (falling between 6 and 7 on
23688-470: The resignation of the autocratic President Syngman Rhee. This was followed by 13 months of political instability as South Korea was led by a weak and ineffectual government. This instability was broken by the May 16, 1961, coup led by General Park Chung Hee . As president, Park oversaw a period of rapid export-led economic growth enforced by political repression . Under Park, South Korea took an active role in
23856-564: The risk factors in granite country and design rules relating, in particular, to preventing accumulation of radon gas in enclosed basements and dwellings. A study of granite countertops was done (initiated and paid for by the Marble Institute of America) in November 2008 by National Health and Engineering Inc. of USA. In this test, all of the 39 full-size granite slabs that were measured for the study showed radiation levels well below
24024-418: The rock's high quartz content and dearth of available bases, with the base-poor status predisposing the soil to acidification and podzolization in cool humid climates as the weather-resistant quartz yields much sand. Feldspars also weather slowly in cool climes, allowing sand to dominate the fine-earth fraction. In warm humid regions, the weathering of feldspar as described above is accelerated so as to allow
24192-414: The rocks often bear a close resemblance. Under these conditions, granitic melts can be produced in place through the partial melting of metamorphic rocks by extracting melt-mobile elements such as potassium and silicon into the melts but leaving others such as calcium and iron in granulite residues. This may be the origin of migmatites . A migmatite consists of dark, refractory rock (the melanosome ) that
24360-444: The roof of a shallow magma chamber accompanied by a caldera eruption.) There is evidence for cauldron subsidence at the Mt. Ascutney intrusion in eastern Vermont. Evidence for piecemeal stoping is found in intrusions that are rimmed with igneous breccia containing fragments of country rock. Assimilation is another mechanism of ascent, where the granite melts its way up into the crust and removes overlying material in this way. This
24528-413: The south-west, Gwangyang Bay and the Nakdong Estuary) have caused huge declines in fisheries and of biodiversity. Most riverine wetland in Korea is now threatened by the proposed Grand Korean Waterway project. There are also some problems with air pollution in large cities; as well as water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents. Drift netting is another issue. South Korea
24696-458: The successful hosting of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang . In April 2018, Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 24 years in jail because of abuse of power and corruption. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the nation since 2020. That same year, South Korea recorded more deaths than births, resulting in a population decline for the first time on record. In March 2022, Yoon Suk Yeol , the candidate of conservative opposition People Power Party , won
24864-435: The surface than magmas of I-type granites, which are thus more common as volcanic rock (rhyolite). They are also orogenic but range from metaluminous to strongly peraluminous. Although both I- and S-type granites are orogenic, I-type granites are more common close to the convergent boundary than S-type. This is attributed to thicker crust further from the boundary, which results in more crustal melting. A-type granites show
25032-509: The time was Neo-Confucianism , which was epitomized by the seonbi class: nobles who passed up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity. Between 1592 and 1598, Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched invasions of Korea , but the advance was halted by Korean forces (most notably the Joseon Navy led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his renowned " turtle ship ") with assistance from righteous army militias formed by Korean civilians, and Ming dynasty Chinese troops. Through
25200-461: The total land area. South Korea has 20 national parks and popular nature places like the Boseong Tea Fields, Suncheon Bay Ecological Park , and Jirisan . About 3,000 islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of South Korea. Jeju Province is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the southern coast of South Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometers (712 square miles). Jeju
25368-453: The total number of observations nationwide, Jeolla-do (Gwangju, the region with the largest number of occurrences) has been observed. In terms of the number of days of occurrence, Seoul, Gyeonggi and the west coast are long. In rare cases, it was observed in Seoul in the winter of 1991 (November 30, 1991 to December 3). Early yellow dust occurred on January 25, 1999, and severe yellow dust occurred around 1 p.m. on January 2, 2001. However, there
25536-400: The unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan . Japanese rule ended following Japan's surrender in World War II , after which Korea was divided into two zones :
25704-464: The unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla led to the Northern and Southern States period , in which Balhae controlled the northern parts of Goguryeo, and much of the Korean Peninsula was controlled by Later Silla . Relationships between Korea and China remained relatively peaceful during this time. Balhae was founded by a Goguryeo general and formed as a successor state to Goguryeo. During its height, Balhae controlled most of Manchuria and parts of
25872-502: The uranium washes into the sediments from the granite uplands and associated, often highly radioactive pegmatites. Cellars and basements built into soils over granite can become a trap for radon gas, which is formed by the decay of uranium. Radon gas poses significant health concerns and is the number two cause of lung cancer in the US behind smoking. Thorium occurs in all granites. Conway granite has been noted for its relatively high thorium concentration of 56±6 ppm. There
