homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:

Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)

Languages:

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years male: 18 years female: 15 years (2007)

Education expenditures: