Background: An independent kingdom for much of its long history Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force North Korea (DPRK) under its founder President KIM Il Sung adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic 'self-reliance' as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda and molded political economic and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM Il Sung's son KIM Jong Il was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980 assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011 KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has now taken on most of his father's former titles and duties. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. The DPRK began to ease restrictions to allow semi-private markets starting in 2002 but then sought to roll back the scale of economic reforms in 2005 and 2009. North Korea's history of regional military provocations; proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006 2009 and 2013; and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community. The regime in 2013 announced a new policy calling for the simultaneous development of its nuclear weapons program and its economy.

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N 127 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 120,538 km²
Land: 120,408 km²
Water: 130 km²
Rank: 99
Comparative: slightly larger than Virginia; slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries
Total: 1607 km
Border countries: (3) China 1352 km; South Korea 237 km; Russia 18 km

Coastline: 2,495 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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 where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer; long bitter winters

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep narrow valleys; wide coastal plains in west discontinuous in east

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
Extremes 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
Agricultural land: 21.8%
Forest: 46%
Other: 32.2%

Irrigated land: 14,600 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 77.15 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
Volcanism: Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan Baegdu or P'aektu-san) on the Chinese border is considered historically active

Geography
Note: strategic location bordering China South Korea and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Population: 24,983,205 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 51
Growth rate: 0.53% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 157
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Korean
Adjective: Korean

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

Languages: Korean

Religions: traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
Note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.21%
15-24 years: 16.08%
25-54 years: 44.04%
55-64 years: 8.76%
65 years and over: 9.91% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 44.3%
Youth dependency ratio: 30.5%
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.8%
Potential support ratio: 7.3%

Median age
Total: 33.6 years
Male: 32 years
Female: 35.2 years

Population growth rate: 0.53% (2015 est.)
Rank: 157

Birth rate: 14.52 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 134

Death rate: 9.21 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 64

Net migration rate: -0.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 113

Urbanization
Urban population: 60.9% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.75% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: PYONGYANG (capital) 2.863 million (2015)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male/female
25-54 years: 1 male/female
55-64 years: 0.9 male/female
65 years and over: 0.53 male/female
Total population: 0.94 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 23.68 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 26.29 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 20.94 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 74

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.11 years
Male: 66.26 years
Female: 74.16 years
Rank: 156

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 127

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 70.6%
Note: percent of women aged 20-49

Drinking water source:

Hospital bed density: 13.2 beds/1000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
Deaths: NA

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 2.5% (2014)
Rank: 173

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 15.2% (2012)
Rank: 46

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100%

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: Choson
Abbreviation: DPRK

Government type: Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital
Name: Pyongyang
Geographic coordinates: 39 01 N 125 45 E
Time difference: UTC+8.5
Note: on 15 August 2015 North Korea reverted to UTC+8.5 a time zone that had been observed during pre-colonial times

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do singular and plural) and 2 municipalities (si singular and plural)
Provinces: Chagang-do Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong) Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong) Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae) Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae) Kangwon-do (Kangwon) P'yongan-bukto (North Pyongan) P'yongan-namdo (South Pyongan) Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
Municipalities: Nason-si P'yongyang-si

Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday: Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) 9 September (1948)

Constitution: previous 1948 1972; latest adopted 1998 (during KIM Jong Il era); revised 2009 2012 2013 (2015)

Legal system: civil law system based on the Prussian model; system influenced by Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: KIM Jong Un
Head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju ; Vice Premiers
Cabinet: Cabinet or Naegak members appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly except the Minister of People's Armed Forces
Electionsappointments: chief of state and premier indirectly elected by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held on 9 March 2014
Election results: KIM Jong Un elected unopposed
Note: the Korean Workers' Party continues to list deceased leaders KIM Il Sung and KIM Jong Il as Eternal President and Eternal General Secretary respectively

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui ; note - the Korean Workers' Party selects all candidates
Elections: last held on 9 March 2014
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for minor parties

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Central Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Supreme People's Assembly for 5-year terms
Subordinate courts: provincial municipal military special courts; people' courts

Political parties and leaders
Major party: Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Un]
Minor parties: Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong]: Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

International organization participation: ARF FAO G-77 ICAO ICRM IFAD IFRCS IHO IMO IMSO IOC IPU ISO ITSO ITU NAM UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
From the us: none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power

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; the broad red band symbolizes revolutionary traditions; the narrow white bands stand for purity strength and dignity; the blue bands signify sovereignty peace and friendship; the red star represents socialism

National symbols: red star chollima (winged horse); national colors: red white blue

National anthem
Name: 'Aegukka'
Lyrics and music: PAK Se Yong/KIM Won Gyun
Note: adopted 1947; both North Korea's and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics; the North Korean anthem is also known as 'Ach'imun pinnara'

