Monday, 21 September 2015

General Information on Seoul

Seoul
Map of South Korea 

Located at the north-west corner of South Korea is their capital city, Seoul.  Seoul is the fifth largest city in the world and is known to be one of the safest places to travel. Seoul is one of the most populated cities in the world having over 10.4 million people. Having a relative small area of 600 square kilometres and millions of inhabitants, Seoul is one of the densest cities in the world.


Han River running through Seoul


Running through Seoul is the Han River which is 494 kilometres long. The Han River was previously used as means to trade with China, however now it is only used to supply the cities with water for both industrial and general use.





The unit Korean currency is the Won and has a conversion of 1AUD = 843.90Won. 
Dongdaemun Market
Seoul's largest market
Seoul is one of the center cities for economy, finance, arts and culture. Being one of the largest cities, Seoul has become the headquarters for many international companies including Samsung, Hyundai and LG. Along with being a leading global city, Seoul economy is focused on tourism. The city is known for its historic and monumental sites including Hwaseong Fortress and Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty; however Seoul is also known for its shopping. The city is home to several high end retail shops and warehouse outlets but is well known for its largest market, the Dongdaemun Market.
The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty
24 vowels and consonants that make up Korea's official language; Hangeul
Korea’s official language is Hangeul. Invented by King Sejong during the mid-15th century, this language consists of 17 consonants and 11 vowels; however since the language was first established, 3 consonants and 1 vowel are no longer used. Hangeul has a total number of 24 characters and its vocabulary is formed by the selective combination of vowels and consonants.

Seoul’s climate is described as a land-climate despite being close to the seas. Summers in Seoul are hot with high humidity and winters are cold and very dry. The winter temperature in January drops to an average of -6 degrees Celsius where as the average summer August temperature reaches up to 30 degrees Celsius.

Seoul's subway
Seoul has a world class public transportation system. The city has countless bus routes, trains, light rails and taxis which are all clean, safe, inexpensive and convenient. An effective and exciting way to see the city is by renting a car. Renting a car allows you to experience Seoul and visit all the different destinations you want. However, the most efficient and convenient way to get around Seoul is by the Subway as it provides a safe, fast and comfortable mean of transportation. The subway operates on a regular interview of 3 to 6 minutes, providing effective and efficient means of travelling.