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North
Korea Main Page
Introduction:
Korea,
North
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Background:
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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's
son, the current ruler 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.
After decades of economic
mismanagement and resource
misallocation, the DPRK since the
mid-1990s has relied heavily on
international aid to feed its
population. 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 and 2009, and
massive conventional armed forces are
of major concern to the international
community.
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Geography
::Korea,
North
Location:
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Eastern Asia,
northern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of
Japan, between China and South Korea
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Geographic
coordinates:
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40 00 N, 127 00 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 120,538
sq km
country
comparison to the world: 98
land: 120,408
sq km
water: 130
sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Mississippi
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,673
km
border countries: China
1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia
19 km
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Coastline:
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2,495 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12
nm
exclusive economic
zone: 200
nm
note: 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
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Climate:
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Current
Weather
temperate with
rainfall concentrated in summer
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Terrain:
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mostly hills and
mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west,
discontinuous in east
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Sea
of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san
2,744 m
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Natural resources:
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coal, lead,
tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite,
iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt,
fluorspar, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 22.4%
permanent crops: 1.66%
other: 75.94%
(2005)
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Irrigated land:
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14,600 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable
water resources:
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77.1 cu km (1999)
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Freshwater
withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 9.02
cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%)
per capita: 401
cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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late spring
droughts often followed by severe
flooding; occasional typhoons during
the early fall
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Environment -
current issues:
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water pollution;
inadequate supplies of potable water;
waterborne disease; deforestation;
soil erosion and degradation
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Environment -
international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not
ratified: Law
of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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strategic location
bordering China, South Korea, and
Russia; mountainous interior is
isolated and sparsely populated
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People
: Korea,
North
Population:
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22,757,275 (July
2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 50 |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.9%
(male 2,410,911/female 2,347,849)
15-64 years: 69.4%
(male 7,823,612/female 7,980,781)
65 years and over: 9.6%
(male 858,034/female 1,336,088) (2010
est.)
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Median age:
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total: 33.9
years
male: 32.5
years
female: 35.2
years (2010 est.)
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Population growth
rate:
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0.389% (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 163 |
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Birth rate:
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14.58 births/1,000
population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 141 |
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Death rate:
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10.6 deaths/1,000
population (July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 50 |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 94 |
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 63%
of total population (2008)
rate of
urbanization: 0.9%
annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98
male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64
male(s)/female
total population: 0.95
male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate:
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total: 50.15
deaths/1,000 live births
country
comparison to the world: 51
male: 57.39
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.47
deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
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Life expectancy at
birth:
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total population: 64.13
years
country
comparison to the world: 170
male: 61.53
years
female: 66.89
years (2010 est.)
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Total fertility
rate:
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1.94 children
born/woman (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 135 |
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people
living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean
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Ethnic groups:
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racially
homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
community and a few ethnic Japanese
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Religions:
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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
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Languages:
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Korean
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Literacy:
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definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%
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Education
expenditures:
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NA
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Government
: Korea,
North
Country name:
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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
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Government type:
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Communist state
one-man dictatorship
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Capital:
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name: Pyongyang
geographic
coordinates: 39
01 N, 125 45 E
time difference: UTC+9
(14 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
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Administrative
divisions:
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9 provinces (do,
singular and plural) and 2
municipalities (si, singular and
plural)
provinces: Chagang-do
(Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North
Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South
Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North
Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South
Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan),
P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
municipalities: Nason-si,
P'yongyang-si
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Independence:
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15 August 1945
(from Japan)
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National holiday:
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Founding of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK), 9 September (1948)
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Constitution:
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adopted 1948;
revised several times most recently in
2009
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Legal system:
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based on Prussian
civil law system with Japanese
influences and Communist legal theory;
no judicial review of legislative
acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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17 years of age;
universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: KIM
Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 9
April 2009, rubberstamp Supreme
People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM
Jong Il chairman of the National
Defense Commission, a position
accorded nation's "highest
administrative authority"; SPA
reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2009
president of its Presidium also with
responsibility of representing state
and receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government:
Premier
CHOE Yong Rim (since 7 June 2010);
Vice Premier HAN Kwang Bok (since 7
June 2010), Vice Premier JO Pyong Ju
(since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier JON
Ha Chol (since 7 June 2010), Vice
Premier KANG Nung Su (since 7 June
2010), Vice Premier KIM Rak Hui (since
7 June 2010), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil
(since 18 September 2009), Vice
Premier RI Thae Nam (since 7 June
2010); Vice Premier RO Tu Chol (since
3 September 2003)
cabinet: Naegak
(cabinet) members, except for Minister
of People's Armed Forces, are
appointed by SPA
(For
more information visit the World Leaders
website )
elections: last
election held in September 2003; date
of next election NA
election results: KIM
Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only
nominees for positions and ran
unopposed
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Supreme
People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin
Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last
held on 8 March 2009 (next to be held
in 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
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Judicial branch:
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Central Court
(judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly)
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Political parties
and leaders:
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major party -
Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong
Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu
Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP
control), Social Democratic Party [KIM
Yong Dae] (under KWP control)
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Political pressure
groups and leaders:
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none
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International
organization participation:
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ARF, FAO, G-77,
ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO,
IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
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Diplomatic
representation in the US:
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none; North Korea
has a Permanent Mission to the UN in
New York
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Diplomatic
representation from the US:
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none; note -
Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang
represents the US as consular
protecting power
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy
:Korea,
North
Economy - overview:
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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 and shortages of spare
parts. Large-scale military spending
draws off resources needed for
investment and civilian consumption.
