Population: 10,440,000 (2013 estimate)
Land Area: 233.7 square miles (605.2 sq km)
Average Elevation: 282 feet (86 m)
FAST FACTS
Land Area: 233.7 square miles (605.2 sq km)
Average Elevation: 282 feet (86 m)
FAST FACTS
- Throughout its history, Seoul was known by a number of different names, such as Seoraneol. In 1945, Korea gained its independence from Japan and the city was renamed Seoul.
- Seoul has been continuously settled for over 2,000 years and it is believed that the city was first founded in 18 B.C.E
- As one of the largest cities in the world and a leading global city, Seoul has become the headquarters for many international companies. Currently it is the
headquarters of companies like Samsung, LG, Hyundai and Kia. - Due to its very large population and relatively small area, Seoul is known for its population density which is about 17,288 people per sq km.
- Seoul is divided into 25 administrative divisions called gu. Each gu has its own government and each is divided into several neighborhoods called a dong. Each gu in Seoul varies in both size and population and Songpa has the largest population. Seocho is the gu with the largest area in Seoul.
- The climate of Seoul is considered both humid subtropical and humid continental (the city lies on the border of these). Summers are hot and humid and the East Asian monsoon has a strong impact on Seoul's weather from June to July. Winters are usually cold and dry, although the city gets an average of 28 days of snow per year.
With a population of 10.44 million people, Seoul is classified as a megacity.
Seoul is home to
Korean, also called Hangul, is the language of both North Korea
and South Korea. There are no other languages native to the area, and no other
languages are widely spoken, although English is a popular second language.
Immigrants count for only around 1% of the population
but are a growing group.
The majority of people in Seoul are Korean. There are, however, small minorities of
expatriates, Japanese and Chinese living in Seoul. In 2010, there were 255,500
foreigners living in Seoul out of its total population of 10.44 million. By the
end of June 2011, there were 10.29 million citizens of the Republic of Korea in
the city, with 281,700 foreigners.
Culture
The practice of both Christianity and Buddhism both strongly practised in Seoul.
According to a 1995 social statistics survey, 50.7% of Koreans
follow a specific religious faith. Buddhists account for some 46%
followed by Protestants at 39% and Catholics at 13% of the
religious population.
Seoul is home to
Korean, also called Hangul, is the language of both North Korea
and South Korea. There are no other languages native to the area, and no other
languages are widely spoken, although English is a popular second language.
Immigrants count for only around 1% of the population
but are a growing group.
The majority of people in Seoul are Korean. There are, however, small minorities of
expatriates, Japanese and Chinese living in Seoul. In 2010, there were 255,500
foreigners living in Seoul out of its total population of 10.44 million. By the
end of June 2011, there were 10.29 million citizens of the Republic of Korea in
the city, with 281,700 foreigners.
Culture
The practice of both Christianity and Buddhism both strongly practised in Seoul.
According to a 1995 social statistics survey, 50.7% of Koreans
follow a specific religious faith. Buddhists account for some 46%
followed by Protestants at 39% and Catholics at 13% of the
religious population.
Crime rates in Seoul, South Korea
Level of crime
Crime increasing in the past 3 years
Worries home broken and things stolen
Worries being mugged or robbed
Worries car stolen
Worries things from car stolen
Worries attacked
Worries being insulted
Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin or religion
Problem people using or dealing drugs
Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft
Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery
Problem corruption and bribery
Level of crime
Crime increasing in the past 3 years
Worries home broken and things stolen
Worries being mugged or robbed
Worries car stolen
Worries things from car stolen
Worries attacked
Worries being insulted
Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin or religion
Problem people using or dealing drugs
Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft
Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery
Problem corruption and bribery
Economy in Seoul
This city is not only the capital of South Korea but it is also the city that can offer people a very different perspective on life. Here are some things about Seoul's economy and its finances. Seoul is known as a major business hub and it has developed into one of the most important part of the country. It hosts the headquarters for Samsung, LG, SK, Kia and Hyundai and although it is a rather small piece of land in South Korea, accounting for 0.6% of its land area, this city generates a quarter of the country’s GDP. This alone says much about the economic importance of the capital. When it comes to finance, Seoul is the leading city in South Korea. it has a number of transactional companies that are headquartered. Internationally renowned banks such as Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, ING Bank, Standard Chartered, UniCredit, Societe Generale, and others can be found in this city. Korea’s own Exchange bank is also headquartered in Seoul. |
Tourism in Seoul
Seoul is a beautiful place for people of all ages to go. But what does Seoul have to offer? Seoul has many things to offer tourists, such as its amazing traditional cosine! Seoul has numerous restaurants, with all its beautiful food, such as the Galbi. the Galbi meaning ‘rib’ in Korean, is a dish featuring beef or pork ribs cut into 6~7cm chunks, then served broiled or grilled. Everyone enjoys a trip to Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets. No one can resist Seoul's amazing night view from Mt. Namsan. Seoul also has a handful for theme parks that can please everyone! From Lotte World to Everland. But Seoul is not just all about the fun, it has a range of museums including, The National Palace Museum of Korea and Art Museums. People go sightseeing around Gyungbokgung Palace and hiking in the mountains so Seoul. Last year (2013) Seoul had a tourist number of 12,175,550 people, and has been increasing for years. |
Problems
Some of the problems in Seoul include air pollution, litter, crime rates, traffic congestion, slums and water quality. The solutions to these problems are easy to list but hard to do, they include:
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Education and Recreation
A school year in South Korea runs from March to February. it has two school semesters, March to July and September to February. Each school day starts at 8 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m., but many stay later into the evening. Students help clean up their classroom before leaving. Most students stay in the same room while the teachers rotate around the rooms throughout the day. Each room has about thirty students with ten computers for them to share. After 5 p.m. students have a short dinner at home, or eat at school, before study sessions or other activities begin in the evening. Students attend school Monday to Friday, with some Saturday classes scattered throughout the year. Their classes cover the Korean language, math, science, physical education, social studies, moral education, music, fine and practical arts. Sometimes in third grade students begin receiving English instruction for two hours a week. |
How has Seoul changed over time?
In only a few decades, this capital has transformed itself from an impoverished city decimated by the Korean War to one of the most prosperous and high-tech places in the world. There has also been a massive outburst of popular K-pop music, soapy TV dramas and edgy cinema, making the most famous Korean singers, stars and directors household names There has been a transformation from third-world poverty to a booming export-oriented economy, coupled with extreme wealth, massive population growth and expanded global cultural power. How will it change in the future? As one of the most densely packed cities in the world, Seoul does not have much room for growth. Seoul's population has been declining for a few years as childbirth rates remain very low, so it will continue to decline, causing the population to keep dropping. Seoul is a city of change and is known to keep up with the flow, and is always changing. So in the future I think it will continue to change and decline all around us. |