North Korea

Democratic People's Republic of KoreaChoson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

Communist stateIndependence 9 September 1948

North Korea as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalP'yongyang
Area120,540 km2
LocationNortheast Asia, between China and South Korea
1993

Every edition of North Korea

Populationas each edition published it
22.65 million July 1993 est. · 21.29m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.86% 1993 est. · 0.4% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 31.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
69.51 years 1993 est. · 73.5 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.4 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
28.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 27 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,000 1992 est. · $600 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
-10% 1992 est. · -1.1% in 2024

Geography

Northeast Asia, between China and South Korea

14 fields

Land useshare of 120,540 km2

arable land 18%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 74%other 7%irrigated 14,000 km2 (1989)
Area
120,540km2
land area: 120,410 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi
Coastline
2,495km
territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmmilitary 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
Land boundaries
1,673km
total · China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Location

Northeast Asia, between China and South Korea

Map references

Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Natural resources

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Environment

mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding

Note

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia

People

14 fields
Population
22,645,811
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.86% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
24.09Death
5.52Net migration
0

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years69.51
66.42 · 72.75
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99%
99% · 99%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Labor force
9.615million
by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%note: shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.)

Infant mortality rate

28.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.4 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Korean(s)
adjective:
Korean

Ethnic divisions

racially homogeneous

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

Government

Communist state

21 fields

Names

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

Type

Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship

Capital

P'yongyang

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

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

National holiday

DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Political parties and leaders

  • major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Il-song, general secretary, and his son, KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee;
  • Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Yong-ho, vice-chairman;
  • Chondoist Chongu Party, CHONG Sin-hyok, chairman

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Elections

President:
last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held by NA 1994); results - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition
Supreme People's Assembly:
  • last held on 7-9 April 1993 (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

Executive branch

president, two vice presidents, premier, ten vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet)

Legislative branch

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

Judicial branch

Central Court

Leaders

Chief of State:
  • President KIM Il-song (national leader since 1948, president since 28 December 1972);
  • designated successor KIM Chong-il (son of president, born 16 February 1942)
Head of Government:
Premier KANG Song-san (since December 1992)

Member of

ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, IMF (observer), IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

18 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,000
(1992 est.)
Real growth rate
-10%
to -15% (1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -15% (1992 est.)
External debt
$8billion
(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$18.5 billionExpenditures
$18.4 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

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 and his son, KIM Chong-il.

Economic growth during the period 1984-88 averaged 2-3%, but output declined by 3-5% annually during 1989-92 because of systemic problems and disruptions in socialist-style economic relations with the former USSR and China. In 1992, output dropped sharply, by perhaps 10-15%, as the economy felt the cumulative effect of the reduction in outside support.

The leadership insisted in 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 WWII. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals.

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.

Five consecutive years of poor harvests, coupled with distribution problems, have led to chronic food shortages. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.

National product

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $22 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:
minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments)
partners:
China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico

Imports

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:
petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods
partners:
China, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore

Electricity

7,300,000 kW capacity; 26,000 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing

Agriculture

  • accounts for about 25% of GNP 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;
  • fish catch estimated at 1.7 million metric tons in 1987

Economic aid

Communist countries, $1.4 billion a year in the 1980s

Currency

1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Exchange rates

North Korean won (Wn) per US$1 - 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989), 2.13 (December 1988), 0.94 (March 1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 80 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger 1short-sea passenger 1passenger-cargo 2cargo 67oil tanker 2bulk 5combination bulk 1container 180 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 675,666 GRT/1,057,815 DWT

Networkskm

Railroads
4,915 (1989)Inland waterways
2,253
Railroads: ; 4,250 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 665 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; 159 km double track; 3,084 km electrified; government owned · Inland waterways: ; mostly navigable by small craft only

Railroads

  • 4,915 km total;
  • 4,250 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 665 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge;
  • 159 km double track;
  • 3,084 km electrified;
  • government owned (1989)

Highways

  • about 30,000 km (1991);
  • 92.5% gravel, crushed stone, or earth surface;
  • 7.5% paved

Inland waterways

2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Pipelines

crude oil 37 km

Ports

primary - Ch'ongjin, Hungnam (Hamhung), Najin, Namp'o, Wonsan; secondary - Haeju, Kimchaek, Kosong, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang

Airports

total:
55
usable :
55 (est.)
with permanent-surface runways:
about 30
with runways over 3,659 m:
fewer than 5
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
20
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
30

Telecommunications

  • broadcast stations - 18 AM, no FM, 11 TV;
  • 300,000 TV sets (1989);
  • 3,500,000 radio receivers;
  • 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Korean People's Army (including the Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security | Forces

3 fields

Branches

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

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 6,567,684;
  • fit for military service 3,996,893;
  • reach military age (18) annually 208,132 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

  • exchange rate conversion - about $5 billion, 20-25% of GNP (1991 est.);
  • note - the officially announced but suspect figure is $1.9 billion (1991) 8% of GNP (1991 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Korea, North.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/north-korea/1993.

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