Korea, North

Radio broadcast stations

AM 18, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

3.5 million

Telephone 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

Telephones

30,000 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

11

Televisions

400,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Budget

revenues: $19.3 billion expenditures : $19.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Currency

1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Debt - external

$8 billion (1992 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: small amounts of grant aid from South Korea, Japan, US and other countries

Economy - 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 1989-96 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, systemic inefficiencies, a cumbersome distribution system, and extensive floods in 1995-96 have resulted in recurring food shortages. Substantial grain shipments from Japan and South Korea are offsetting a portion of the losses. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.

Electricity - capacity

9.5 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,394 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

35.96 billion kWh (1994)

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)

Exports

total value: $805 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments) partners : China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $20.9 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 25% industry: 60% services: 15% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $900 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-5% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $1.24 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities : petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods partners: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Russia, Singapore

Industrial production growth rate

-7% to -9% (1992 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

NA%

Labor force

total: 9.615 million by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 120,540 sq km land: 120,410 sq km water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Climate

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Coastline

2,495 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Environment - current issues

localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to : Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated

Irrigated land

14,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Land use

arable land : 14% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 61% other : 23% (1993 est.)

Location

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Map references

Asia

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

Natural hazards

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

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)

Constitution

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

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: none note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country abbreviation : DPRK

Data code

KN

Diplomatic representation from the US

none

Diplomatic representation in the US

none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by KIM Hyong-u

Executive branch

chief of state: KIM Chong-il [de facto]; 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 : Acting Premier HONG Song-nam (since NA February 1997) cabinet: State Administration Council appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly election results: HONG Song-nam elected acting premier; percent of Supreme People's Assembly vote - NA

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

Government type

Communist state; one-man dictatorship

Independence

9 September 1948 note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

International organization participation

ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch

Central Court, judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly

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

Legislative branch

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 7-9 April 1990 (next to be held NA); note - the term of the Assembly expired in April 1995 without a new election and it has not been convened since the death of KIM Il-song in July 1994 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

National capital

P'yongyang

National holiday

DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

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

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$5 billion to $7 billion (1995 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

25% (1995 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 6,928,338 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males : 4,188,070 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 200,136 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 30% (male 3,672,851; female 3,528,590) 15-64 years: 66% (male 7,996,814; female 8,068,347) 65 years and over : 4% (male 372,818; female 677,584) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

22.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

5.43 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

racially homogeneous

Infant mortality rate

25 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Korean

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.6 years male : 67.5 years female: 73.85 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Korean total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

24,317,004 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.68% (1997 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

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 total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea KOREA, SOUTH

Airports

49 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total : 22 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m : 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)

Highways

total: 23,000 to 30,000 km paved : 1,725 km unpaved: 21,275 to 28,275 km (1990 est.)

Merchant marine

total : 99 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 641,090 GRT/899,243 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 83, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 2, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, short-sea passenger 2 note: North Korea owns an additional 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 58,435 DWT operating under the registries of Cambodia, Honduras, and Poland (1996 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 37 km

Ports and harbors

Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Railways

total: 5,000 km standard gauge : 4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km double track) narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge dual gauge: 240 km (standard and broad gauge) (1996 est.)

Waterways

2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only