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Seoul

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Asia

   Seoul Metropolitan City

   Seoul's ancient Sungnyemun
   Korean name
   Revised Romanization Seoul Teukbyeolsi
   McCune-Reischauer Sŏul T'ŭkpyŏlsi
   Hangul 서울특별시
   Hanja 서울特別市
   Short name Seoul (Sŏul; 서울)
   Statistics
   Population 10,297,004 (2005) ^

   (Metro area c. 23,000,000 Ranked 2nd in the world)
   Area 605.41 km² ^
   Government (Special City, Capital of Republic of Korea (South Korea))
   Administrative divisions 25 wards (Gu)
   Region Sudogwon
   Dialect Seoul
   Location map
   Map of location of Seoul

   Seoul (Sŏul 서울) listen  is the capital and largest city of South Korea
   (Republic of Korea). The city served as the capital during the Baekje
   and Joseon Dynasties. Upon the establishment of the Republic of Korea
   in 1948, Seoul became the capital once again and was designated the
   nation's only Special City.

   With over ten million people living within its city limits, Seoul is
   one of the most populous cities in the world. However, with an area of
   only 605 square kilometres, smaller than cities such as London or New
   York City, it is one of the most densely populated major cities, like
   Tokyo and Hong Kong. Seoul's population density has allowed it to
   become one of the world's most digitally-connected cities. It also has
   more than three million registered vehicles which often cause
   widespread traffic jams.

   The larger Seoul National Capital Area and commuter belt, which
   includes the major port city of Incheon, has over twenty-one million
   residents. This makes it the third most populous metropolitan area in
   the world, after Greater Tokyo and Mexico City. About one-quarter of
   South Korea's entire population live in Seoul and its environs. The
   city is the country's political, cultural, social, and economic center,
   as well as an international centre for many financial and business
   organizations, and is considered one of the top 20 "world-class
   cities".

   As the symbol of the " Miracle on the Han River", Seoul has played a
   key role in South Korea's economic development. In recent years, the
   metropolitan government has carried out an extensive cleanup of the
   city's air and water pollution. The revival of Cheonggyecheon, a stream
   that flows through downtown Seoul, has been lauded as a major success
   in urban renewal and beautification.

   Seoul is located in the northwest of South Korea on the Han River, only
   about 30 miles (~50 km) from the de-militarized zone (DMZ) border
   shared with North Korea.

Names

   The city's name derives from the ancient Korean word Seorabeol or
   Seobeol, meaning "capital city". The city has been known in the past by
   the successive names Wiryeseong (위례성; 慰禮城; Baekje), Hanyang (한양; 漢陽)
   and Hanseong (한성; 漢城; Goryeo and Joseon).

Hanja transcription of "Seoul"

   Advertisement in a subway station announcing the new Chinese name of
   the South Korean capital in 2005.
   Enlarge
   Advertisement in a subway station announcing the new Chinese name of
   the South Korean capital in 2005.

   Unlike most place names in Korea, "Seoul" has no corresponding hanja (
   Chinese characters used in the Korean language), and Chinese-speaking
   countries have continued to refer to the city by its former name
   "Hànchéng" ( Traditional: 漢城; Simplified: 汉城; Korean: "Hanseong"). In
   January 2005, the Seoul Metropolitan Government requested that the
   Chinese name of the city be changed to "Shǒu'ěr" (首爾/首尔; Korean:
   "Su-i"). This is a close transliteration of Seoul in Mandarin Chinese,
   where 首 (shǒu) can also mean "first" or "capital". Chinese communities
   have gradually adopted this new name. This change was intended for
   speakers of Chinese only and has no effect on the Korean language name,
   and unlike standard hanja, the Chinese characters were chosen to best
   represent the Korean pronunciation of a pure Korean word.

History

   The History of Seoul can be traced back as far as 18 BCE, when it was
   established as the capital of the Baekje Kingdom. It has been the
   capital of various states on the Korean Peninsula. In the Goryeo
   Dynasty, it was called Hanseong. It became the permanent capital in the
   Joseon Dynasty. In the Japanese colonization period, many historical
   parts of Seoul were demolished. The city was almost entirely destroyed
   in the Korean War, but an aggressive economic policy in the 1960s to
   the 1970s helped to rebuild the city very rapidly. In the 1990s, some
   important historical buildings were restored, including Gyeongbokgung,
   the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty.

Geography and climate

   Seoul is in northwest South Korea. Seoul proper comprises 605.52km² of
   area, roughly bisected into northern and southern halves by the Han
   River. The city is bordered by eight mountains, as well as the more
   level lands of the Han River plain.

