2021 Edition

Background

The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C.  Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms - Kogoryo, Paekche, and Silla - were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D, Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula, as well as part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in the late 7th century (688). Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties. