Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/650

* KORDOFAN. 590 KOREA. dry season it is mostly barren ; but with the ad- veut uf the rainy season', which usually lasts from June to October, it is covered with a rich vegeta- tion. There are no rivers, but wells are abun- dant, and fjcnorally serve both as centres for per- manent scttlcnicnts and as tcnipdrary camps for the nomadic tiil)cs. The principal jiroducts are sesame, groundnuts, cotton, tobacco, and a kind of millet. The chief products of coniiM<'rce are ostrichfcathers and gum. The population is estimated at about .300.000, ehiclly Arabs and Berbers, who profess Islam. There are also several pagan negro tribes in the southern part. About one-balf of the population is nomadic. Capital, Kl-Obeid (q.v.). KOREA, or COREA, ko-re'i (Korean Kori, Koriff. or hiinjii, the local ])r(inu:iciation of Kuo-li. the (.'hincsc name of that one of the three kingdoms of the peninsula which became para- mount toward the end of the tenth century). A country of Eastern Asia, mostly in ])eninsiilar form, and lying south and southeast of Jlan- churia, and dividing the Sea of Japan from the Yellow Sea. It is bounded on the south by the Strait of Korea, on the north by the Yalu-Kiang, which rises in the Shanalin Jlountains of Man- churia and flows southwest into the Yellow Sea, and by the Tmnan. which rises near the same place and flows northeast and east into the Sea of Japan. It lies between the jiarallels 34c 17' and 430 X., and l)etwecn tlic meridians l'24o 38' and 130" 33' E. Korea is about 000 miles in length, 135 miles in breadth, and has an area va- riously estimated at from 80,000 to 92,000 square miles. From about a.d. 960 the name of the country was Kori. or Koryu. In 13'J2. when the present dynasty was founded by one Li Tan, a still older name, Cho-sen, or C'hoson (Chinese Chao-sien, 'morning freshness'), was revived. Since 1897 Dai Han has been the official name. Top(iR.l"ilY. The northern half of the coun- try- is very mountainous and well wooded, with peaks from 4(I0(1 to more than SHOO feet in height. The main axis of elevation, which forms the great backbone of the peninsula, lies along the whole eastern seaboard. The southern half is '.some- what monotonous, the ridges and spurs thrown out by the main axis dwindling in height as they approach the western and southern coasts. Near latitide 37° a long chain runs southwest, ending in llanrn-san. an extinct volcano (U700 feet) on the island of Quelpaert. From the main axis the surface falN olT abruptly to the east. Toward the west the liills are almost destitute of trees, and arc scarred with gullies which open out into wide, monotonous, but fertile i)lains. Owing to the narrowness of the country, there are no great rivers. The most important are (1) the Amnok (or Apnok). better known as the Yalu-Kiang. which rises in the Paik-tu-san, or 'White Head Mountain,' an extinct volcano 8!)00 feet in height, in latitude 41° .59' N.. and flows southwest into the Yellow' Sea. forming in its course the nortluvcst boundary of the country. It is navigable by sea-going junks for 30 miles from its mouth, and by boats as far as Wi-wiin, 145 miles more. (2) The Tai-dong, in T*liyi"mg-an Province, which is navigable by boats for 75 miles, as far as the important citv of Ping-vang (40,000 inhabitants). (3) The Han, on which the capital is situated, rises at a point only 30 miles from the Sea of Japan and flows westward to the Yellow Sea. A fleet of small steamers plies on it between Chemulpo, at its mouth, and the capital (55 or 00 miles), and boats ascend sonic 80 or 90 miles farther. (4) The Nak-tong. which (lows from north to south tlirough the provinces of Kycng-Sycng, and empties into the Korean Strait near Fusan (ipv.). It is navigalde for 140 miles by vessels drawing not more than 4% feet. (5) The Jlokp'o is a small river which flows tlirough the fertile Province of Chnlla, and enters the sea at the open port of the same name in latitude 34° 47' N. and longitude 120° 15' E. The only Korean river which flows into the Sea of Jajian is the Tuman. The coast-line measures 1740 miles. On the east the shores are steep and almost >ml)roken by estuaries or harbors. Gen-san and Port Lazarelf are the best, not only on this coast, but in Korea. There are few isl- ands on the east coast, but on the west and south the coasts are fringed with innumerable clusters, the largest of which are Quelpaert, off the south coast, and Kang-hwa, in the mouth of the Han River. The best harbor on the south coast is that of Fusan (or in Korean Pu-san). On the east coasts the tides seldom rise more than a few feet, but on the west and south they are strong and diingerous, rising fr(M|uentl_y 10 35 feet, and receding with great rapidity, leaving great mud banks on which vessels are sometimes left high and dry. C'LtM.^TK. On the whole the climate of Korea is salubrious. It greatly resembles that of the opposite coast of China. This is especially true of the central and northern parts, where the winters are severe and the rivers freeze over. Snow covers the country from the middle of December until the end of February. In the south the skies are generally bright, and the early winter is as delightful as in Japan. The middle and late summer is rainy and hot. The teni]ierature ranges from 5° F. in winter to 90° F. in Julv, with a summer average of about 75° F. The average annual rainfall is 3fl inches; the average of the rainv season (June to Sep- tember) 22 inches. In 1898 it was 25^2 inches, wliile in 1901 it was only 4.1 inches, resulting in a famine. Fi.on.v. The flora is not extensive, nor is it brilliant in color. Azaleas, rhodo<lendrons, cle- matis, and Aiiijirlopsis ^'eitc)li^ are found every- where. Much timlier is grown in the northern mountains, and there is a large lumbering indus- try. There are several species of ]iine, fir. oak, and maple. The lime, ash. birch, iiKnintain ash, dryandra (or wood-oil tree), willow, hornbeam, and bamboo are common to Korea. Manchuria, and North Ciiina. and the lirous.ioncttia papuri- fera, or 'jiaper mulberry,' is much cultivated. The fruits include the plum, jieaeh, aiqilc, ])car, etc.. of the Chinese v.arieties. Ginseng (Arnlia qiiiii- (lucfolia) is a tiovcrnment monopoly, and large lields of it are grow'n. Faix.. The animals include the tiger, leopard, b<'ar. anteloiie, and several species of deer, fox, badger, tiger-cat, squirrel, beaver, otter, marten, and sable; the wolf appears to be wanting. Among birds are the black eagle, peregrine, hawk, kite, egret, crane, kestrel, the white and the pin ibis, heron, crow, magjiie. kingfisher, wood- lark, oriole, thl'ush. and cuckoo, pheasant, goose. teal, mallard, mandarin duck, and turkey buz-