Home>Asia>Korea, North

Background: At the end of World War II, the US and the Soviet Union agreed that US troops would accept the surrender of Japanese forces south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union would do so in the north. In 1948, the UN proposed nationwide elections; after P'yongyang's refusal to allow UN inspectors in the north, elections were held in the south and the Republic of Korea was established. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established the following month in the north. Communist North Korean forces invaded South Korea in 1950. US and other UN forces intervened to defend the South and Chinese forces intervened on behalf of the North. After a bitter three-year war, an armistice was signed in 1953, establishing a military demarcation line near the 38th parallel. The North's heavy investment in military forces has produced an army of 1 million troops equipped with thousands of tanks and artillery pieces. Despite growing economic hardships, North Korea continues to devote a significant portion of its scarce resources to the military.

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

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km

Area—comparative: 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: 14%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 61%
other: 23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Environment—current issues: localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography—note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated

Population: 21,386,109 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 2,800,748; female 2,666,207)
15-64 years: 68% (male 7,143,969; female 7,447,147)
65 years and over: 6% (male 412,161; female 915,877) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.92 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.45 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.07 years
male: 67.41 years
female: 72.86 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese

Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo
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 Korean
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

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: none
note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country
abbreviation: DPRK

Data code: KN

Government type: Communist state; one-man dictatorship

Capital: P'yongyang

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)

Independence: 9 September 1948, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Foundation Day
note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

National holiday: Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Legal system: 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

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Chong-il; note—in September 1998, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority"; KIM Young-nam was named President of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier HONG Song-nam (since 5 September 1998)
cabinet: renamed DPRK Cabinet (naegak) on 5 September 1998; was previously called the State Administrative Council; Cabinet members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly
elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
election results: NA

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 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

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 Chong-il, General Secretary]; Korean Social Democratic Party [KIM Pyong-sik, chairman]; Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]

International organization participation: ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note—North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by YI Hyong-chol

Diplomatic representation from the US: none

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

Economy—overview: North Korea is the world's most centrally planned economy. Agricultural land is collectivized, state-owned industry produces nearly all manufactured goods, and heavy and military industries have long been developed at the expense of light and consumer industries. Open-air markets since 1995 have gained increasing importance in the distribution of food and consumer goods but private production remains extremely limited. Total economic output has fallen steadily since 1991—perhaps by as much as one-half—when the country's economic ties to the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc collapsed. The slide has also been fueled by serious energy shortages, aging industrial facilities, and a lack of maintenance and new investment. The leadership has tried to maintain a high level of military spending but the armed forces have nonetheless been affected by the general economic decline. Although North Korea has long depended on imports to meet food needs, serious fertilizer shortages in recent years have combined with structural constraints—such as a shortage of arable land and a short growing season—to reduce staple grain output to more than 1 million tons below what the country needs to meet even minimal demand. Widespread famine and disease have cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of North Koreans in 1994-98. The US, China, the international community, and nongovernmental organizations have sent aid but the problems remain extremely serious.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$21.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$1,000 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 60%
services: 15% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 9.615 million

Labor force—by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $19.3 billion
expenditures: $19.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Industries: military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: -7% to -9% (1992 est.)

Electricity—production: 34 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 35.29%
hydro: 64.71%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 34 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Exports: $743 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports—commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments)

Exports—partners: Japan 28%, South Korea 21%, China 5%, Germany 4%, Russia 1% (1995)

Imports: $1.83 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports—commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods

Imports—partners: China 33%, Japan 17%, Russia 5%, South Korea 4%, Germany 3% (1995)

Debt—external: $12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $NA; note—an estimated $200 million to $300 million in humanitarian aid from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 1997

Currency: 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Exchange rates: official: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1—2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989); market: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1—200

Fiscal year: calendar year

Telephones: 1.4 million (1998 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: system is being expanded with installation of fiber-optic cable nationwide; access traditionally reserved for official and business subscribers; public access is expected to increase
international: satellite earth stations—1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 14, shortwave 3

Radios: 4.7 million

Television broadcast stations: 38

Televisions: 2 million

Railways:
broad gauge: NA km
total: 5,000 km
standard gauge: 4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km double track)
narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge
dual gauge: 240 km 1.435-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (1996 est.)

Highways:
total: 31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km
unpaved: 29,203 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Pipelines: crude oil 37 km; petroleum product 180 km

Ports and harbors: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Merchant marine:
total: 110 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 691,802 GRT/992,789 DWT
ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 91, combination bulk 1, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, short-sea passenger 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 49 (1994 est.) (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1994 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)

Military branches: Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces

Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 5,768,038 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,483,188 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 177,888 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $5 billion to $7 billion (1997 est.)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 25% to 33% (1997 est.)

Disputes—international: 33-km section of boundary with China in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea

Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook