North Korea
Democratic People's Republic of KoreaChoson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
Communist stateIndependence 9 September 1948
North Korea as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Geography
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula | bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and | South Korea
15 fieldsLand useshare of 120,540 sq km
Location
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
International disputes
short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea
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
coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Environment
- current issues:
- localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls;
- water pollution;
- inadequate supplies of potable water
- natural hazards:
- late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
- international agreements:
- party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ship Pollution;
- signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Geographic note
strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 30% (male 3,605,972; female 3,465,038)
- 15-64 years:
- 66% (male 7,871,783; female 7,956,935)
- 65 years and over:
- 4% (male 355,284; female 649,112) (July 1996 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.)
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
Government
Communist state; KIM Chong-il [defacto]; Premier KANG Song-san (since NA December 1992) was elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
18 fieldsName of country
- 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
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 note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- KIM Chong-il [defacto];
- note - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition 24 May 1990 and died 8 July 1994 leaving his son KIM Chong-il as designated successor;
- however the son has not assumed the titles that his father held and no new elections have been held or scheduled
- head of government:
- Premier KANG Song-san (since NA December 1992) was elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
- cabinet:
- State Administration Council was appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly
Legislative branch
unicameral
- Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui):
- elections last held 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
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
International organization participation
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
Diplomatic representation in US
none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by PAK Kil-yon
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
More than 90% of this command economy is | socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned | industry produces 95% of manufactured goods.
20 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1995 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 9,500,000 kW
Economic 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. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.
Industries
- military products;
- machine building, electric power, chemicals;
- mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy;
- textiles, food processing
Exports
$840 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
- commodities:
- minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments)
- partners:
- China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia
Imports
$1.27 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
- commodities:
- petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods
- partners:
- China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Russia, Singapore
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)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 49 in all
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 4,915 km
- standard gauge:
- 4,250 km 1.435-m gauge (3,397 km electrified; 159 km double track)
- narrow gauge:
- 665 km 0.762-m gauge (1989)
Ports
Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
Merchant marine
- total:
- 88 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 712,480 GRT/1,140,923 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 9, cargo 71, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 3, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1
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.)
Communications
Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), | Civil Security Forces
9 fieldsTelephone system
system is believed to be available principally for government business
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing
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.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Korea, North.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/north-korea/1996.