   In common with the rest of South Korea, Seoul's climate is temperate
   and continental, despite the fact that South Korea is surrounded on
   three sides by water. Summers are generally hot and wet, with monsoons
   taking place from June until September. Winters are often very cold
   when compared to places of a similar latitutde, with an average January
   temperature of -7 °C to 1 °C (19 °F to 33 °F). Winters are generally a
   lot drier than summers, although on average there are 28 days of snow
   in Seoul each year.

Cityscape

   Commercial District of Seoul
   Enlarge
   Commercial District of Seoul

   The traditional heart of Seoul is the old Joseon Dynasty city, which is
   now the downtown area, where most palaces, government offices,
   corporate headquarters, hotels, and traditional markets are located.
   This area occupies the valley of Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs
   from west to east through the valley before emptying into the Han
   River. For many years, the stream had been covered by concrete, but was
   recently restored through an urban revival project. To the north of
   downtown is Bukhan Mountain, and to the south is the smaller Namsan.

   Further south are the old suburbs of Yongsan-gu and Mapo-gu, and the
   Han River. Across the Han River are the newer and wealthier areas of
   Gangnam-gu and surrounding neighborhoods. The World Trade Centre of
   Korea is located in Gangnam-gu and this is where many expositions and
   conferences are held. Also in Gangnam-gu is the COEX Mall, a large
   indoor shopping and entertainment complex. Yeouido is an island in the
   middle of the Han River, downstream from Gangnam-gu, and is home to the
   National Assembly, major broadcasting studios, and a number of large
   office buildings, as well as the Korea Finance Building and the world's
   largest Pentecostal church. The Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park, and
   Lotte World are located in Songpa-gu, on the south side of the Han
   River, upstream from Gangnam-gu. South of the sprawling Gangnam area
   are Namhan Mountain and Gwanak Mountain.

   Major buildings include the Korea Finance Building, Seoul Tower, the
   World Trade Centre, the six-skyscraper residence Tower Palace, and
   I-Park Apartments. These and various high-rise office buildings, like
   the Seoul Star Tower and Jongro Tower, dominate city's skyline. Seoul
   has the greatest number of skyscrapers in Asia. Seoul is now planning
   on building a 580-metre business centre in Sangam Digital Media City
   district and planning on an 800-metre Lotte World 2 Tower in Jamsil
   (pronounced "Jam-shil") district.

   Urban and civil planning was a key concept when Seoul was first
   designed to serve as a capital in the 14th century. The Royal Palaces
   of the Joseon Dynasty still remain in Seoul, with the main palace (
   Gyeongbokgung) currently being restored to its original form. Today,
   there are nine major subway lines stretching for more than 250
   kilometers, with a tenth line being planned.

   The most historically significant street in Seoul is Jongno, meaning
   "Bell Street". The bell signaled the different times of the day and
   therefore controlled the four gates to the city. It is still intact in
   its original form, and hit ceremonially at 0:00 every New Year's Day.
   Seoul's most important streetcar line ran along Jongno until it was
   replaced by Line 1 of the Seoul subway system in the early 1970s. Other
   notable streets in downtown Seoul include Euljiro (을지로; 乙支路), Sejongno
   (세종로; 世宗路, Chungmuro (충무로; 忠武路), Yulgongno (율곡로; 栗谷路), and Toegyero
   (퇴계로; 退溪路).

Administrative Divisions

   Seoul is divided into 25 gu ("districts"), which are sub-divided into
   522 dong, which are sub-divided into 13,787 tong, which are further
   divided into 102,796 ban in total.
   Seoul Districts
   Enlarge
   Seoul Districts
     * Dobong-gu (도봉구; 道峰區)
     * Dongdaemun-gu (동대문구; 東大門區)
     * Dongjak-gu (동작구; 銅雀區)
     * Eunpyeong-gu (은평구; 恩平區)
     * Gangbuk-gu (강북구; 江北區)
     * Gangdong-gu (강동구; 江東區)
     * Gangnam-gu (강남구; 江南區)
     * Gangseo-gu (강서구; 江西區)
     * Geumcheon-gu (금천구; 衿川區)
     * Guro-gu (구로구; 九老區)
     * Gwanak-gu (관악구; 冠岳區)
     * Gwangjin-gu (광진구; 廣津區)
     * Jongno-gu (종로구; 鍾路區)
     * Jung-gu (중구; 中區)
     * Jungnang-gu (중랑구; 中浪區)
     * Mapo-gu (마포구; 麻浦區)
     * Nowon-gu (노원구; 蘆原區)
     * Seocho-gu (서초구; 瑞草區)
     * Seodaemun-gu (서대문구; 西大門區)
     * Seongbuk-gu (성북구; 城北區)
     * Seongdong-gu (성동구; 城東區)
     * Songpa-gu (송파구; 松坡區)
     * Yangcheon-gu (양천구; 陽川區)
     * Yeongdeungpo-gu (영등포구; 永登浦區)
     * Yongsan-gu (용산구; 龍山區)

