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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: an estimated $200 million to $300 million in aid from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 1997

Economic overview (Economy-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 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% or more annually during 1989-97 because of systemic problems and disruptions in economic 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 is not yet 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 followed by a severe drought in 1997 have resulted in increasingly serious 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 (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

9.5 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

1,499 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

35.2 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

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 [time series]

total value: $912 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments) partners: China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$21.8 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$900 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

-3.7% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $1.95 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods partners: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Russia, Singapore

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

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

Industries [time series]

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 prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

NA%

Labor force [time series]

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

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 18, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

3.5 million

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

30,000 (1990 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

400,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Climate [time series]

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Coastline [time series]

2,495 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

14,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Asia

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 hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Country name [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 note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country abbreviation: DPRK

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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; KIM Chong-il became General Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party on 8 October 1997, but has not assumed the presidency head of government: KANG Song-san is premier, but is in ill health; Vice Premier HONG Song-nam has been acting premier 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: NA

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

Communist state; one-man dictatorship

Independence [time series]

9 September 1948 Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Foundation Day note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

International organization participation [time series]

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 [time series]

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

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 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

Capital (National capital) [time series]

P'yongyang

National holiday [time series]

Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

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

major party-Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Chong-il, General Secretary; Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, YU Mi-yong, chairwoman

Suffrage [time series]

17 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

25% (1995 est.)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 5,704,690 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 3,449,880 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower-military age) [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower-reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 175,181 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 26% (male 2,800,857; female 2,669,250) 15-64 years: 68% (male 7,089,039; female 7,406,901) 65 years and over: 6% (male 387,011; female 881,329) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

15.3 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.57 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

87.83 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

Korean

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 51.32 years male: 48.88 years female: 53.88 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

21,234,387 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.03% (1998 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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.6 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

33-km section of boundary with China in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea KOREA, SOUTH

Transportation

Airports [time series]

49 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

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 (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

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.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 105 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 663,527 GRT/930,587 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 87, combination bulk 1, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 3, passenger 3, passenger-cargo 1, short-sea passenger 2 note: North Korea owns an additional 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,143 DWT operating under the registry of Honduras (1997 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 37 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

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 [time series]

2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Korea, North