Webcam on the landmark of Jeju Island – Seongsan Ilchulbong
Jeju Island, South Korea’s largest island, covers an area of 1,833.2 km2, accounting for about 1.83 percent of the country’s total area.
As of the end of September 2020, Jeju Province, which includes Jeju Island along with some outlying islands such as Jeju Islands and Udo Island, has a resident population of 672,948, of which about 4,000 live in the outlying islands. The total area of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is 1,849 km2.
Jeju Island is located in the Korea Strait, south of the Korean Peninsula and South Jeolla Province, approximately 82.8 km from the nearest point on the peninsula. It is the only self-governing province in South Korea, indicating that it is governed by local residents rather than mainland politicians.
The island’s inhabitants, the Jeju people, are the original inhabitants of the land, and human habitation dates back to the early Neolithic period. The Jeju language, according to UNESCO, is in danger of extinction. This region is known for the preservation of shamanism and is one of the areas of Korea where this belief system remains most intact.
Geographically, Jeju Island has an oval shape, stretching 73 km from east to west and 31 km from north to south, with a gentle slope around the central Halla Mountain. The main road is 181 km long and the coastline is 258 km long. Famous attractions include Gimnyeon Beach in the north, Mount Songgak in the south, Suwol Peak in the west, and Seongsan Ilchulbong in the east.