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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 55 usable : 55 (est.) with permanent-surface runways: about 30 with runways over 3,659 m: fewer than 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 30

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

about 30,000 km (1991); 92.5% gravel, crushed stone, or earth surface; 7.5% paved

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Merchant marine [time series]

80 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 675,666 GRT/1,057,815 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 67 cargo, 2 oil tanker, 5 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 container

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 37 km

Ports [time series]

primary - Ch'ongjin, Hungnam (Hamhung), Najin, Namp'o, Wonsan; secondary - Haeju, Kimchaek, Kosong, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

4,915 km total; 4,250 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 665 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; 159 km double track; 3,084 km electrified; government owned (1989)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

broadcast stations - 18 AM, no FM, 11 TV; 300,000 TV sets (1989); 3,500,000 radio receivers; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

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.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 6,567,684; fit for military service 3,996,893; reach military age (18) annually 208,132 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $18.5 billion; expenditures $18.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Economic aid [time series]

Communist countries, $1.4 billion a year in the 1980s

Electricity [time series]

7,300,000 kW capacity; 26,000 million kWh produced, 1,160 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

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)

Exports [time series]

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments) partners: China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$8 billion (1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods partners: China, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -15% (1992 est.)

Industries [time series]

machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $22 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,000 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-10% to -15% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 1984-88 averaged 2-3%, but output declined by 3-5% annually during 1989-92 because of systemic problems and disruptions in socialist-style economic relations with the former USSR and China. In 1992, output dropped sharply, by perhaps 10-15%, as the economy felt the cumulative effect of the reduction in outside support. The leadership insisted in 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 WWII. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. 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. Five 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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 120,540 km2 land area: 120,410 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi

Climate [time series]

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Coastline [time series]

2,495 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

14,000 km2 (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 18% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 74% other: 7%

Location [time series]

Northeast Asia, between China and South Korea

Map references [time series]

Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

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 resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Abbreviation [time series]

DPRK

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi,, singular and plural); 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), (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do, (Yanggang Province)

Capital [time series]

P'yongyang

Constitution [time series]

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

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

none

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held by NA 1994); results - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition Supreme People's Assembly: last held on 7-9 April 1993 (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

Executive branch [time series]

president, two vice presidents, premier, ten vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Central Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President KIM Il-song (national leader since 1948, president since 28 December 1972); designated successor KIM Chong-il (son of president, born 16 February 1942) Head of Government: Premier KANG Song-san (since December 1992)

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Il-song, general secretary, and his son, KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Yong-ho, vice-chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, CHONG Sin-hyok, chairman

Suffrage [time series]

17 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

none

People

Birth rate [time series]

24.09 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

racially homogeneous

Infant mortality rate [time series]

28.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

9.615 million by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64% note: shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.)

Languages [time series]

Korean

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.51 years male: 66.42 years female: 72.75 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

22,645,811 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.86% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.4 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Korea, North