Korea, North

North Korea 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and Russia

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 1,673 km, China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline

2,495 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea

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
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

14,000 sq km (1989)

Environment

Note: Strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated Korea, North, People

PEOPLE

Population

23,904,124 (July 1996 est.)
23,486,550 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

30% (male 3,605,972; female 3,465,038) (July 1996 est.)
30% (male 3,540,313; female 3,402,672) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

66% (male 7,871,783; female 7,956,935) (July 1996 est.)
66% (male 7,741,155; female 7,840,465) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

4% (male 355,284; female 649,112) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 339,695; female 622,250) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.74% (1996 est.)
1.78% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

23.31 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
22.86 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death Rate

5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.47 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

25.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
26.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

2.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.34 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Note: Autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Languages

Korean

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write Korean (1990 est.)

Labor Force

9.615 million

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Note: The North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country

Abbreviation

DPRK

Digraph

KN

Type

Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship

Capital

P'yongyang

Administrative Divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi, 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

Note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

National Holiday

DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Constitution

Adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992

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

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui)

Elections last held on 7-9 April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

Judicial Branch

Central Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, YU Mi-yong, chairwoman

Member of

ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

National Anthem

Flag

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

More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict rule of KIM Il-song in the past and now his son, KIM Chong-il. Economic growth during the period 1984-88 averaged 2%-3%, but output declined by an average of 4%-5% annually during 1989-95 because of systemic problems and disruptions in socialist-style economic relations and technological links with the former USSR and China. The leadership has insisted on maintaining its high level of military outlays from a shrinking economic pie. Moreover, a serious drawdown in inventories and critical shortages in the energy sector have led to increasing interruptions in industrial production. Abundant mineral resources and hydropower have formed the basis of industrial development since World War II. Manufacturing is centered on heavy industry, including military industry, with light industry lagging far behind. Despite the use of improved seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Indeed, a shortage of arable lands, several years of poor harvests, and a cumbersome distribution system have resulted in chronic food shortages. The year 1995 was marked by serious summer floods that worsened an already tenuous food situation. Substantial grain shipments from Japan and South Korea offset a portion of the losses. In 1996 and 1997 the food-shortages continued killing an estimated 1 million people annually. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $21.5 billion (1995 est.); $21.3 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

-5% (1995 est.)
0% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$920 (1995 est.)
$920 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

NA

Unemployment Rate

NA

Budget

Exports

$840 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$1.02 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$1.27 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$1.64 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$8 billion (1992 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -7% to -9% (1992 est.)

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for about 25% of GDP and 36% of work force; principal crops - rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in grain

Economic Aid

Currency

1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Exchange Rates

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)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Pipelines

Crude oil 37 km

Ports

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

Merchant Marine

Note: North Korea owns an additional 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling approximately 34,782 DWT operating under the registries of Hondurus and Poland (1995 est.)

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

30,000 Telephones (1990 est.) Telephone system is believed to be available principally to government business

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

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

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 6,844,035; males fit for military service 4,143,713; males reach military age (18) annually 194,922 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $5 billion to $7 billion, 25% to 33% of GDP (1995 est.); about $5 billion, 20%-25% of GDP (1991 est.); note - the officially announced but suspect figure is $2.2 billion (1994), about 12% of total spending

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 27 december 1997