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National Map
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Korea, North |
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National Flag
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Korea, North |
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Flag Description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
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Korea, North |
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National Anthem
Of |
Korea, North |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Korea, North |
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Background:
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An
independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of
the past millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905
following the Russo-Japanese War; five years later,
Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following
World War II, Korea was split with the northern half
coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination.
After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the
US-backed republic in the southern portion by force,
North Korea, under its founder President KIM Il Sung,
adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic
"self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or
Communist Chinese influence. It molded political,
economic, and military policies around the core
ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea
under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler
KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as KIM's
successor in 1980 and assumed a growing political and
managerial role until his father's death in 1994. He
assumed full power without opposition. After decades of
economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the
North since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on
international aid to feed its population while
continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of
about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile
development and research into nuclear, chemical, and
biological weapons and massive conventional armed forces
are of major concern to the international community. In
December 2002, following revelations it was pursuing a
nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in
violation of a 1994 agreement with the United States to
freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing
plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors
from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In
January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the
international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003
Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of
spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade
plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent."
From August 2003, North Korea has participated on and
off in six-party talks with the China, Japan, Russia,
South Korea, and the United States to resolve the
stalemate over its nuclear programs. |
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Location:
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Eastern
Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering
the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
South Korea |
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Geographic coordinates:
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40 00 N,
127 00 E |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total:
120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Mississippi |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238
km, Russia 19 km |
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Coastline:
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2,495 km
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Maritime claims:
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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 |
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Climate:
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temperate
with rainfall concentrated in summer |
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Terrain:
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mostly
hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;
coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal,
lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore,
copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 20.76%
permanent crops: 2.49%
other: 76.75% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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14,600 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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late
spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
occasional typhoons during the early fall |
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Environment - current issues:
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water
pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;
waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and
degradation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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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Geography - note:
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strategic
location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;
mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated
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Population:
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22,912,177 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 24.2% (male 2,816,844/female 2,735,478)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,668,581/female
7,883,267)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 625,819/female
1,182,188) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
31.74 years
male: 30.47 years
female: 33 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.9%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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16.09
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.05
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
24.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.37 years
male: 68.65 years
female: 74.22 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.15
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
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Ethnic groups:
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racially
homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a
few ethnic Japanese |
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Religions:
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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 |
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Languages:
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Korean
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic
of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form:
Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: none
note: the North Koreans generally use the term
"Choson" to refer to their country
abbreviation: DPRK |
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Government type:
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Communist
state one-man dictatorship |
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Capital:
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Pyongyang
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Administrative divisions:
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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)
: municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin
Sonbong-si (Najin), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si
(Pyongyang) |
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Independence:
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15 August
1945 (from Japan) |
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National holiday:
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Founding
of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9
September (1948) |
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Constitution:
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adopted
1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again
in April 1992, and September 1998 |
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Legal system:
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based on
German civil law system with Japanese influences and
Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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17 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju
Premier
head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3
September 2003); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5
September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003),
RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for
the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by
the SPA
elections: election 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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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Central
Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's
Assembly) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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major
party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il,
general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu
Party [RYU Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control);
Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under
KWP control) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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ARF, FAO,
G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU,
NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none;
North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New
York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as
consular protecting power) |
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Flag description:
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three
horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and
blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed
star |
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Economy - overview:
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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 spare parts
shortages. Industrial and power output have declined in
parallel. The nation has suffered its eleventh year of
food shortages because of a lack of arable land,
collective farming, weather-related problems, and
chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive
international food aid deliveries have allowed the
regime to escape mass starvation since 1995, but the
population remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition
and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale
military spending eats up resources needed for
investment and civilian consumption. In July 2002, the
government took limited steps toward a freer market
economy. In 2004, heightened political tensions with key
donor countries and general donor fatigue threatened the
flow of desperately needed food aid and fuel aid. Black
market prices have continued to rise following the
increase in official prices and wages in the summer of
2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as the
elderly and unemployed, less able to buy goods. In 2004,
the regime allowed private markets to sell a wider range
of goods and permitted private farming on an
experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural
output. Firm political control remains the Communist
government's overriding concern, which will constrain
any further loosening of economic regulations. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$40
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 30.2%
industry: 33.8%
services: 36% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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9.6
million |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64% |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA (2003)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA (2003
est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures
of NA |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice,
corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork,
eggs |
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Industries:
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military
products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;
mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,
zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles,
food processing; tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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33.62
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 29%
hydro: 71%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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31.26
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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85,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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11,500
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Exports:
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$1.2
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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minerals,
metallurgical products, manufactures (including
armaments); textiles and fishery products |
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Exports - partners:
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China
29.9%, South Korea 24.1%, Japan 13.2% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$2.1
billion c.i.f. (2003) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment;
textiles, grain |
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Imports - partners:
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China
32.9%, Thailand 10.7%, Japan 4.8% (2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$12
billion (1996 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA; note
- over $117 million in food aid through the World Food
Program in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral
donors and non-governmental organizations |
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Currency (code):
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North
Korean won (KPW) |
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Currency code:
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KPW |
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Exchange rates:
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official:
North Korean won per US dollar - 170 (December 2004),
150 (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001); market: North
Korean won per US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1.1
million (2001) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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NA |
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Telephone system:
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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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 17
(including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting
Station), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2003) |
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Radios:
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3.36
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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4
(includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae
Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and
Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003) |
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Televisions:
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1.2
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.kp |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000)
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Railways:
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total:
5,214 km
standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km
unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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2,250 km
note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)
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Pipelines:
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oil 154
km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,
Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly
Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 985,108 GRT/1,389,389 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 191, container 2,
livestock carrier 4, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker
13, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 52 (China 1, Denmark 2, France 1,
Greece 4, Italy 1, Lebanon 4, Lithuania 1, Netherlands
1, Pakistan 2, Romania 10, Russia 2, Singapore 2, South
Korea 2, Syria 9, Turkey 6, Ukraine 1, UAE 3) (2005)
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Airports:
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78 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
35
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
43
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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19 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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North
Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force;
Civil Security Forces (2005) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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17 years
of age (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 5,851,801 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 4,810,831 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
194,605 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$5,217.4
million (FY02) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA |
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Disputes - international:
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China
seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of thousands of
North Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and
political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the
sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers
and a section of boundary around Paektu-san (mountain)
is indefinite; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km
wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South
Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South
over the Northern Limit Line; North Korea supports South
Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks
(Tok-do/Take-shima) |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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IDPs:
50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine) (2004)
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Illicit drugs:
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for
years, from the 1970's into the 2000's, citizens of the
Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK),
many of them diplomatic employees of the government,
were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics,
including two in Turkey in December 2004; in recent
years, police investigations in Taiwan and Japan have
linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin
and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North
Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin
to Australia in April 2003; all indications point to
North Korea emerging as an important regional source of
illicit drugs targeting markets in Japan, Taiwan, the
Russian Far East, and China |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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