Conventional long name	Korea
Countries	North Korea South Korea
Common name	Korea
Official languages	Korean
Area rank	84th if reunified
Area km2	219,140
Area footnote
Area sq mi	84,610
Percent water	2.8
Population estimate rank	18th if reunified
Population estimate year	2010
Population estimate	73,000,000
Population density km2	328.48
Population density sq mi	850.7
Currency	Won (₩) (N/S)
Time zone	KST
Utc offset	+9 }}

Korea ( ; ''Hanguk'' or ''Joseon'' – (see etymology)) is an East Asian country that is currently divided into two separate states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan (East Sea), and separated from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the south by the East China Sea.

Archaeological and linguistic evidence suggest the origins of the Korean people were Altaic language-speaking people from south-central Siberia, who populated ancient Korea in successive waves from the Neolithic age to the Bronze Age. The adoption of the Chinese writing system ("Hanja" in Korean) in the 2nd century BC, and Buddhism in the 4th century AD, had profound effects on the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Korea was united by Emperor Taejo of the Goryeo Dynasty in 936. Goryeo was a highly cultural state and created the Jikji in the 14th century, using the world's first movable metal type printing press. The Mongol invasions in the 13th century, however, greatly weakened the nation which was forced to become a tributary state. After the Mongol Empire's collapse, severe political strife followed and Goryeo was replaced by the Joseon Dynasty in 1388.

The first 200 years of Joseon were marked by relative peace and saw the creation of the Korean alphabet Hangul by King Sejong the Great in the 14th century and the rise in influence of Confucianism in the country. During the latter part of the dynasty, however, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname the "Hermit Kingdom". By the late 19th century, the country became the object of the colonial designs of Japan. In 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan and remained so until the end of World War II in August 1945.

In 1945, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on the surrender of Japanese forces in Korea and Soviet troops occupied north of the 38th parallel, while U.S. troops took surrender south of it. This decision by allied armies soon became the basis for the division of Korea by the two superpowers, exacerbated by their inability to agree on the terms of Korean independence. The two Cold War rivals then established governments sympathetic to their own ideologies, leading to Korea's current division into two political entities: North Korea and South Korea. The ensuing conflict between the two was largely a proxy war.

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a single-party state with a centrally planned industrial economy. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a free market, democratic, and developed country with membership in the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies.

Etymology

"Korea" derives from the Goryeo period of Korean history, which in turn referred to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, the first Korean dynasty visited by Persian merchants who referred to Koryŏ (Goryeo) (고려) as Korea . Koryŏ (Goryeo) is also the name of Goguryeo, which changed its name to Koryŏ (Goryeo) in the 5th century (during the reign of King Jangsu of Goguryeo). Korea is now commonly used in English contexts by both North and South Korea. In the Korean language, Korea as a whole is referred to as ''Han-guk'' (한국) in South Korea, and ''Chosŏn'' (조선) in North Korea. The latter name, also Romanised ''Joseon'', is from the Joseon Dynasty and the earlier Gojoseon. "The Land of the Morning Calm" is an English language title for the country loosely derived from the hanja characters for ''Joseon''.

History

Prehistory and Gojoseon

The Korean Academy of North America discovered ancient human fossils originating from about 100,000 BC in the lava at a stone city site in Korea. Fluorescent and high-magnetic analyses indicate the volcanic fossils may be from as early as 300,000 BC. The best preserved Korean pottery goes back to the paleolithic times around 10,000 BC, and the Neolithic period begins around 6000 BC.

Gojoseon's founding legend describes Dangun, a descendent of heaven, as establishing the kingdom in 2333 BC until the fall in 108 BC.

The original capital may have been at the Manchuria-Korea border, but was later moved to what is today Pyongyang, North Korea. In 108 BC, the Chinese Han Dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed the Four Commanderies of Han in the area of Liaonin region. By 75 BC, three of those commanderies had fallen, but the Lelang Commandery remained as a center of cultural and economic exchange with successive Chinese dynasties until 313, when it fell to Goguryeo.

Proto–Three Kingdoms

The Proto–Three Kingdoms period, sometimes called the Several States Period, is the earlier part of what is commonly called the Three Kingdoms Period, following the fall of Gojoseon but before Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla fully developed into kingdoms.

This time period saw numerous states spring up from the former territories of Gojoseon. Buyeo arose in today's North Korea and southern Manchuria, from about the 2nd century BCE to 494. Its remnants were absorbed by Goguryeo in 494, and both Goguryeo and Baekje, two of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, considered themselves its successor. Okjeo and Dongye of northern Korea were eventually absorbed into the growing Goguryeo.

Located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, Samhan refers to the three confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan. Mahan was the largest and consisted of 54 states. Byeonhan and Jinhan both consisted of twelve states, bringing a total of 78 states within the Samhan. These three confederacies eventually developed into Baekje, Silla, and Gaya.

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje) dominated the peninsula and parts of Manchuria during the early Common Era. They competed with each other both economically and militarily.

Goguryeo united Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye and other states in the former Gojoseon territory. Goguryeo was the most dominant power; it reached its zenith in the 5th century, when reign of the Gwanggaeto the Great and his son, Jangsu expanded territory into almost all of Manchuria and part of inner Mongolia, and took the Seoul region from Baekje. Gwanggaeto and Jangsu subdued Baekje and Silla during their times. After the 7th century, Goguryeo was constantly at war with the Sui and Tang dynasties of China.

Founded around modern day Seoul, the southwestern kingdom Baekje expanded far beyond Pyongyang during the peak of its powers in the 4th century. It had absorbed all of the Mahan states and subjugated most of the western Korean peninsula (including the modern provinces of Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Jeolla, as well as part of Hwanghae and Gangwon) to a centralised government. Baekje acquired Chinese culture and technology through contacts with the Southern Dynasties during the expansion of its territory. Historic evidence suggests that Japanese culture, art, and language was strongly influenced by the kingdom of Baekje and Korea itself.

Although later records claim that Silla, in the southeast, was the oldest of the three kingdoms, it is now believed to have been the last kingdom to develop. By the 2nd century, Silla existed as a large state, occupying and influencing nearby city states. Silla began to gain power when it annexed the Gaya confederacy in 562 CE. The Gaya confederacy was located between Baekje and Silla. The three kingdoms of Korea often warred with each other and Silla often faced pressure from Baekje and Goguryeo but at various times Silla also allied with Baekje and Goguryeo in order to gain dominance over the peninsula.