Economy overview: North Korea one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment shortages of spare parts and poor maintenance. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power outputs have stagnated for years at a fraction of pre-1990 levels. Frequent weather-related crop failures aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems including a lack of arable land: collective farming practices poor soil quality insufficient fertilization and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. The mid 1990s were marked by severe famine and widespread starvation. Significant food aid was provided by the international community through 2009. Since that time food assistance has declined significantly. In the last few years domestic corn and rice production has been somewhat better although domestic production does not fully satisfy demand. A large portion of the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002 the government has allowed informal markets to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also implemented changes in the management process of communal farms in an effort to boost agricultural output. In December 2009 North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by February 2010. In response to the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010 South Korea’s government cut off most aid trade and bilateral cooperation activities with the exception of operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. North Korea continued efforts to develop special economic zones and expressed willingness to permit construction of a trilateral gas pipeline that would carry Russian natural gas to South Korea. North Korea is also working with Russia to refurbish North Korea’s dilapidated rail network and jointly rebuilt a link between a North Korean port in the Rason Special Economic Zone and the Russian rail network. The North Korean government often highlights its goal of becoming a “strong and prosperous” nation and attracting foreign investment a key factor for improving the overall standard of living. In 2013-2014 the regime rolled out 20 new economic development zones - now totaling 25 - set up for foreign investors although the initiative remains in its infancy. Firm political control remains the government’s overriding concern which likely will inhibit changes to North Korea’s current economic system.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: North Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown here are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2011 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion.
Note: data are in 2013 US dollars;
Rank: 112

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 176

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Rank: 208

Gross national saving: NA

Gdp composition by end use
Exports of goods and services: 5.9%
Imports of goods and services: 11.1%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 22.4%
Industry: 47.6%
Services: 30%

Agriculture products: rice corn potatoes soybeans pulses beef pork eggs

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2013 est.)
Rank: 130

Labor force: 15.21 million
Note: estimates vary widely
Rank: 39
By occupation agriculture: 37%
By occupation industry and services: 63%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 177

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $3.2 billion
Expenditures: $3.3 billion
Surplus or deficit: -0.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 53

Taxes and other revenues: 11.4% of GDP
Note: excludes earnings from state-operated enterprises
Rank: 207

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Exports:
Rank: 122
Commodities: minerals metallurgical products manufactures (including armaments) textiles agricultural and fishery products
Partners: China 54.9% Algeria 30% South Korea 16% (2014 est.)

Imports:
Rank: 135
Commodities: petroleum coking coal machinery and equipment textiles grain
Partners: China 79.3% South Korea 11% Republic of the Congo 4.5% (2014 est.)

Debt external: $5 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 122

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 18.76 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 77
Consumption: 15.72 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 77
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 156
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 166
Installed generating capacity: 7.243 million kW (2013 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 68
Generation sources fossil fuels: 47.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 154
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 120
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 52.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 46
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 187

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 152
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 146
Crude oil imports: 70,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 51
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 151

Refined petroleum
Products production: 11,120 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 103
Products consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 136
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 188
Products imports: 4,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 167

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 206
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 159
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 126
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 88
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 154

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 45.4 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 64

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.18 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5
Fixed lines rank: 70
Mobile cellular total: 2.8 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11
Mobile cellular rank: 142

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate system; nationwide fiber-optic network; mobile-cellular service expanding beyond Pyongyang
Domestic: fiber-optic links installed down to the county level; telephone directories unavailable; GSM mobile-cellular service initiated in 2002 but suspended in 2004; Orascom Telecom Holding an Egyptian company launched W-CDMA mobile service on 15 December 2008 for the Pyongyang area has expanded service to several large cities and now has a 1-million-person subscriber base
International: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 ; other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2011)

Broadcast media: no independent media; radios and TVs are pre-tuned to government stations; 4 government-owned TV stations; the Korean Workers' Party owns and operates the Korean Central Broadcasting Station and the state-run Voice of Korea operates an external broadcast service; the government prohibits listening to and jams foreign broadcasts (2008)

Internet
Country code: .kp

Military service age and obligation: 18 is presumed to be the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 16-17 is the presumed legal minimum age for voluntary service (2012)

Airports: 82 (2013)
Rank: 67
With paved runways total: 39
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 22
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 4
With unpaved runways total: 43
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 17
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15
With unpaved runways: 8 (2013)

Heliports: 23 (2013)

Pipelines: oil 6 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 7,435 km
Standard gauge: 7,435 km 1.435-m gauge
Note: figures are approximate; some narrow-gauge railway also exists
Rank: 33

Roadways
Total: 25,554 km
Paved: 724 km
Unpaved: 24,830 km
Rank: 100

Waterways: 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011)
Rank: 38

Merchant marine
Total: 158
By type: bulk carrier 6 cargo 131 carrier 1 chemical tanker 1 container 4 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 12 refrigerated cargo 2
Foreign owned: 13
Registered in other countries: 6 (2010)
Rank: 37

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Ch'ongjin Haeju Hungnam Namp'o Senbong Songnim Sonbong (formerly Unggi) Wonsan

Disputes international: risking arrest imprisonment and deportation tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine economic privation and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: undetermined (2007)

Illicit drugs: for years from the 1970s into the 2000s citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK) many of them diplomatic employees of the government were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003