Korea: Geographic Features

Larry ZhangCassie Eagle

2/3/14

OverviewNorth Korea• Located in East Asia as the Northern segment of the Korean

Peninsula• Occupies area between the 37° and 43°N latitudes and the

124° and 131°E longitudes

South Korea• Also located in East Asia below North Korea, occupying the

southern half of the Korean Peninsula• Occupies area between the 33° and 39°N latitudes and the

124° and 130°E longitudes

Land Features

North Korea• Amnok (Yalu) River is the longest river, flowing over 491 miles• Baekdu Mountain is the highest point in North Korea• Almost 4/5 of the available land is classified as mountains and

highlands divided by deep valleys• Major mountain ranges include the Hamgyong in the

northeast, Rangrim in north-central, and the Kangnam

Land Features

South Korea• Major rivers are the Hatan, Imji, and Soyang Rivers• The land is mostly hills and mountains, with wide coastal

plains in the western and southern areas• Mountainous regions occupy 70% of the land, with arable

lowlands only composing 30%• Major mountain ranges include the Seroaksan, Saejae, and

Mungyeong ranges

38th Parallel

• The 38th parallel divides North and South Korea as two distinct, separate states

• Heavily demilitarized zone that is about 150 miles long and 1.2 miles wide on both sides

• Both North Korean and South Korean troops monitor both sides strictly

• Serves as a buffer between the Koreas

Importance of Location

North Korea• North Korea is strategically located on the Northern half of the

Korean Peninsula, bordering China, Russia and South Korea• Has access to resources such as those in the ocean where oil is

present, allowing for primary economic activities

South Korea• Borders North Korea and has access to large bodies of water• Offshore economic zones are easily accessible to South Korea• Countries want to possess South Korea because it is in a prime

location for trade and commerce

Similar Places

North Korea and South Korea• Geographically similar to Japan, which is also very

mountainous in that only a small portion of the land, the ecumene, is habitable

• Also share many features that are present in China, such as coastal plains and lowlands

• North Korea, unlike South Korea, Japan, or Northern China, experiences very few earthquakes

Works Cited"North Korea." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html>.

"South Korea." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html>.

Fry, Michael. "National Geographic, Korea, and the 38th Parallel." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 05 Aug. 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/08/130805-korean-war-dmz-armistice-38-parallel-geography/>.

"Geography of South Korea." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2014. <http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Geography_of_South_Korea.html>.