Demographics

   Nearly all of Seoul's residents are Korean, with some small Chinese and
   Japanese minorities. Today, there are an estimated more than 200,000
   foreign nationals living in Seoul. These include people from South
   Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and parts of Africa. In addition,
   there are many language instructors from English-speaking countries
   such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United
   States, and the United Kingdom. Two major religions in Seoul are
   Buddhism and Christianity (both slightly less than 50%). Other
   religions include Shamanism, Confucianism, etc.

Economy

   As headquarters for some of the world’s top corporations such as
   Samsung, LG Group, Hyundai, and Kia Motors, the service sector in Seoul
   has thrived, bringing development and a healthy economy to the country
   as a whole. South Korea derives 63.2% of its GDP from the service
   sector, which is above the average for the upper income nations(World
   Bank 2004). The major exports are electronics, automobiles, and
   machinery. This economic development has also helped keep unemployment
   low at around 3.4% and ensured that the informal economy of Seoul is
   negligible. Foreign direct investment is also high at around $2
   billion(World Bank 2004); however, South Korea is threatened with a
   slowing economy which could hurt it and its development. As one of the
   Four Tiger nations, it experienced rapid growth in the 1990s. Now,
   economic growth has declined from close to 10% to 3.1%(CIA Factbook
   2005). While this is still a steady and respectable growth rate,
   foreign direct investment is also down by 75% from 1999 to 2002(World
   Bank 2004). Consumer consumption is down and expected to stay low in
   2005, contributing to the slowing economy. This could also mean that
   recovery and another economic boom could be far off(EIU ViewsWire
   2005). This means that the economy could become stagnant and leave
   South Korea and Seoul lagging in development. If consumer consumption
   and corporate investment were to increase, the economy could stabilize
   and get out of the recession. Seoul and South Korea have a thriving
   economy that helps to make South Korea a major player in the world
   economy. As the centre of the service sector for South Korea, Seoul is
   the hub around which the economic growth and health of the country
   reside in order to ensure the continuing growth of the nation. While
   past developments helped the nation to grow rapidly, the current
   economic outlook brings questions as to the sustainability of the
   continuing economic development.

Education

   There are a large number of universities in Seoul. Most of the
   country's most prestigious universities are located in Seoul, including
   the so-called "SKY" schools Seoul National University, Korea
   University, and Yonsei University.

Culture

   COEX Mall entrance
   Enlarge
   COEX Mall entrance
   The Gyeongbukgung throne hall
   Enlarge
   The Gyeongbukgung throne hall
   The pavilion Buyong-jeon in the secret garden Biwon in Changdeokgung
   Enlarge
   The pavilion Buyong-jeon in the secret garden Biwon in Changdeokgung

Annual cultural events and fairs

Historical structures and museums

   The Joseon Dynasty built "Five Grand Palaces" in Seoul:
     * Changdeokgung (창덕궁; 昌德宮)
     * Changgyeonggung (창경궁; 昌慶宮)
     * Deoksugung (덕수궁; 德壽宮)
     * Gyeongbokgung (경복궁; 景福宮)
     * Gyeonghuigung (경희궁; 慶熙宮)

   This is a relatively minor palace:
     * Unhyeongung (운현궁; 雲峴宮)

Museums

     * National Museum of Korea(국립중앙박물관; 國立中央博物館)
     * National Folk Museum(국립민속박물관; 國立民俗博物館)
     * War Memorial(전쟁기념관; 戰爭紀念館)

   Outside the metropolitan area:
     * Samjeondo Monument
     * Namhansanseong(남한산성; 南漢山城)
     * Bukhansanseong(북한산성; 北漢山城)
     * Namsan Park(남산공원; 南山公園)

Temples and shrines

     * Jongmyo(종묘; 宗廟)
     * Dongmyo(동묘; 東廟)
     * Munmyo(문묘; 文廟)
     * Jogyesa(조계사; 曹溪寺)
     * Hwagyesa(화계사; 華溪寺)

Parks and outdoor attractions

   Due to the efforts of the government with respect to the environment,
   Seoul's air pollution levels are now on par with those of Tokyo and far
   lower than those of Beijing. Seoul's metropolitan area accommodates six
   major parks, including Seoul Forest, which opened in mid-2005. The
   Seoul Metropolitan Area is also surrounded by a green belt aimed to
   prevent the city from sprawling out over the neighboring Gyeonggi
   Province. These lush green areas are frequently sought after by people
   resting on the weekend and during vacations.

