evidence: The Korean Peninsula is located in East Asia and covers an estimated 223,155 km2. The peninsula and the nearby islands, including Jeju Island, Dokdo, and Ulleung, are collectively referred to as Korea. The Korean Peninsula (excluding the surrounding islands) covers an estimated 220,847 km2. From mainland Asia, the peninsula extends for about 1,100 km into the Pacific Ocean. [...] The Korean Peninsula is shared by two sovereign states; South Korea and North Korea. The two countries were created in 1945, following the surrender of Imperial Japan. The surrender led to the partitioning of the peninsula into two, with the Soviet Union occupying the north and the US taking up the south. The two superpowers differed on ideologies. The Soviet Union supported communism in the north, while the south was pro-western. The Ideological differences led to the division of Korea into South Korea and North Korea counties in 1948. [...] The Korean Peninsula is home to an estimated 76 million people. South Korea is the most populated of the two countries, with about 51 million people. The peninsula’s population also comprises immigrants from neighboring countries, particularly China and Japan. Seoul, South Korea’s capital, is the largest city on the peninsula, with over 25 million residents, making it the world’s 4th largest metropolitan area. Other population centers in South Korea are Daejeon (1.5 million), Daegu (over 2.5 million), Incheon (three million), and Busan (about four million).