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Korea lies adjacent to China and Japan. The northern border of Korea is formed by the Amnokgang (Yalu) and Dumangang (Tumen) rivers, which separate it from Manchuria. A 16-kilometer segment of the Dumangang to the east also serves as a natural border with Russia. The west coast of the Korean Peninsula is bounded by the Korean Bay to the north and the West Sea to the south; the east coast faces the East Sea. Two hundred kilometers separate the peninsula from eastern China. The shortest distance between Korean and Chinese coasts is 200 kilometers and from the southeastern tip of the peninsula, the nearest point on the Japanese coast is also about 200 kilometers away. Because of its unique geographical location, Chinese culture filtered into Japan through Korea; a common cultural sphere of Buddhism and Confucianism was thus established between the three countries.

The Korean Peninsula extends about 1,000 kilometers southward from the northeast Asian continental landmass. Roughly 300 kilometers in width, climate variations are more pronounced along the south-north axis. Differences in plant vegetation can be seen between the colder north and the warmer south. The peninsula and all of its associated islands lie between 33 06'40"N and 43 00'39"N parallels and 124 11'00"E and 131 52'08"E meridians. The latitudinal location of Korea is similar to that of the Iberian Peninsula and Greece. The entire peninsula corresponds approximately to the north-south span of the state of California. Koreans have developed and use a unique alphabet called Hangeul. It is considered to be one of the most efficient alphabets in the world and has garnered unanimous praise from language experts for its scientific design and excellence.
 Spring
Spring begins during the middle of March in the central part of the country, and toward the end of April in the northern region. Spring is rather short in the north. As the Siberian high pressure front weakens, the temperature rises gradually. Yellow sand which originates in the desert or arid areas of Mongolia and China, known as hwangsa, occasionally blows into Korea during early spring. The hwangsa often causes low visibility and eye irritation.
 Summer
The summer can be divided into two periods; jangma, a rainy period which occurs during the early summer months, and a hot and humid period which occurs in August.
Rainfall during the summer time is characterized by heavy showers. Daily precipitation often exceeds 100mm (4 inches), with extremes topping 300mm (12 inches). Occasional storms caused by typhoons that pass through the peninsula sometimes cause a great deal of damage, although the loss of life is rare.
Regional temperature contrasts are not very striking during the summer season although the northern interior and the littoral are cooler than the southern region. In August, the temperature rises abruptly as the jangma front moves north toward Manchuria. During this period, the weather becomes extremely hot and humid, particularly in the western plains and the Nakdonggang river basin area. The daily high temperature often rises to over 37 C (100 F). Nights are also hot and humid.
 Autumn
Autumn is known for crisp weather, much sunlight and the changing colors of tree leaves. Beginning in October, the continental air mass brings dry, clear weather. Traditionally, Koreans enjoy the season of harvest with festivities of chuseok which is one of the most important national holidays in Korea. It is often referred to as the Korean version of the American Thanksgiving. Autumn in Korea can be summed up with the simple words of an old Korean saying "The sky is high and the horses get fat."
 Winter
The arctic air from the interior of the Asian continent brings bitter cold and dry weather and occasional snowfall, while also adding warmth to the cold and dry winter weather periodically. Significant regional climate variations are caused by differences in elevation and proximity to the seas as well as by differences in latitudinal location. The monthly mean temperature during the month of January differs by about 20 degrees centigrade between the northern and the southern peninsula. Snow remains longer on the ground in the north.
The frost-free period varies from about 130 days in the northern interior to about 180 days in the central region. On the southern coast, it lasts roughly 225 days of the year.
The population of the Republic of Korea as of 2004 was 48,199,227. The population density of the country is 490 persons per square kilometer. As of 2003 the population of North Korea was 22,522,000. Fast population growth was once a serious social problem in the Republic, as in most other developing nations. Due to successful family planning campaigns and changing attitudes, however, population growth has been curbed remarkably in recent years.
A notable trend in the population structure is that it is getting increasingly older. The 2003 population estimate revealed that 8.3 percent of the total population was 65 years old or over. The number of people in the age of 15-64 years accounted for 71.44 percent.