In 660, King Muyeol of Silla ordered his armies to attack Baekje. General Kim Yu-shin (Gim Yu-sin), aided by Tang forces, conquered Baekje. In 661, Silla and Tang moved on Goguryeo but were repelled. King Munmu, son of Muyeol and nephew of General Kim launched another campaign in 667 and Goguryeo fell in the following year.

North-South States Period

In the 5th, 6th, and 7th centuries, Silla's power gradually extended across the Korean Peninsula. Silla first annexed the adjacent Gaya confederacy. By the 660s, Silla formed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty of China to conquer Baekje and later Goguryeo. After repelling Chinese forces, Silla partially unified the Peninsula, beginning a period often called Unified Silla.

In the north, former Goguryeo General Dae Joyeong led a group of Goguryeo refugees to the Jilin area in Manchuria and founded Balhae (698 - 926) as the successor to Goguryeo. At its height, Balhae's territory extended from northern Manchuria down to the northern provinces of modern-day Korea. Balhae was destroyed by the Khitans in 926.

Unified Silla fell apart in the late 9th century, giving way to the tumultuous Later Three Kingdoms period (892-935). Goryeo unified the Later Three Kingdoms and absorbed Balhae refugees.

Goryeo

The country Goryeo was founded in 918 and replaced Silla as the ruling dynasty of Korea. ("Goryeo" is a short form of "Goguryeo" and the source of the English name "Korea".) The dynasty lasted until 1392.

During this period laws were codified, and a civil service system was introduced. Buddhism flourished, and spread throughout the peninsula. The development of celadon industry flourished in 12th and 13th century. The publication of Tripitaka Koreana onto 80,000 wooden blocks and the invention of the world's first movable-metal-type printing press in 13th century attest to Goryeo's cultural achievements.

Their dynasty was threatened by Mongol invasions from the 1230s into the 1270s, but the dynastic line continued to survive until 1392 since they negotiated a treaty with the Mongols that kept its sovereign power.

In 1350s, King Gongmin was free at last to reform a Goryeo government. Gongmin had various problems that needed to be dealt with, which included the removal of pro-Mongol aristocrats and military officials, the question of land holding, and quelling the growing animosity between the Buddhists and Confucian scholars.

Joseon Dynasty

In 1392, the general Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) with a largely bloodless coup. He named it the Joseon Dynasty in honor of the previous Joseon before (Gojoseon is the first Joseon. "Go", meaning "old", was added to distinguish between the two).

King Taejo moved the capital to Hanseong (formerly Hanyang; modern-day Seoul) and built the Gyeongbokgung palace. In 1394 he adopted Confucianism as the country's official religion, resulting in much loss of power and wealth by the Buddhists. The prevailing philosophy was Neo-Confucianism.

Joseon experienced advances in science and culture. King Sejong the Great (1418–1450) promulgated hangul, the Korean alphabet. The period saw various other cultural and technological advances as well as the dominance of neo-Confucianism over the entire peninsula. Slaves, ''nobi'', are estimated to have accounted for about one third of the population of Joseon Korea.

Between 1592 and 1598, the Japanese invaded Korea. Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered the forces and tried to invade the Asian continent through Korea, but was completely defeated by a Righteous army, Admiral Yi Sun-sin and assistance from Ming China. This war also saw the rise of the career of Admiral Yi Sun-sin with the "turtle ship". In the 1620s and 1630s Joseon suffered invasions by the Manchu.

After invasions from Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. King Yeongjo and King Jeongjo led a new renaissance of the Joseon dynasty.

However, during the last years of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the name the "Hermit Kingdom", primarily for protection against Western imperialism before it was forced to open trade beginning an era leading into Japanese colonial rule.

Korean Empire

Beginning in the 1870s, Japan began to force Korea out of the Manchu Qing Dynasty's traditional sphere of influence into its own. As a result of the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), the Qing Dynasty had to give up such a position according to Article 1 of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which was concluded between China and Japan in 1895. That same year, Empress Myeongseong was assassinated by Japanese agents.

In 1897, the Joseon dynasty proclaimed the Korean Empire (1897–1910), and King Gojong became Emperor Gojong. This brief period saw the partially successful modernisation of the military, economy, real property laws, education system, and various industries, influenced by the political encroachment into Korea of Russia, Japan, France, and the United States.

In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War pushed the Russians out of the fight for Korea. In Manchuria on October 26, 1909, An Jung-geun assassinated the former Resident-General of Korea, Itō Hirobumi for his role in trying to force Korea into occupation.

Japanese occupation

In 1910, an already militarily occupied Korea was a forced party to the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. The treaty was signed by Lee Wan-Yong, who was given the General Power of Attorney by the Emperor. However, the Emperor is said to have not actually ratified the treaty according to Yi Tae-jin. There is a long dispute whether this treaty was legal or illegal due to its signing under duress, threat of force and bribes.

Korean resistance to the brutal Japanese occupation was manifested in the nonviolent March 1st Movement of 1919, where 7,000 demonstrators were killed by Japanese police and military. The Korean liberation movement also spread to neighbouring Manchuria and Siberia. Over five million Koreans were conscripted for labour beginning in 1939, and tens of thousands of men were forced into Japan's military. Close to 400,000 Korean labourers lost their lives due to the war. Approximately 200,000 girls and women, mostly from China and Korea, were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military. In 1993, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono acknowledged the terrible injustices faced by these euphemistically named "comfort women".

During the Japanese Colonial rule, the Korean language was suppressed in an effort to eradicate Korean national identity. Koreans were forced to take Japanese surnames, known as Sōshi-kaimei. Traditional Korean culture suffered heavy losses, as numerous Korean cultural artifacts were destroyed or taken to Japan. To this day, valuable Korean artifacts can often be found in Japanese museums or among private collections. One investigation by the South Korean government identified 75,311 cultural assets that were taken from Korea, 34,369 in Japan and 17,803 in the United States. However, experts estimate that over 100,000 artifacts actually remain in Japan. Japanese officials considered returning Korean cultural properties, but to date this has not occurred. Korea and Japan still dispute the ownership of the Liancourt Rocks, islets located east of the Korean Peninsula.

There was a significant level of emigration to the overseas territories of the Empire of Japan during the Japanese colonial period, including Korea. By the end of World War II, there were over 850,000 Japanese settlers in Korea. After World War II, most of these overseas Japanese repatriated to Japan.

Korean War

With the surrender of Japan in 1945 the United Nations developed plans for a trusteeship administration, the Soviet Union administering the peninsula north of the 38th parallel and the United States administering the south. The politics of the Cold War resulted in the 1948 establishment of two separate governments, North Korea and South Korea.

