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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: 120,538 sq km land: 120,408 sq km water: 130 sq km
Size comparison: slightly smaller than Mississippi |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 1,671.5 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 17.5 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 (2008) |
| Natural hazards: | late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall volcanism: Changbaishan (elev. 2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active |
| 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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| People |
| Population: | 24,457,492 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,766,006/female 2,700,378) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 8,345,737/female 8,423,482) 65 years and over: 9.1% (male 738,693/female 1,483,196) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 32.9 years male: 31.2 years female: 34.6 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.538% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 14.51 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.047 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 27.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 68.89 years male: 65.03 years female: 72.93 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.02 children born/woman (2011 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% (1991 est.) |
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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 2 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: Nason-si, 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; revised several times most recently in 2009 |
| Legal system: | civil law system based on the Prussian model; system influenced by Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory |
| Suffrage: | 17 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 9 April 2009, 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 in 2009 president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials head of government: Premier CHOE Yong Rim (since 7 June 2010); Vice Premier HAN Kwang Bok (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier JO Pyong Ju (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier JON Ha Chol (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier KANG Nung Su (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier KIM Rak Hui (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil (since 18 September 2009), Vice Premier RI Mu Yong (since 31 May 2011); Vice Premier RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003) cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: last election held in September 2003; date of next election NA 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 on 8 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for 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 |
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| Economy |
| North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment, shortages of spare parts, and poor maintenance. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power output have stagnated for years at a fraction of pre-1990 levels. Frequent weather-related crop failures aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, poor soil quality, insufficient fertilization, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed private "farmers' markets" 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 government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government 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. In mid-2008, North Korea began receiving food aid under a US program to deliver 500,000 metric tons of food via the World Food Program and US nongovernmental organizations; but Pyongyang stopped accepting the aid in March 2009. In December 2009, North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency, capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation, forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by February 2010. In response to the sinking of the South Korean destroyer Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyong Island, South Korea's government cut off most aid, trade, and bilateral cooperation activities, with the exception of operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The year 2012 will be the 100th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birthday. The North Korean government often highlights its 2012 goal of becoming a "strong and prosperous" nation. Attracting foreign investment, especially from neighboring China, will be a key factor for improving the overall standard of living. Nevertheless, firm political control remains the government's overriding concern, which likely will inhibit changes to North Korea's current economic system. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $40 billion (2009 est.) $40 billion (2009 est.) $40 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars; North Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown here are 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 2009 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion. |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $28 billion (2009 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -0.9% (2009 est.) 3.7% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2009 est.) $1,800 (2009 est.) $1,900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 20.7% industry: 47.8% services: 31.5% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: | 12.2 million note: estimates vary widely (2009 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 35% industry and services: 65% (2008 est.) |
| 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): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% |
| Budget: | revenues: $3.2 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion (2007 est.) |
| 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: | 22.52 billion kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 18.85 billion kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 118 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 13,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 15,810 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $1.997 billion (2009) $2.062 billion (2008) |
| Exports - commodities: | minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products |
| Exports - partners: | China 50.3%, Brazil 5.7%, Lebanon 4.7%, Dominican Republic 4.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2010) |
| Imports: | $3.096 billion (2009) $3.574 billion (2008) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain |
| Imports - partners: | China 40.6%, Algeria 34.2%, India 8.9% (2010) |
| Debt - external: | $12.5 billion (2001 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $1.437 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.475 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Exchange rates: | North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar (market rate) 1,800 (December 2010) 3,630 (December 2008) 140 (2007) 141 (2006) |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 1.18 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 71 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate system; nationwide fiber-optic network; mobile-cellular service expanding beyond Pyongyang domestic: fiber-optic links installed down to the county level; telephone directories unavailable; GSM mobile-cellular service initiated in 2002 but suspended in 2004; Orascom Telecom Holding, an Egyptian company, launched W-CDMA mobile service on December 15, 2008 for the Pyongyang area and has expanded service to several large cities international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2009) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .kp |
| Internet hosts: | 3 (2010) |
| Internet users: | |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 79 (2010) country comparison to the world: 70 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 42 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 8 (2010) |
| Heliports: | 22 (2010) |
| Pipelines: | oil 154 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 5,242 km standard gauge: 5,242 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2009) |
| Roadways: | total: 25,554 km paved: 724 km unpaved: 24,830 km (2006) |
| Waterways: | 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 158 by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 129, carrier 1, container 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 19 (Belgium 1, China 1, Nigeria 1, Romania 1, Singapore 2, South Korea 1, Syria 6, UAE 6) registered in other countries: 5 (Mongolia 1, Sierra Leone 1, unknown 3) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Namp'o, Senbong, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), 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 16-49: 6,515,279 females age 16-49: 6,418,693 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,836,567 females age 16-49: 5,230,137 (2010 est.) |
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