Democratic People's Republic of Korea

National name: Choson Minjujuui Inmin Konghwaguk

Head of State: Kim Jong II (1994)

Prime Minister: Hong Song Nam (1997)

Land area: 46,490 sq mi (120,409 sq km); total area: 46,541 sq mi (sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 23,113,019 (growth rate: 0.8%); birth rate: 15.5/1000; infant mortality rate: 23.3/1000; life expectancy: 71.7; density per sq mi: 497

Capital and largest city (2003): Pyongyang, 3,222,000 (metro. area), 2,767,900

Monetary unit: Won

Language: Korean

Ethnicity/race: racially homogeneous; small Chinese community, a few ethnic Japanese

Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism; religious activities almost nonexistent

Literacy rate: 99% (1990 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $40 billion; per capita $1,800. Real growth rate: 1%. Inflation: n.a. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 21%. Agriculture: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs. Labor force: 9.6 million; agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%. Industries: military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism. Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower. Exports: $1.275 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.): minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, fishery products. Imports: $2.819 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.): petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain. Major trading partners: China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 1.1 million (1997); mobile cellular: n.a. Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999). Radios: 3.36 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 38 (1999). Televisions: 1.2 million (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000). Internet users: n.a.

Transportation: Railways: total: 5,214 km (2002). Highways: total: 31,200 km; paved: 1,997 km; unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.). Waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only. Ports and harbors: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan. Airports: 72 (2002).

International disputes: with China, certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in uncontested dispute; a section of boundary around Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; China objects to illegal migration of North Koreans into northern China; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953.

 

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