In June 1950 North Korea invaded the South, using Soviet tanks and weaponry. During the Korean War (1950–1953) millions of civilians died and the three years of fighting throughout the nation effectively destroyed most cities. Around 125,000 POWs were captured and held by the Americans and South Koreans on Geojedo (an island in the south). The war ended in an Armistice Agreement at approximately the Military Demarcation Line.

Division of Korea

The aftermath of World War II left Korea partitioned along the 38th parallel, with the north under Soviet occupation and the south under the occupation of other allied countries. Consequently, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a Soviet-style socialist regime, was established in the north while the Republic of Korea, a Western-style republic, was established in the south. The Korean War broke out when Soviet-backed North Korea invaded South Korea, though neither side gained much territory as a result. The Korean Peninsula remains divided, the Korean Demilitarized Zone being the ''de facto'' border between the two states.

Since the 1960s, the South Korean economy has grown enormously and the economic structure was radically transformed. In 1957 South Korea had a lower per capita GDP than Ghana, and by 2008 it was 17 times as high as Ghana's.

The North Korean famine began in 1995 and peaked in 1997. According to South Korea intelligence agency, an internal report by North Korea's Public Security Ministry estimates North Korea lost 2.5 million to 3 million lives from 1995 to March 1998.

Geography

Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in North-East Asia. To the northwest, the Amnok River (Yalu River) separates Korea from China and to the northeast, the Duman River (Tumen River) separates Korea from China and Russia. The Yellow Sea is to the west, the East China Sea and Korea Strait is to the south, and the Sea of Japan is to the east. Notable islands include Jeju Island (Jejudo), Ulleung Island (Ulleungdo), and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo).

The southern and western parts of the peninsula have well-developed plains, while the eastern and northern parts are mountainous. The highest mountain in Korea is Mount Paektu or Paektusan (2,744 m), through which runs the border with China. The southern extension of Mount Paektu is a highland called Gaema Heights. This highland was mainly raised during the Cenozoic orogeny and partly covered by volcanic matter. To the south of Gaema Gowon, successive high mountains are located along the eastern coast of the peninsula. This mountain range is named Baekdudaegan. Some significant mountains include Mount Sobaek or Sobaeksan (1,439 m), Mount Kumgang or Kumgangsan (1,638 m), Mount Seorak or Seoraksan (1,708 m), Mount Taebaek or Taebaeksan (1,567 m), and Mount Jiri or Jirisan (1,915 m). There are several lower, secondary mountain series whose direction is almost perpendicular to that of Baekdudaegan. They are developed along the tectonic line of Mesozoic orogeny and their directions are basically northwest.

Unlike most ancient mountains on the mainland, many important islands in Korea were formed by volcanic activity in the Cenozoic orogeny. Jeju Island, situated off the southern coast, is a large volcanic island whose main mountain Mount Halla or Hallasan (1950 m) is the highest in South Korea. Ulleung Island is a volcanic island in the Sea of Japan, whose composition is more felsic than Jeju-do. The volcanic islands tend to be younger, the more westward.

Because the mountainous region is mostly on the eastern part of the peninsula, the main rivers tend to flow westwards. Two exceptions are the southward-flowing Nakdong River (Nakdonggang) and Seomjin River (Seomjingang). Important rivers running westward include the Amnok River, the Chongchon River (Chongchongang), the Taedong River (Taedonggang), the Han River (Hangang), the Geum River (Geumgang), and the Yeongsan River (Yeongsangang). These rivers have vast flood plains and provide an ideal environment for wet-rice cultivation.

The southern and southwestern coastlines of Korea form a well-developed ria coastline, known as ''Dadohae-jin'' in Korean. Its convoluted coastline provides mild seas, and the resulting calm environment allows for safe navigation, fishing, and seaweed farming. In addition to the complex coastline, the western coast of the Korean Peninsula has an extremely high tidal amplitude (at Incheon, around the middle of the western coast. It can get as high as 9 m). Vast tidal flats have been developing on the south and west coastlines.

Demographics

The combined population of the Koreans is about 73 million (North Korea: 23 million, South Korea: 50 million). Korea is chiefly populated by a highly homogeneous ethnic group, the Koreans, who speak the Korean language. The number of foreigners living in Korea has also steadily increased since the late 20th century, particularly in South Korea, where more than 1 million foreigners currently reside. It is estimated that only 26,700 of the old Chinese community now remain in South Korea. However, in recent years, immigration from mainland China has increased; 624,994 persons of Chinese nationality have immigrated to South Korea, including 443,566 of ethnic Korean descent. Small communities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese are also found in North Korea.

Language

Korean is the official language of both North and South Korea, and (along with Mandarin) of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Manchuria area of China. Worldwide, there are up to 80 million speakers of the Korean language. South Korea has around 50 million speakers while North Korea around 23 million. Other large groups of Korean speakers are found in China (around 1.8 million speakers), the United States (around 900,000 speakers), the former Soviet Union (around 350,000), Japan (around 700,000), Canada (100,000), Malaysia (70,000) and Australia (150,000). It is estimated that there are around 700,000 people scattered across the world who are able to speak Korean because of job requirements (for example, salespersons or businessmen with Korean contacts), marriages to Koreans or out of pure interest in the language.

The genealogical classification of Korean is debated. Some linguists place it in the Altaic language family; others consider it to be a language isolate. Korean is agglutinative in its morphology and SOV in its syntax. Like Japanese and Vietnamese, Korean has borrowed much vocabulary from the Chinese or created vocabulary on Chinese models.

Modern Korean is written almost exclusively in the hangul script, which was invented in the 15th century. While hangul may appear logographic, it is actually a phonemic alphabet organised into syllabic blocks. Each block consists of at least two of the 24 hangul letters (''jamo''): at least one each of the 14 consonants and 10 vowels. Historically, the alphabet had several additional letters (see obsolete jamo). For a phonological description of the letters, see Korean phonology. Hanja (Chinese characters) and Latin alphabets are sometimes included within hangul texts, particularly in South Korea.

Culture and arts

In ancient Chinese texts, Korea is referred to as "Rivers and Mountains Embroidered on Silk" (, ) and "Eastern Nation of Decorum" (, ). During the 7th and 8th centuries, the silk road connected Korea to Arabia. In 845, Arab traders wrote, "Beyond China is a land where gold abounds and which is named Silla. The Muslims who have gone there have been charmed by the country and tend to settle there and abandon all idea of leaving."

