Cultivated soils are mostly artificial surfaces developed through plowing, irrigation and fertilization. Korea is home to over 4,500 different vascular plants. There are over 379 species of birds in Korea. The mammals in the region are similar to those in Manchuria, China and Siberia. The architecture in Korea is representative of the people's deep commitment to their history and tradition.
Many people live along the coast in Korea.
Korea has both traditional dwellings, mainly in villages, and more technologically modern high-rises in cities. The surge of Christian mission activity began to reach Korea as early as the 17th century, when Catholic missionary works in Chinese were brought from Peking. Yonsei University is the oldest university in Korea and was founded by Horace Underwood, an American missionary. Kyongbok Palace in Seoul was built in 1395 and after some renovation in 1868 still stands and holds many historic Korean monuments, a 13 story pagoda, and other traditional Korean artifacts. Seoul was the site of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games.