26040-400: The use of flint tools on finer work with harder stones, e.g. when producing the hieroglyphic inscriptions. Patrick Hunt has postulated that the Egyptians used emery , which has greater hardness. The Seokguram Grotto in Korea is a Buddhist shrine and part of the Bulguksa temple complex. Completed in 774 AD, it is an artificial grotto constructed entirely of granite. The main Buddha of
26208-626: The west is the Yellow Sea (called Sohae Korean : 서해 ; Hanja : 西海 ; in South Korea, literally means west sea), to the south is the East China Sea , and to the east is the Sea of Japan (called Donghae Korean : 동해 ; Hanja : 東海 ; in South Korea, literally means east sea). Geographically, South Korea's landmass is approximately 100,364 square kilometres (38,751 sq mi). 290 square kilometres (110 sq mi) of South Korea are occupied by water. The approximate coordinates are 37° North, 128° East. The Korean Peninsula extends southward from
26376-453: The world economy with export-oriented industrialization . The Fourth Republic was established after the October Restoration of 1972, in which Park wielded absolute power. The Yushin Constitution declared that the president could suspend basic human rights and appoint a third of the parliament. Suppression of the opposition and human rights abuse by the government became more severe in this period. Even after Park's assassination in 1979,
26544-555: Was a highly cultural state, and invented the metal movable type printing press . After defeating the Khitan Empire, which was the most powerful empire of its time, in the Goryeo–Khitan War , Goryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which the Tripitaka Koreana was completed and significant developments in printing and publishing occurred. This promoted education and the dispersion of knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science. By 1100, there were 12 universities that produced notable scholars. However,
26712-434: Was a period of forced assimilation, in which Korean language, culture, and history were suppressed. This led to the March First Movement protests in 1919 and the subsequent foundation of resistance groups in exile, primarily in China. Among the resistance groups was Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea . Towards the end of World War II , the U.S. proposed dividing the Korean peninsula into two occupation zones:
26880-435: Was appointed premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in September. In October, the Soviet Union declared Kim Il Sung's government as sovereign over both the north and south. The UN declared Rhee's government as "a lawful government having effective control and jurisdiction over that part of Korea where the UN Temporary Commission on Korea was able to observe and consult" and the government "based on elections which
27048-428: Was ever signed, resulting in the two countries remaining technically at war. Approximately 3 million people died in the Korean War, with a higher proportional civilian death toll than World War II or the Vietnam War , making it one of the deadliest conflicts of the Cold War era. In addition, virtually all of Korea's major cities were destroyed by the war. In 1960, a student uprising (the " April Revolution ") led to
27216-457: Was impossible to predict the recent heavy rain, and that the traditional expression of "rainy season" now seems to have expired. Asian Dust , known in Korea as the Yellow Dust, refers to a phenomenon in which when low pressure passes through the desert area of China, a large amount of yellow dust floats in the air or lands on the move due to strong winds and topography, affecting Korea. Yellow Dust occurs in desert areas in China and Mongolia , and
27384-484: Was instrumental in the dissemination of Buddhism throughout East Asia and spreading continental culture to Japan. Baekje was once a great military power on the Korean Peninsula, especially during the time of Geunchogo , but was critically defeated by Gwanggaeto the Great and declined. Silla was the smallest and weakest of the three, but used opportunistic pacts and alliances with the more powerful Korean kingdoms, and eventually Tang China , to its advantage. In 676,
27552-435: Was no longer the official name. Under Japanese rule , the two names Han and Joseon coexisted. Following the surrender of Japan , in 1945, the "Republic of Korea" was adopted as the legal English name for the new country. However, it is not a direct translation of the Korean name. As a result, the Korean name "Daehan Minguk" is sometimes used by South Koreans as a metonym to refer to the Korean ethnicity (or " race ") as
27720-409: Was observed by the Temporary Commission" in addition to a statement that "this is the only such government in Korea." Both leaders engaged in authoritarian repression of political opponents. South Korea requested military support from the United States but was denied, and North Korea's military was heavily reinforced by the Soviet Union. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking
27888-405: Was sufficient to produce granite melts by radiogenic heating , but recent work suggests that this is not a viable mechanism. In-situ granitization requires heating by the asthenospheric mantle or by underplating with mantle-derived magmas. Granite magmas have a density of 2.4 Mg/m , much less than the 2.8 Mg/m of high-grade metamorphic rock. This gives them tremendous buoyancy, so that ascent of
28056-439: Was sunk killing 46 South Korean sailors, allegedly by a North Korean submarine. In November 2010 Yeonpyeongdo was attacked by a significant North Korean artillery barrage, with 4 people dying. The lack of a strong response to these attacks from both South Korea and the international community (the official UN report declined to explicitly name North Korea as the perpetrator for the Cheonan sinking) caused significant anger with
28224-564: Was supposed to occur across a migrating front. However, experimental work had established by the 1960s that granites were of igneous origin. The mineralogical and chemical features of granite can be explained only by crystal-liquid phase relations, showing that there must have been at least enough melting to mobilize the magma. However, at sufficiently deep crustal levels, the distinction between metamorphism and crustal melting itself becomes vague. Conditions for crystallization of liquid magma are close enough to those of high-grade metamorphism that
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