Statistical information North Korea 1992
North Korea in the World
North Korea - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: 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.
North Korea - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 120,540 km²
Land: 120,410 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi
Land boundaries: 1,673 km; China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Coastline: 2,495 km
Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea (all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned)
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes:
short section of boundary with China is indefinite;
Demarcation Line with South Korea
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
Elevation
Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Land use
Land use:
arable land: 18%; permanent crops: 1%; meadows and pastures
NEGL%; forest and woodland 74%; other 7%; includes irrigated 9%
NEGL%; forest and woodland 74%; other 7%; includes irrigated 9%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
North Korea - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 22,227,303 (July 1992), growth rate 1.9% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Korean(s;adjective - Korean
Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous
Languages: Korean
Religions:
Buddhism and Confucianism; some Christianity and syncretic
Chondogyo; autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
Chondogyo; autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 24 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding
Current issues note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: 99%, (male 99%, female 99%; note - presumed to be virtually universal among population under age 60
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
North Korea - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea; abbreviated DPRK
Government 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, Hamgyong-namdo,
Hamgyong-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto, Kaesong-si*, Kangwon-do,
Namp'o-si*, P'yongan-bukto, P'yongan-namdo,P'yongyang-si*, Yanggang-do
Hamgyong-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto, Kaesong-si*, Kangwon-do,
Namp'o-si*, P'yongan-bukto, P'yongan-namdo,P'yongyang-si*, Yanggang-do
Dependent areas
Independence: 9 September 1948
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 September (1948)
Constitution: adopted 1948, revised 27 December 1972
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
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: universal at age 17
President:
last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1994); results -
President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition
President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition
Supreme People's Assembly: last held on 24 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1994); 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
Communists: KWP claims membership of about 3 million
Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, premier, eleven vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin
Hoeui)
Hoeui)
Judicial branch: Central Court
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation:
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
ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation: none
Diplomatic representation
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 starNational symbols
National anthem
National heritage
North Korea - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy 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 1984-89 averaged 2-3%, but output declined by 2-4% annually during 1990-91, largely because of disruptions in economic relations with the USSR. Abundant natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing is centered on heavy 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. Four 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.
Economic growth during the period 1984-89 averaged 2-3%, but output declined by 2-4% annually during 1990-91, largely because of disruptions in economic relations with the USSR. Abundant natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing is centered on heavy 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. Four 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.
GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $23.3 billion, per capita $1,100; real growth rate -2% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: 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
Industries: machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: 9,615,000; agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%; shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.)
Organized labor:
1,600,000 members; single-trade union system coordinated by the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea under the
Central Committee
Central Committee
Labor force
Unemployment rate: officially none
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $17.3 billion; expenditures $17.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $2.02 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural products, manufactures
Partners: USSR, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore
Imports: $2.62 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum, machinery and equipment, coking coal, grain
Partners: USSR, Japan, China, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
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)
North Korea - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 7,140,000 kW capacity; 36,000 million kWh produced, 1,650 kWh per capita (1991)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
North Korea - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
North Korea - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: 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.)
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
North Korea - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
55 total, 55 usable (est.); about 30 with permanent-surface runways; fewer than 5
with runways over 3,659 m; 20
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 30
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways over 3,659 m; 20
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 30
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Heliports
Pipelines: crude oil 37 km
Railways
Roadways
Waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only
Merchant marine:
78 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 543,033
GRT/804,507 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 67 cargo, 2 petroleum tanker, 4 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 container
GRT/804,507 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 67 cargo, 2 petroleum tanker, 4 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 container
Ports and terminals
North Korea - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs