Since 1948 Korea has been divided into two states, into democratic South Korea (Republic of Korea) and into single-party, communist North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). Before the division the regions shared, to a great extent, a common culture.
South Korea
- Surface area: 98,480 km2
- Capital: Seoul
- Population: 51.6 million
- Ethnic structure: Koreans, and Chinese 0.04%
- Languages: Korean
- Religions: Christianity 49%, Buddhism 47%, Confucianism 3% and others including Shamanism and more recent religious movements
North Korea
- Surface area: 120,540 km2
- Capital: Pyongyang
- Population: 26.5 million
- Ethnic structure: Koreans
- Languages: Korean
- Religions: Atheism (Totalitarian Stalinism), although official records mention shamanism, Christianity, Buddhism, and others