Korean festivities often showcase vibrant colors, which have been attributed to Mongolian influences: bright red, yellow, and green often mark traditional Korean motifs. These bright colors are sometimes seen in the traditional dress known as hanbok.

One peculiarity of Korean culture is its age reckoning system. Individuals are regarded as one year old when they are born, as Koreans reckon the pregnancy period as one year of life for infants, and age increments increase on New Year's Day rather than on the anniversary of birthdays. Thus, one born immediately before New Year's Day may only be a few days old in western reckoning, but two years old in Korea. Accordingly, a Korean person's stated age (at least among fellow Koreans) will be one or two years more than their age according to western reckoning. However, western reckoning is sometimes applied with regard to the concept of legal age; for example, the legal age for purchasing alcohol or cigarettes in the Republic of Korea is 19, which is measured according to western reckoning.

Literature

Korean literature written before the end of the Joseon Dynasty is called "Classical" or "Traditional." Literature, written in Chinese characters (hanja), was established at the same time as the Chinese script arrived on the peninsula. Korean scholars were writing poetry in the classical Korean style as early as the 2nd century BC, reflecting Korean thoughts and experiences of that time. Classical Korean literature has its roots in traditional folk beliefs and folk tales of the peninsula, strongly influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.

Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which helped spread literacy from the aristocracy to the common people and women. Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature. ''Sinsoseol'', for instance, are novels written in hangul.

The Korean War led to the development of literature centered on the wounds and chaos of war. Much of the post-war literature in South Korea deals with the daily lives of ordinary people, and their struggles with national pain. The collapse of the traditional Korean value system is another common theme of the time.

Religion

Confucian tradition has dominated Korean thought, along with contributions by Buddhism, Taoism, and Korean Shamanism. Since the middle of the 20th century, however, Christianity has competed with Buddhism in South Korea, while religious practice has been suppressed in North Korea. Throughout Korean history and culture, regardless of separation; the influence of traditional beliefs of Korean Shamanism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism have remained an underlying religion of the Korean people as well as a vital aspect of their culture; all these traditions have coexisted peacefully for hundreds of years up to today despite strong Westernisation from Christian missionary conversions in the South or the pressure from Communism's Juche government in the North.

According to 2005 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, about 46% of citizens profess to follow no particular religion. Christians account for 29.2% of the population (of which are Protestants 18.3% and Catholics 10.9%) and Buddhists 22.8%.

Islam in South Korea is practiced by about 45,000 natives (about 0.09% of the population) in addition to some 100,000 foreign workers from Muslim countries.

Cuisine

Korean cuisine is probably best known for kimchi, a side dish which uses a distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables, most commonly cabbage. Kimchi is said to relieve the pores on the skin, thereby reducing wrinkles and providing nutrients to the skin naturally. It is also healthy, as it provides necessary vitamins and nutrients. Gochujang (Korean traditional sauce made of red pepper) is also commonly used, often as pepper (chilli) paste, earning the cuisine a reputation for being spicy.

Bulgogi (roasted marinated meat, usually beef), galbi (marinated grilled short ribs), and samgyeopsal (pork belly) are popular meat entrees. Fish is also a popular commodity, as it is the traditional meat that Koreans eat. Meals are usually accompanied by a soup or stew, such as galbitang (stewed ribs) and doenjang jjigae (fermented bean paste soup). The center of the table is filled with a shared collection of sidedishes called banchan.

Other popular dishes include bibimbap which literally means "mixed rice" (rice mixed with meat, vegetables, and red pepper paste) and naengmyeon (cold noodles). A common snack in Korea is kimbab, which is rice mixed with vegetables and meat wrapped with seaweed. While an increasingly wide variety of ingredients are used in kimbap, fish in either raw or cooked form is rarely used, perhaps due to kimbap's origin as a portable, packable snack and fish could quickly spoil if unrefrigerated.

Instant noodles are also a very popular snack food. Koreans also enjoy food from ''pojangmachas'' (street vendors), where one can buy tteokbokki (rice cake and fish cake with a spicy gochujang sauce), fried squid and glazed sweet potato. Soondae, a sausage made of cellophane noodles and pork blood, is widely eaten.

Additionally, some of other common snacks includes "chocopie", shrimp cracker, "bbungtigi" (fried rice cracker), and "nu lung ji" (slightly burnt rice). Nu lung ji can be eaten as it is or boiled with water to make a soup. Nu lung ji can be eaten as a snack or a dessert.

Education

The modern Korean school system consists of six years in elementary school, three years in middle school, and three years in high school. Students are required to go to elementary and middle school, and do not have to pay for their education, except for a small fee called a "School Operation Support Fee" that differs from school to school. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks South Korea's science education as the third best in the world and being significantly higher than the OECD average.

Korea also ranks second on math and literature and first in problem solving. Although South Korean students often rank high on international comparative tests, the education system is sometimes criticised for its emphasis on passive learning and memorization. The Korean education system is much more strict and structured than the education systems of most Western societies. Also, high cost and dependence on non-school private institutions (Hagwon (학원)), a for-profit private institute, academy or cram-school prevalent in South Korea, is criticised as a major social problem. After students enter university, however, the situation is markedly reversed.

Science and technology

One of the best known artifacts of Korea's history of science and technology is Cheomseongdae (첨성대, ), a 9.4-meter high observatory built in 634.

The earliest known surviving Korean example of woodblock printing is the Mugujeonggwang Great Dharani Sutra. It is believed to have been printed in Korea in 750-751 AD which, if correct, would make it older than the Diamond Sutra. Goryeo silk was highly regarded by Westerners and Korean pottery made with blue-green celadon was of the highest quality and sought after by even Arabian merchants. Goryeo had a bustling economy with a capital that was frequented by merchants from all over the known world.

During the Joseon period the Geobukseon (turtle Ship) was invented, which were covered by a wooden deck and iron with thorns, as well as other weapons such as the bigyeokjincheolloe cannon (비격진천뢰, ) and the hwacha.

The Korean alphabet hangul was also invented during this time by King Sejong the Great.

Sport

While association football remains one of the most popular sports in Korea, the martial art of taekwondo is still considered to be the national traditional sport. Baseball is also increasing in popularity.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is the national sport of Korea and one of the country's most famous sports. According to ancient Korean history, soldiers learned taekwondo as a principal source of physical training. Besides fighting skills, taekwondo is known to enhance the spirit of the practitioner, through its mind and body training. Taekwondo has become an official Olympic sport, starting as a demonstration event in 1988 and becoming an official medal event in 2000.

