1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
121,730 km2; 17% arable and cultivated, 74% in forest, scrub, and brush; remainder wasteland and urban
Coastline
2,495 km
Land boundaries
1,675 km WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm (economic, including fishing, 200 nm; military 50 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
racially homogeneous
Labor force
6.1 million; 48% agriculture, 52% non-agricultural; shortage of skilled and unskilled labor
Language
Korean
Literacy
90% (est.)
Nationality
noun—Korean(s); adjective—Korean
Population
20,586,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.2%
Religion
Buddhism and Confucianism; religious activities now almost nonexistent
Government
Branches
Supreme Peoples Assembly theoretically supervises legislative and judicial function; State Administration Council (cabinet) oversees ministerial operations Government and party leaders: KIM Il-song, President DPRK and General Secretary of the Korean Workers Party; Yl Chong-ǒk, Premier
Capital
P'yongyang
Elections
election to SPA every four years, but this constitutional provision not necessarily followed—last election February 1982
Legal system
based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; constitution adopted 1948 and revised 1972; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
FAO, IAEA, ICAO, IPU, IRCS, ITU, UN (observer status only), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
9 September
Official name
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Political party
Korean Workers (Communist) Party; claims membership of about 2 million, or about 11% of population
Political subdivisions
nine provinces, three special cities (Pyongyang, Kaesong, and Chongjin)
Suffrage
universal at age 17
Type
Communist state; one-man rule
Economy
Agriculture
main crops—corn, rice, vegetables; food shortages—meat, cooking oils; production of foodstuffs adequate for domestic needs at low levels of consumption
Aid
economic and military aid from the USSR and China
Crude steel
3.5 million metric tons produced (1979), 187 kg per capita
Electric power
5,428,000 kW capacity (1980); 35.915 billion kWh produced (1980), 1,829 kWh per capita
Exports
$1,320 million (1979); minerals, chemical and metallurgical products
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$14.1 billion (1979), $750 per capita
Imports
$1,300 million (1979); machinery and equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, coking coal
Major industries
machine building, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing
Major trade partners
total trade turnover $2.6 billion (1979); 43% with non-Communist countries, 57% with Communist countries
Monetary conversion rate
1.79 won=US$1
Shortages
complex machinery and equipment, coking coal, petroleum
Communications
Highways
about 20,280 km (1980); 98.5% gravel, crushed stone, or earth surface; 1.5% concrete or bituminous
Inland waterways
2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only
Ports
6 major, 26 minor
Railroads
4,535 km total operating in 1980; 3,870 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 665 km narrow gauge (0.762 m); 159 km double tracked; about 2,940 km electrified; government owned
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 4,658,000; 2,852,000 fit for military service; 231,000 reach military age (18) annually