Gyeongju is a coastal city located in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Historically known as Seorabeol, it is situated approximately 370 km southeast of Seoul and 55 km east of Daegu. The city borders Cheongdo and Yeongcheon to the west, Ulsan to the south, and Pohang to the north, with its eastern boundary meeting the coast of the Sea of Japan.
The city covers an area of 1,324 km2, making it the second largest city in North Gyeongsang Province by area after Andong. As of December 2012, Gyeongju had a population of 264,091 people. The surrounding landscape is characterized by numerous low mountains that serve as outliers of the Taebaek range.