Ssireum

Ssireum is a form of wrestling that has been practiced in Korea for thousands of years, with evidence discovered from the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC to 688). Ssireum is the traditional national sport of Korea. During a match, opponents grip each other by sash belts wrapped around the waist and the thigh, attempting to throw their competitor to the sandy ground of the ring. The first opponent to touch the ground with any body part above the knee or to lose hold of their opponent loses the round.

Ssireum competitions are traditionally held twice a year, during the Tano Festival (the 5th day of the fifth lunar month) and Chuseok (the 15th day of the 8th lunar month). Competitions are also held throughout the year as a part of festivals and other events.

See also

Famous Korean people

Inter-Korean Summit

Korean name

List of rulers of Korea

National treasures of North Korea

National treasures of South Korea

Notes

References

Cumings, Bruce. ''Korea's Place in the Sun'', Norton, 1997. ISBN 0-393-31681-5

Kim, et al. ''Women of Korea: A History from Ancient Times to 1945'', Ewha Womans University Press, 1976. ISBN 89-7300-116-7.

Asian Info website

Park's Associates

STJI.edu.cn

UMSL.edu

Diamond-dilemma.com

Korea Expat Community WorknPlay's Korea information page

(Review of ).

Further reading

Chun, Tuk Chu. "Korea in the Pacific Community". ''Social Education'' 52 (March 1988), 182. EJ 368 177.

Cumings, Bruce. ''The Two Koreas''. New York: Foreign Policy Association, 1984.

''Focus On Asian Studies''. Special Issue: "Korea: A Teacher's Guide". No. 1, Fall 1986.

Gi-Wook Shin/Michael Robinson (Ed.). ''Colonial modernity in Korea,'' Cambridge, Mass. [u.a.]: Harvard University, Asia Center; Distributed by Harvard Univ. Press 1999. ISBN 0-674-14255-1.

Joe, W.J. & Choe, H.A. ''Traditional Korea: A Cultural History'', Seoul: Hollym, 1997.

Joungwon, A.K. ''Divided Korea: The Politics of Development'', Harvard University Press, 1975.

Lee Ki-baik. ''A New History of Korea''. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1984.

Lee Sang-sup. "The Arts and Literature of Korea". ''The Social Studies'' 79 (July–August 1988): 153–60. EJ 376 894.

Tae-Jin, Y. "The Illegality of the Forced Treaties Leading to Japan's Annexation of the Great Han Empire", In the ''Korean National Commission for UNESCO'', Vol. 36, No. 4, 1996.

Dennis Hart, ''From Tradition to Consumption: Construction of a Capitalist Culture in South Korea''. Seoul: Jimoondang Pub., 2003.

The Gloucestershire Regiment and The Battle of the Imjin River, Korean War

Briefing note for OECD Health Data 2009: How Does Korea Compare: Organisation For Economic Co-operation and Development. (2009).

External links

The official website of the Republic of Korea (Korea.net)

Category:East Asia Category:Disputed territories in Asia Category:Divided regions

af:Korea ang:Corēa ar:كوريا ast:Corea bo:ཀོ་རི་ཡ། bs:Koreja br:Korea bg:Корея cs:Korea cy:Corea da:Korea de:Korea et:Korea es:Corea eo:Koreio eu:Korea fa:کره (کشور) fr:Corée gl:Corea xal:Солңһудин Орн ko:한국 hi:कोरिया hr:Koreja io:Korea id:Korea ia:Corea os:Корей it:Corea he:קוריאה jv:Koréa krc:Корея csb:Kòreja sw:Rasi ya Korea la:Corea lv:Koreja lt:Korėja jbo:dcosyn/xanguk mk:Кореја mr:कोरिया ms:Korea nl:Korea ne:कोरिया ja:朝鮮 no:Korea nn:Korea oc:Corèa tpi:Koria nds:Korea pl:Korea pt:Coreia ro:Coreea qu:Kuriya ru:Корея sm:Kolea sa:कोरिया sc:Corèa scn:Corea simple:Korea sk:Kórea sl:Koreja so:Kuuriya sr:Кореја (држава) fi:Korea sv:Korea tl:Korea ta:கொரியா kab:Kurya roa-tara:Coree th:ประเทศเกาหลี tr:Kore uk:Корея ug:چاۋشيەن vi:Triều Tiên fiu-vro:Korea war:Korea yi:קארעע yo:Korea zh-yue:朝鮮 bat-smg:Kuoriejė zh:朝鲜 (称谓)

name	Yahir Reyes
birth place	Tijuana, Mexico
nationality	Mexican
height
weight
weight class	Featherweight
style	Freestyle
fighting out of	Tijuana, Mexico
team	Team Reyes
mma kowin	4
mma subwin	8
mma decwin	2
mma koloss	3
mma subloss	3
mma decloss	1
sherdog	6114
updated	}}

Yahir Reyes (born August 14, 1985 in Tijuana) is a Mexican mixed martial artist. He is most known for his stint with Bellator Fighting Championships, fighting in their first season featherweight tournament. Reyes made it to the final round of the tournament which took place at Bellator 10, fighting Joe Soto. Reyes lost via submission, also losing him the featherweight title.

Mixed martial arts record

|- |Loss |14-6 | Joe Soto |Submission (Rear Naked Choke) |Bellator 10 | |2 |4:11 |Ontario, California, United States | |- |Win |14-5 | Estevan Payan |KO (Spinning Back Fist) |Bellator 6 | |2 |1:56 |Robstown, Texas, United States | |- |Win |13-5 | Nick Gonzalez |Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) |Bellator 1 | |1 |2:11 |Hollywood, Florida, United States | |- |Win |12-5 | Paris Ruiz |KO (Punches) |COF 13: Aztec Alliance | |2 |4:22 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |11-5 | Fred Leavy |Decision (Split) |MMA Xtreme 18 | |3 |5:00 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |10-5 | Zus Gutierrez |Submission (Rear Naked Choke) |MMA Xtreme 17 | |1 |2:03 |Honduras | |- |Win |9-5 | Charles Williams |Submission (Triangle Choke) |MMA Xtreme 15 | |1 |3:00 |Mexico City, Mexico | |- |Loss |8-5 | Jose Luis Cocafuego |Submission (Heel Hook) |MMA Xtreme 12 | |1 |1:22 |Mexicali, Mexico | |- |Win |8-4 | Art Diaz |Submission (Armbar) |MMA Xtreme 11 | |1 |0:51 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |7-4 | Robert Peralta |Submission (Rear Naked Choke) |MMA Xtreme 9 | |1 |N/A |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |6-4 | Benjamin la Cobra |Submission (Armbar) |MMA Xtreme 8 | |2 |N/A |Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |- |Win |5-4 | Rick Screeton |Submission (Armbar) |MMA Xtreme 7 | |2 |0:13 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |4-4 | John Wallace |KO (Punches) |MMA Xtreme 6 | |2 |1:01 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Loss |3-4 | Landon Piercey |TKO (Corner Stoppage) |MMA Xtreme 3 | |2 |5:00 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |3-3 | Issac Peralta |TKO |MMA Xtreme 1 | |1 |N/A |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Loss |2-3 | Angelo Catsouras |TKO (Corner Stoppage) |Total Combat 12 | |1 |5:00 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |NC |2-2 | Rick Screeton |No Contest |Total Combat 9 || |N/A |N/A |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Loss |2-2 | Chris David |TKO (Punches) |Total Combat 4 | |1 |N/A |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |2-1 | Michael Chupa |Decision (Unanimous) |Total Combat 2 | |3 |3:00 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Win |1-1 | Angel Yocupicio |Submission (Armbar) |Reto Maximo 2 | |2 |3:19 |Tijuana, Mexico | |- |Loss |0-1 | Ivan Lopez |Decision (Unanimous) |Reto Maximo 1 | |2 |5:00 |Tijuana, Mexico |