   In addition, the Seoul area is also home to three amusement parks:
   Lotte World, Seoul Land, and Everland (located in the nearby suburb of
   Yongin). Of these, Lotte World is the most frequently visited. Other
   recreation centres include the former Olympic and World Cup stadium,
   the Korea Finance Building, and the City Hall's public lawn.

Sports

   Seoul hosted the 1988 Olympic Games and also served as one of the host
   cities of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

   The city is the home of two baseball teams in the KBO: the Doosan Bears
   and the LG Twins

Transportation

   Seoul's transportation boom dates back to the era of the Korean Empire,
   when the first streetcar lines were laid and a railroad linking Seoul
   and Shinuiju was completed. Today, as a result of the diversification
   of Seoul's transportation network, it has become a great transportation
   hub for Asia.

Airports

   Incheon International Airport
   Enlarge
   Incheon International Airport

   There are two airports that serve Seoul. Gimpo International Airport,
   formerly in Gimpo but annexed to Seoul in 1963, was the only airport
   for Seoul from its original construction during the Korean War.
   Multiple airports were built in and around Seoul immediately before,
   during, and after the war. The most famous was on Yoido, which once
   served as the country’s gateway to the world.

   Upon opening in March 2001, Incheon International Airport on Yeongjong
   island near Incheon has changed the role of Gimpo Airport
   significantly. Incheon is now responsible for almost all international
   flights and some domestic flights, while Gimpo serves only domestic
   flights with the exception of flights to Haneda Airport in Tokyo). This
   has led to a significant drop in flights from Gimpo Airport. Meanwhile,
   Incheon International Airport has become, along with Hong Kong and
   Singapore, a major transportation centre for East Asia. It was recently
   voted by the IATA as the world's best airport in service and quality.
   The two airports are linked to Seoul by a highway, and Gimpo is also
   linked by subway.

Bus

   Seoul's bus system is operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government,
   with four primary bus configurations available servicing most of the
   city.

Subway

   Seoul Subway Map

   Seoul has nine subway lines, nearly two hundred bus routes and six
   major highways that interlink every district of the city with one
   another and with the surrounding area. The majority of the population
   now uses the public transportation system due to its convenience and
   low cost. With more than 8 million passengers a day Seoul has one of
   the busiest subway systems in the world. In addition, in order to cope
   with all of these transportation modes, Seoul's metropolitan government
   employs several mathematicians to coordinate the subway, bus, and
   traffic schedules into one timetable.

Train

   Seoul is also linked to several other major South Korean cities by the
   KTX bullet train, currently Asia's fastest high-speed train, making
   commuting between cities extremely convenient for commuters and
   domestic tourists.

Sister cities

   Seoul has many sister cities. Washington, D.C. is the latest to become
   a sister city of Seoul. The year each relationship was formed is shown
   in parentheses below.
     * Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan) (1968)
     * Ankara, Turkey (1971)
     * Guam (United States) (1973)
     * Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States (1973)
     * San Francisco, California, United States (1976)
     * São Paulo, Brazil (1977)
     * Bogotá, Colombia (1982)
     * Jakarta, Indonesia (1984)
     * Tokyo, Japan (1988)
     * Moscow, Russia (1991)
     * Paris, France (1991)

     * Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (1991)
     * Beijing, People's Republic of China (1992)
     * Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (1995)
     * Hanoi, Vietnam (1996)
     * Warsaw, Poland (1996)
     * Cairo, Egypt (1997)
     * Rome, Italy (2000)
     * Astana, Kazakhstan (2004)
     * Athens, Greece (2006)
     * Bangkok, Thailand (2006)
     * Washington, D.C, United States (2006)

Gallery

   Cheonggyecheon at night

   Royal palace entrance

   A stadium built for 1988 Olympics

   Gyeongbokgung palace, main and largest palace of Joseon Dynasty

   World Trade Centre Seoul

   Cheonggyecheon stream flowing through Seoul

   Seoul Station

   Changdeokgung

   Gyeongbokgung and Cheong Wa Dae

   63 Building, the third tallest building in Korea

   Skyline of Seoul

   Yangjaecheon stream and skyline

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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