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| Geography |
| Strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated. |
| Location: | Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea |
| Geographic coordinates: | 40 00 N, 127 00 E |
| Area: | total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq kmSize comparison: slightly smaller than Mississippi |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km |
| Coastline: | 2,495 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned |
| Climate: | temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer |
| Terrain: | mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m |
| Natural resources: | coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 22.4%
permanent crops: 1.66%
other: 75.94% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 14,600 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall |
| Current Environment Issues: | water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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| People |
| Population: | 23,301,725 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 2,758,826/female 2,679,093)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 7,852,282/female 8,024,429)
65 years and over: 8.5% (male 709,599/female 1,277,496) (2007 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 32.4 years
male: 30.9 years
female: 33.8 years (2007 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.785% (2007 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 15.06 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.979 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.555 male(s)/female
total population: 0.945 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 22.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 71.92 years
male: 69.18 years
female: 74.8 years (2007 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.05 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
| Ethnic groups: | racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese |
| Religions: | traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom |
| Languages: | Korean |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% |
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| Government |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: Choson
abbreviation: DPRK |
| Government type: | Communist state one-man dictatorship |
| Capital: | name: Pyongyang
geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si, singular and plural)
provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
municipalities: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin-Sonbong), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang) |
| Independence: | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) |
| National holiday: | Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) |
| Constitution: | adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998 |
| Legal system: | based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 17 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003), THAE Jong Su (since 16 October 2007)
cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008)
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties |
| Judicial branch: | Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly) |
| Political parties and leaders: | major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | none |
| International organization participation: | ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003), THAE Jong Su (since 16 October 2007)
cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008)
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed |
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| Economy |
| North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel. Due in part to severe summer flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of 2006, the nation has suffered its 12th year of food shortages because of on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and chronic shortages of tractors and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape mass starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In 2004, the regime formalized an arrangement whereby private "farmers' markets" were allowed to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the regime reversed some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the regime terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $40 billion
note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2006 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $NA (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 1.6% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,800 (2006 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 30%
industry: 34%
services: 36% (2002 est.) |
| Labor force: | 9.6 million (2002 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 36%
industry and services: 64% (2002) |
| Unemployment rate: | NA% |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | NA% |
| Budget: | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
| Public debt: | |
| Agriculture - products: | rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs |
| Industries: | military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 22.19 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 18.57 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Oil - production: | 138.5 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 25,000 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day |
| Oil - imports: | 23,520 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Exports: | $1.34 billion f.o.b. (2005) |
| Exports - commodities: | minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products |
| Exports - partners: | China 35%, South Korea 24%, Thailand 9%, Japan 9% (2005) |
| Imports: | $2.72 billion c.i.f. (2005) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain |
| Imports - partners: | China 42%, South Korea 28%, Russia 9%, Thailand 8% (2005) |
| Debt - external: | $12 billion (1996 est.) |
| Currency (code): | North Korean won (KPW) |
| Exchange rates: | official: North Korean won per US dollar - 141 (2006), 170 (December 2004), 150 (December 2002), market: North Korean won per US dollar - 2,500-3,000 (December 2006) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 980,000 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003) |
| Internet country code: | .kp |
| Internet hosts: | |
| Internet users: | NA |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 77 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 36
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 36
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Heliports: | 23 (2007) |
| Pipelines: | oil 154 km (2006) |
| Railways: | total: 5,214 km
standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006) |
| Roadways: | total: 31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km
unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: | 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 171 ships (1000 GRT or over) 854,268 GRT/1,225,453 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 131, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 29 (Egypt 1, India 1, Israel 1, Lebanon 3, Lithuania 1, Pakistan 1, Romania 6, Russia 1, Syria 7, Turkey 1, UAE 4, Yemen 2)
registered in other countries: (unknown 1) (2007) |
| Ports and terminals: | Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan |
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| Military |
|
| Military branches: | North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 17-49: 5,851,801
females age 17-49: 5,850,733 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 17-49: 4,810,831
females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | NA |
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