References

External links

Category:Living people Category:1985 births Category:Mexican mixed martial artists Category:Featherweight mixed martial artists Category:People from Tijuana

playername	Michael Page
country	United States
fullname	Michael Stephen Page
living	yes
dayofbirth	17
monthofbirth	6
yearofbirth	1941
countryofbirth	United States
batting	Right-handed batsman (RHB)
bowling	Right-arm off-break
club1	Derbyshire
year1	1964–1975
type1	First-class cricket
type1	First-class
debutdate1	3 June
debutyear1	1964
debutfor1	Derbyshire
debutagainst1	Worcestershire
lastdate1	23 August
lastyear1	1975
lastfor1	Derbyshire
lastagainst1	Gloucestershire
deliveries	balls
columns	2
column1	First-class
matches1	254
runs1	11538
bat avg1	28.55
100s/50s1	9/63
top score1	162
deliveries1	888
wickets1	7
bowl avg1	75.28
fivefor1	-
tenfor1	-
best bowling1	1-0
catches/stumpings1	248/0
column2	List A
matches2	80
runs2	1262
bat avg2	16.38
100s/50s2	-/4
top score2	83
deliveries2	13
wickets2	-
bowl avg2	-
fivefor2	-
tenfor2	N/A
best bowling2	-
catches/stumpings2	34/0
date	16 June
year	2010
source	http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31850/31850.html }}

Michael Harry Page (born 17 June 1941) is a former English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1964 and 1975.

Page was born in Blackpool. He began his career with Nottinghamshire and Lancashire, for whom he played briefly for the Second XI, though it was with Derbyshire that he was to decide to play first-class cricket. He signed a professional contract in 1964. Page's Derbyshire debut, in June 1964, was a steady one, as he scored 25 and aided team-mate Edwin Smith in a seventh-wicket partnership of 57 against Worcestershire. In August of the same year he scored 112 against Leicestershire at Chesterfield, the first of nine centuries which included a career-best of 162 in the 1969 season. Page also helped the Derbyshire team to the runners-up spot in the Gillette Cup competition of 1969. Page remained a first-team choice for the first half of the 1970s. He played for Derbyshire until the 1975 season, playing his final match for the first team in August 1975.

Page was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler. At the beginning of his career, Page bowled occasionally, and he took four wickets on one occasion for Derbyshire's Second XI. But it was clear early on that his primary role would be one of a middle-order batsman, though there was an early attempt to turn him into an opener.

External links

Michael Page at Cricket Archive

Category:1941 births Category:English cricketers Category:Living people Category:Derbyshire cricketers Category:International Cavaliers cricketers Category:People from Blackpool

Name	Guillermo Rigondeaux
Realname	Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz
Nickname	El Chacal
Height
Weight	Bantamweight
Reach
Nationality	Cuban
Birth date	September 30, 1980
Birth place	Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Home	Los Angeles,California
Style	Southpaw
Total	8
Wins	8
Ko	6
Losses	0
Draws	0
No contests	0
Titles	WBA Interim Super Bantamweight Title }}

}}

Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz (; born September 30, 1980 in Santiago de Cuba) is a Cuban boxer who won the gold medal at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics in the Bantamweight (54 kg) class. Rigondeaux is a seven-time (2000–06) Cuban national champion at bantamweight. He currently claims an amateur record of nearly 400 fights with twelve losses; with his last losses coming to Rencise Perez and Bekzat Sattarkhanov in 1998, Waldemar Font in 1999, and his most recent loss against Aghasi Mammadov in 2003. After his defection in 2009, he turned professional and in his 8th bout became WBA Interim Super Bantamweight Champion of the World.. Guillermo Rigondeaux is widely considered to be one of the greatest amateur fighters of all time.

Filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler is making a documentary about Guillermo (herotraitormadness.com).

Olympic results

2000

Defeated Moez Zemzeni (Tunisia) KO 1

Defeated Kazumasa Tsujimoto (Japan) RSC 3

Defeated Agasi Agaguloglu (Turkey) 14-5

Defeated Clarence Vinson (United States) 18-6

Defeated Raimkul Malakhbekov (Russia) 18-12

2004

Round of 32: Defeated Liu Yuan of China – PTS (21-7)

Round of 16: Defeated Mehar Ullah of Pakistan – RSC 3

Quarterfinals: Defeated Gennady Kovalev of Russia – PTS (20-5)

Semifinals: Defeated Bahodirjon Sooltonov of Uzbekistan – PTS (27-13)

Gold Medal Match: Defeated Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand – PTS (22-13)

Other amateur achievements

2000 Cuban national amateur champion - bantamweight

2001 Cuban national amateur champion - bantamweight

2001 World amateur champion - bantamweight (in Belfast, Northern Ireland)

*Defeated Kazumasa Tsujimoto (Japan) RSC 2

*Defeated Reidar Walstad (Norway) RSC 2

*Defeated Artur Mikaelian (Greece) 24-8

*Defeated Sergey Danilchenko (Ukraine) 15-6

*Defeated Aghasi Mammadov (Turkey) 30-24

2002 Cuban national amateur champion - bantamweight

2002 World Cup champion - bantamweight (in Astana, Kazakhstan)

*Defeated Justin Kane (Australia) RSC 1

*Defeated Keren Gurgen (Turkey) RSC 1

*Defeated Chotipat Wongprates (Thailand) 13-2

*Defeated Toljen Kanatov (Kazkhstan) 7-6

2003 Cuban national amateur champion - bantamweight

2003 competed as a bantamweight at World championships in Bangkok, Thailand. Results were:

