Geography of Korea

Topographic maps

North Korea

South Korea

Korea comprises the Korean Peninsula (the mainland) and 3,960 nearby islands. The peninsula is located in Northeast Asia, between China and Japan. To the northwest, the Amnok River (Yalu River) separates Korea from China and to the northeast, the Duman River (Tumen River) separates Korea from China and Russia. The Yellow Sea lies to the west, the East China Sea and Korea Strait to the south, and the Korean East Sea to the east.^[1] Notable islands include Jeju Island (Jejudo), Ulleung Island (Ulleungdo), and the Liancourt Rocks.

At 223,179 km², the area of Korea is similar to the area of the United Kingdom (244,100 km²) or the U.S. state of Minnesota (225,171 km²). Excluding the islands, the area of the Korean Peninsula is 220,847 km². The peninsula measures approx. 1,100 km from north to south and 300 km from east to west.^[2]

The southern and western parts of the peninsula have well-developed plains, while the eastern and northern parts are mountainous. The highest mountain in Korea, Mount Paektu or Paektusan (2,744 m or 9,003 ft), stands on the border with China. The southern extension of Mount Paektu, a highland called Gaema Heights, was mainly raised during the Cenozoic orogeny and partly covered by volcanic matter. To the south of Gaema Gowon (the Gaema Plateau), successive high mountains are located along the eastern coast of the peninsula. This mountain range is named Baekdu-daegan. Some significant mountains include Mount Sobaek or Sobaeksan (1,439 m or 4,721 ft), Mount Kumgang or Kumgangsan (1,638 m or 5,374 ft), Mount Seorak or Seoraksan (1,708 m or 5,604 ft), Mount Taebaek or Taebaeksan (1,567 m or 5,141 ft), and Mount Jiri or Jirisan (1,915 m or 6,283 ft). There are several lower, secondary mountain ranges whose direction is almost perpendicular to that of Baekdu-daegan. They developed along the tectonic line of Mesozoic orogeny and their directions are basically northwest.

Unlike most ancient mountains on the mainland, many important islands in Korea were formed by volcanic activity in the Cenozoic orogeny. Jeju Island, situated off the southern coast, is a large volcanic island whose main mountain, Mount Halla or Hallasan (1,950 m or 6,398 ft), is the highest in South Korea. Ulleung Island is a volcanic island in the Sea of Japan whose composition is more felsic than Jeju-do. The volcanic islands tend to be younger, the more westward.

Because the mountainous region is mostly on the eastern part of the peninsula, the main rivers tend to flow westwards. Two exceptions are the southward-flowing Nakdong River (Nakdonggang) and Seomjin River (Seomjingang). Important rivers running westward include the Amnok River, the Chongchon River (Chongchongang), the Taedong River (Taedonggang), the Han River (Hangang), the Geum River (Geumgang), and the Yeongsan River (Yeongsangang). These rivers have vast flood plains and provide an ideal environment for wet-rice cultivation.

The southern and southwestern coastlines of Korea form a well-developed ria coastline, known as Dadohae-jin in Korean. This convoluted coastline results in mild seas, and this calm environment allows for safe navigation, fishing, and seaweed farming. In addition to the complex coastline, the western coast of the Korean Peninsula has an extremely high tidal amplitude (at Incheon, around the middle of the western coast, it can get as high as 9 m or 30 ft). Vast tidal flats have been developing on the south and west coastlines.