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 The
modern Korean people are believed to be the descendants of several Mongol tribes
which migrated onto the Korean peninsula from Central Asia particularly during
the Neolithic Age (c. 5000-1000 BC) and the Bronze Age (c. 1000-300 BC). By
the beginning of the Christian era, the Koreans were a homogenous people,
although the country was not politically unified until the seventh century AD.
The
population of the Republic of Korea topped 45.9 million in 1997. Its
population density is among the world's highest, and Seoul, the capital city,
has more than 11 million inhabitants. Other metropolitan cities include
Pusan, Taegu, Inch'on, Kwangju, Taejon, and Ulsan.
In
recent years, urbanization has been increasing, although the government is
taking steps to minimize this trend. The traditional extended family
system is giving way to the nuclear family. Religious
freedom is provided for in the Korean Constitution, and Koreans have taken to
religion with a fervor. Some 51 percent of the public holds religious
beliefs, and that figure continues to grow. The major religions include
Buddhism, Protestantism and Catholicism.
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Information
provided by the Korean Embassy
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