The Republic of Korea is composed of nine provinces, with Seoul as the capital city. Other major cities include Pusan, Taegu, Inch' n, Kwangju, Taej n and Ulsan. The landscape of the country is spectacular in its variations and about 70 percent of it is mountainous, with more than 3,000 islands dotting the coastline. There are several major rivers in the south, one of which is the Han-gang river which cuts through Seoul. Like other countries in the temperate zone, Korea has four distinct seasons.
Summer is relatively hot and humid, with heavy rainfall occurring during the monsoon season.
Winter is cold and dry, with occasional snow. However, these cold spells alternate with periods of milder weather.