Industrial and power output have
declined in parallel from pre-1990
levels. Severe flooding in the summer
of 2007 aggravated chronic food
shortages caused by on-going systemic
problems including a lack of arable
land, collective farming practices,
and persistent shortages of tractors
and fuel. Large-scale international
food aid deliveries have allowed the
people of North Korea to escape
widespread starvation since famine
threatened in 1995, but the population
continues to suffer from prolonged
malnutrition and poor living
conditions. Since 2002, the government
has allowed private "farmers'
markets" to begin selling a wider
range of goods. It also permitted some
private farming - on an experimental
basis - in an effort to boost
agricultural output. In October 2005,
the government tried to reverse some
of these policies by forbidding
private sales of grains and
reinstituting a centralized food
rationing system. By December 2005,
the government terminated most
international humanitarian assistance
operations in North Korea (calling
instead for developmental assistance
only) and restricted the activities of
remaining international and
non-governmental aid organizations
such as the World Food Program. In May
2008, the US agreed to give 500,000
metric tons of food to North Korea via
the World Food Program and US
nongovernmental organizations;
Pyongyang began receiving these
shipments in mid-2008, but in March
2009 rejected additional US aid
shipments. The economy probably grew
in 2009 as a result of favorable
climate conditions and energy
assistance from other countries. 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. Firm political
control remains the Communist
government's overriding concern, which
will likely inhibit the loosening of
economic regulations.
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GDP (purchasing
power parity):
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$40 billion (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 97
$40 billion (2008
est.)
$40 billion (2007
est.)
note: data
are in 2009 US dollars
Korea does not
publish any reliable National Income
Accounts data; the data shown here is
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
2009 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.
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GDP (official
exchange rate):
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$28.2 billion (2009
est.)
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GDP - real growth
rate:
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3.7% (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 47
3.7% (2008 est.)
-2.3% (2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita
(PPP):
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$1,900 (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 188
$1,800 (2008 est.)
$1,800 (2007 est.)
note: data
are in 2009 US dollars
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GDP - composition
by sector:
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agriculture: 23.3%
industry: 43.1%
services: 33.6%
(2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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20 million
country
comparison to the world: 31
note: estimates
vary widely (2004 est.)