*Defeated Andrzej Liczik (Poland) 15-1

*Lost to Aghasi Mammadov (Azerbaijan) 13-16

2003 Bantamweight gold medalist at Pan-American games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

*Defeated Argenis Mendez Zapata (Dominican Republic) 17-2

*Defeated Alexander Espinoza (Venezuela) RSC 2

*Defeated Andrew Kooner (Canada) 22-2

*Defeated Abner Mares (Mexico) 17-7

2004 Cuban national amateur champion - bantamweight

2005 Cuban national amateur champion - bantamweight

2005 World amateur champion at bantamweight in competition held in Mianyang, PR China

*Defeated Vladislav Sokolov (Latvia) RTD 2

*Defeated Ougonchulun Batkhuu (Mongolia) RSC

*Defeated Bahodirjon Sooltonov (Uzbekistan) RSC 3

*Defeated Ali Hallab (France) 37-23

*Defeated Rustamhodza Rahimov (Germany) 19-9

2005 Bantamweight gold medalist at World Cup in Moscow, Russia.

*Defeated Worapoj Petchkoom (Thailand) 34-16

*Defeated Zsolt Bedák (Romania) 28-11

*Defeated Murat Aiyrmasov (Kazakhstan) 34-7

*Defeated Maksim Khalikov (Russia) 37-21

2006 Cuban national amateur champion

2006 Bantamweight gold medalist at Central American Games in Cartagena, Colombia

*Defeated Juan Velasquez (Puerto Rico) 10-1

*Defeated Jhonatan Romero (Colombia) walk-over

*Defeated Arturo Santos Reyes (Mexico) 14-3

2006 Bantamweight gold medalist at Nations Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan

*Defeated Mirzhan Rakhimzhanov (Kazakhstan) 28-10

*Defeated Rau'shee Warren (United States) 21-17

*Defeated Elshad Guliyev (Azerbaijan) walk-over

*Defeated Ali Aliyev (Russia) RSC 3

Defection

On July 22, 2007, Rigondeaux and teammate Erislandy Lara failed to appear for their scheduled bouts at the Pan American Games in Brazil. It was initially announced that Rigondeaux was to turn professional, joining fellow 2004 Cuban Olympians Odlanier Solis, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy, who defected earlier in 2007. As with the other Cuban defectors, Rigondeaux signed a promotional deal with Ahmet Oener and ARENA Box-Promotion. However on August 2, Rigondeaux and Lara were taken into police custody in Brazil, stating that they wanted to return home to Cuba. Then Cuban leader Fidel Castro has stated that Rigondeaux and Lara will not box again for the Cuban team. In February 2009, Rigondeaux defected again via Mexico City to Miami, and signed with ARENA Box.

Professional

On February 23, 2009, Rigondeaux was announced to have defected along with 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist Yudel Johnson, Yordanis Despaigne and Yuniel Dorticos and is now in Miami with a contract in Gary Hyde. He will be training in the same gym as Yuriorkis Gamboa, Erislandi Lara and Odlanier Solis. and will continue his career as a professional once he completes all the residency requirements. He left behind his wife Farah Colina, a 7 year old son and a 17 year old stepson in Cuba. He is also reportedly staying in the home of countryman and featherweight contender Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Rigondeaux won his first professional fight on May 22 with a third-round TKO over Juan Noriega in Miami. Although he did not maintain a busy punch volume, Rigondeaux still landed hard shots. Noriega barely countered Rigondeaux's punches and the referee found the opportunity to stop the fight after Rigondeaux connected with a solid right to the head. On July 17 he won his second pro fight against Robert Guillen by first round ko. Rigondeaux wasn't active but he hit Guillen with a great hard counter punch to the body which left him rolling on the canvas in pain.

On September 18, Rigondeaux beat Giovanni Andrade by 3rd round TKO to win the NABA Super Bantamweight title.

On December 16, 2009 Rigondeaux won a Unanimous Decision over Lante Addy in 8 rounds.

On February 5, 2010, Rigondeaux scored a 1st round Knockout against Adolfo Landeros.

Fight against Ricardo Cordoba

This fight was on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito WBC Light Middleweight Title fight at Cowboys Stadium, Dallas, in front of 70,000 people. This was the biggest fight in Rigondeaux's career to date. Rigondeaux knocked Cordoba down in the 4th with a body shot, but was judged to be knocked down in turn in the 6th, in what appeared to be a slip. Despite appearing to win clearly, the fight was judged a split decision, with Rigondeaux the victor and becoming a world champion in his 8th bout (though interim) winning the WBA Super Bantamweight title.

Professional record

|- |align="center" colspan=8|8 Wins (6 knockouts), 0 Losses, 0 Draws |- | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Res. | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Rd., Time | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes |-align=center |Win |align=left| Willie "Big Bang" Casey |TKO |1 , 2:35 |2011-03-19 |align=left| Citywest, Dublin, Ireland |align=left| |-align=center |Win |align=left| Ricardo Cordoba |SD |12 |2010-11-13 |align=left| Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas, United States |align=left| |-align=center |Win |align=left| Jose Angel Beranza |TKO |6 |2010-08-21 |align=left| Auditorio Municipal, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | |-align=center |Win |align=left| Adolfo Landeros |TKO |1 ,0:28 |2010-02-05 |align=left| NSU Arena, Don Taft University Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |-align=center |Win |align=left| Lante Addy |UD |8 |2009-12-16 |align=left| BB King Blues Club & Grill, New York, New York, United States | |-align=center |Win |align=left| Giovanni Andrade |TKO |3 ,2:53 |2009-09-18 |align=left| Fountainbleau Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida, United States |vacant NABA super bantamweight title |-align=center |Win |align=left| Robert Guillen |TKO |1 ,2:57 |2009-07-17 |align=left| Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |-align=center |Win |align=left| Juan Noriega |TKO |3 ,1:09 |2009-05-22 |align=left| Fountainbleau Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida, United States |Pro Debut

