% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 16.24 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.26 years
male: 69.65 years
female: 77.39 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic divisions: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions: Christianity 48.6%, Buddhism 47.4%, Confucianism 3%,
pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the
Heavenly Way) 0.2%

Languages: Korean, English widely taught in high school

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99.3%
female: 96.7%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: none
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Hanguk" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: ROK

Data code: KS

Type of government: republic

Capital: Seoul

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural)
and 6 special cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do,
Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo,
Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*,
Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*

Independence: 15 August 1948

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1948)

Constitution: 25 February 1988

Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law
systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President KIM Yong-sam (since 25 February 1993) was
elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18
December 1992 (next to be held NA December 1997); results - KIM
Yong-sam (DLP) 41.9%, KIM Tae-chung (DP) 33.8%, CHONG Chu-yong (UPP)
16.3%, other 8%
head of gov