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Labor force - by
occupation:
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agriculture: 37%
industry and
services: 63%
(2004 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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NA%
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Population below
poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or
consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.88
billion
expenditures: $2.98
billion (2005)
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices):
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NA%
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Agriculture -
products:
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rice, corn,
potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle,
pigs, pork, eggs
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Industries:
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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
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Industrial
production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity -
production:
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20.9 billion kWh
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 70 |
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Electricity -
consumption:
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17.49 billion kWh
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 72 |
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Electricity -
exports:
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity -
imports:
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Oil - production:
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121 bbl/day (2008
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 110 |
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Oil - consumption:
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16,000 bbl/day
(2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 131 |
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Oil - exports:
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0 bbl/day (2007
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 190 |
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Oil - imports:
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13,890 bbl/day
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 130 |
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Oil - proved
reserves:
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0 bbl
country
comparison to the world: 164 |
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Natural gas -
production:
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 172 |
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Natural gas -
consumption:
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 149 |
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Natural gas -
exports:
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 79 |
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Natural gas -
imports:
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 157 |
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Natural gas -
proved reserves:
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0 cu m (1 January
2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 156 |
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Exports:
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$2.062 billion
(2008)
country
comparison to the world: 127
$1.684 billion
(2007)
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Exports -
commodities:
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minerals,
metallurgical products, manufactures
(including armaments), textiles,
agricultural and fishery products
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Exports - partners:
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China 42%, South
Korea 38%, India 5% (2008)
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Imports:
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$3.574 billion
(2008)
country
comparison to the world: 130
$3.055 billion
(2007)
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Imports -
commodities:
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petroleum, coking
coal, machinery and equipment,
textiles, grain
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Imports - partners:
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China 57%, South
Korea 25%, Russia 3%, Singapore 3%
(2008)
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Debt - external:
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$12.5 billion (2001
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 76 |
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Exchange rates:
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North Korean won (KPW)
per US dollar (market rate) - 3,630
(December 2008)
North Korean won (KPW)
per US dollar (official rate) - 140
(2007), 141 (2006), 170 (December
2004)
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Communications
: Korea,
North
Telephones - main
lines in use:
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1.18 million (2008)
country
comparison to the world: 71 |
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Telephone system:
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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; mobile-cellular service,
initiated in 2002, suspended in 2004;
Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company,
launched mobile service on December
15, 2008 for the Pyongyang area with
plans to expand nationwide
international: country
code - 850; satellite earth stations -
2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1
Russian - Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through
Moscow and Beijing (2009)
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Radio broadcast
stations:
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AM 17 (including 11
stations of Korean Central
Broadcasting Station; North Korea has
a "national intercom" cable
radio station wired throughout the
country that is a significant source
of information for the average North
Korean citizen; it is wired into most
residences and workplaces and carries
news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave
14 (2006)
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Television
broadcast stations:
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4 (includes Korean
Central Television, Mansudae
Television, Korean Educational and
Cultural Network, and Kaesong
Television targeting South Korea)
(2003)
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Internet country
code:
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.kp
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Internet hosts:
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3 (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 227
|
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Transportation
: Korea,
North
Airports:
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79 (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 70 |
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Airports - with
paved runways:
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total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 4
(2009)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways:
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total: 42
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 8
(2009)
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Heliports:
|
22 (2009)
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Pipelines:
|
oil 154 km (2009)
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Railways:
|
total: 5,235
km
country
comparison to the world: 35
standard gauge: 5,235
km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km
electrified) (2006)
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Roadways:
|
total: 25,554
km
country
comparison to the world: 104
paved: 724
km
unpaved: 24,830
km (2006)
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Waterways:
|
2,250 km; (most
navigable only by small craft) (2008)
country
comparison to the world: 39 |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 167
country
comparison to the world: 39
by type: bulk
carrier 11, cargo 121, carrier 1,
chemical tanker 4, container 3,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker
19, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll
off 1
foreign-owned: 19
(Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1,
Lithuania 1, Romania 4, Syria 1, UAE
8, Yemen 2)
registered in other
countries: 2
(Mongolia 1, Panama 1) (2008)
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Ports and
terminals:
|
Ch'ongjin, Haeju,
Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,
Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim,
Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang,
Wonsan
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Military
: Korea,
North
Military branches:
|
North Korean
People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy,
Air Force; civil security forces
(2005)
|
|
Military service
age and obligation:
|
17 years of age
(2004)
|
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Manpower available
for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 6,132,987
females age 16-49: 6,119,405
(2010 est.)
|
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Manpower fit for
military service:
|
males age 16-49: 4,127,999
females age 16-49: 4,522,707
(2010 est.)
|
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Manpower reaching
militarily significant age annually:
|
male: 184,631
female: 178,565
(2010 est.)
|
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Military
expenditures:
|
NA
|
|
Transnational
Issues :Korea,
North
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)
|
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Refugees and
internally displaced persons:
|
IDPs: undetermined
(flooding in mid-2007 and famine
during mid-1990s) (2007)
|
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Trafficking in
persons:
|
current situation: North
Korea is a source country for men,
women, and children trafficked for the
purposes of forced labor and
commercial sexual exploitation; the
most common form of trafficking
involves North Korean women and girls
who cross the border into China
voluntarily; additionally, North
Korean women and girls are lured out
of North Korea to escape poor social
and economic conditions by the promise
of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be
forced into prostitution, marriage, or
exploitative labor arrangements once
in China
tier rating: Tier
3 - North Korea does not fully comply
with minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking and is not
making significant efforts to do so;
the government does not acknowledge
the existence of human rights abuses
in the country or recognize
trafficking, either within the country
or transnationally; North Korea has
not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol
(2008)
|
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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
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