References

External links

Olympic profile

Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:Cuban boxers Category:Boxers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Boxers at the 2003 Pan American Games Category:Boxers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic boxers of Cuba Category:Olympic gold medalists for Cuba Category:Olympic medalists in boxing Category:Pan American Games competitors for Cuba

de:Guillermo Rigondeaux fr:Guillermo Rigondeaux hu:Guillermo Rigondeaux ja:ギレルモ・リゴンドウ pl:Guillermo Rigondeaux pt:Guillermo Rigondeaux ru:Ортис, Гильермо Ригондо zh:吉列尔莫·里贡多·奥尔蒂斯

name	Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos
other names	Cyborg
birth name	Cristiane Justino Venancio
birth date	July 09, 1985
birth place	Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
nationality	Brazilian
height
weight
style	Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
fighting out of	San Diego, California, United States
team	Chute Boxe AcademyThe Arena
trainer	Rudimar Fedrigo
rank	''purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu''
mma win	10
mma kowin	8
mma decwin	2
mma loss	1
mma subloss	1
relatives	Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, ''Husband''
updated	}}

}}

Cristiane Justino Venancio Santos (; born July 9, 1985) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and the Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Champion (Formerly known as Women's Middleweight Championship and the Women's Lightweight Championship). Santos won the title on August 15, 2009 by defeating Gina Carano via TKO. She lives in San Diego where she trains and teaches at The Arena, one of the premier MMA gyms in the United States.

Santos is currently the #1-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com and the #1-ranked 145-pound female fighter according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.

Early life

Cristiane was a national-level team handball player in Brazil before being discovered by Rudimar Fedrigo, a Chute Boxe Academy trainer.

Mixed martial arts career

She made her anticipated United States MMA debut on July 26, 2008 against Shayna Baszler at ''EliteXC: Unfinished Business''. She won the fight by TKO in the second round.

She faced Yoko Takahashi on October 4, 2008 at EliteXC: Heat. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

Cristiane was scheduled to face Dutch submission specialist Marloes Coenen at XMMA 7 on February 27, 2009, but backed out of the fight after signing a new contract with Strikeforce. Santos earned a BJJ Purple Belt under her jiu-jitsu instructor Cristiano Marcello in 2009.

Strikeforce

She later signed to fight for Strikeforce, which greatly increased the chance that a fight with Gina Carano would take place. In her Strikeforce debut, Santos faced Hitomi Akano on April 11, 2009 at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz. Santos came in six pounds overweight for the fight. Akano originally rejected the fight due to Santos failing to make weight but later accepted the fight. Santos defeated Akano by TKO in the third round.

Before the fight with Carano, Santos was interviewed by mmaworldwide.com's reporter Aaron Tru. When asked to demonstrate her wrestling abilities, Santos choked the interviewer out cold, in a matter of seconds.

Santos fought Gina Carano on August 15, 2009 at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg for the Women's Middleweight Championship (145 lbs). Santos won via TKO at 4:59 of the 5:00 first round. The card was the first time that a major promotion had featured a main event between women. After the match, Santos hugged Carano, and stated in her interview that she had the utmost respect for Carano, and that it was an honor to fight her.

Santos next defended her title against Dutch standout Marloes Coenen at a Strikeforce event on January 30, 2010. Santos won the fight via TKO at 3:40 of round 3.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated that the next challenger for Santos would most likely be Erin Toughill. However, Toughill later announced her intentions to leave Strikeforce and plans for the fight with Santos were cancelled.

On April 7, 2010, Coker stated that Santos would fight again in June. She faced Jan Finney at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum and won the fight via KO in the second round. Cyborg's contract with Strikeforce expired June 26, 2011. She renewed her Strikeforce contract on the 25th August, 2011.

Personal life

Cristiane is married to MMA fighter Evangelista Santos.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Strikeforce

*Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Championship (One time; First; Current)

*Best of 2010 Awards: Female Fighter of the Year

World MMA Awards

*2010 Female Fighter of the Year

*2009 Female Fighter of the Year

Sherdog

*2010 Beatdown of the Year vs. Jan Finney on June 26

Submission grappling

Abu Dhabi Combat Club

*2009 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship Bronze Medalist

International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation

*2011 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship Purple Belt Gold Medalist

Mixed martial arts record

|- | Win |align=center| 10–1 | Jan Finney | KO (knee to the body) | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum | |align=center| 2 |align=center| 2:56 | San Jose, California, United States | |- | Win |align=center| 9–1 | Marloes Coenen | TKO (punches) | Strikeforce: Miami | |align=center| 3 |align=center| 3:40 | Sunrise, Florida, United States | |- | Win |align=center| 8–1 | Gina Carano | TKO (punches) | Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg | |align=center| 1 |align=center| 4:59 | San Jose, California, United States | |- | Win |align=center| 7–1 | Hitomi Akano | TKO (punches) | Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz | |align=center| 3 |align=center| 0:35 | San Jose, California, United States | |- | Win |align=center| 6–1 | Yoko Takahashi | Decision (unanimous) | EliteXC: Heat | |align=center| 3 |align=center| 3:00 | Sunrise, Florida, United States | |- | Win |align=center| 5–1 | Shayna Baszler | TKO (punches) | EliteXC: Unfinished Business | |align=center| 2 |align=center| 2:48 | Stockton, California, United States | |- | Win |align=center| 4–1 | Marise Vitoria | TKO (punches and stomp) | Storm Samurai 12 | |align=center| 1 |align=center| 1:27 | Curitiba, Brazil | |- | Win |align=center| 3–1 | Elaine Santiago | TKO (corner stoppage) | Storm Samurai 11 | |align=center| 1 |align=center| 2:46 | Curitiba, Brazil | |- | Win |align=center| 2–1 | Chris Schroeder | TKO (punches) | Storm Samurai 10 | |align=center| 1 |align=center| N/A | Curitiba, Brazil | |- | Win |align=center| 1–1 | Vanessa Porto | Decision (unanimous) | Storm Samurai 9 | |align=center| 3 |align=center| 5:00 | Curitiba, Brazil | |- | Loss |align=center| 0–1 | Erica Paes | Submission (kneebar) | Show Fight 2 | |align=center| 1 |align=center| 1:46 | Curitiba, Brazil |

See also

List of current mixed martial arts champions

List of female mixed martial artists

References

External links

Official Website

The Arena

Category:Female mixed martial artists Category:Brazilian mixed martial artists Category:Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Category:Female Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu practitioners Category:Brazilian expatriates in the United States Category:Strikeforce champions Category:1985 births Category:Living people

de:Cristiane Santos ja:クリスチャン・サイボーグ pl:Cristiane Santos pt:Cristiane Santos fi:Cristiane Santos sv:Cristiane Santos uk:Крістіані Сантос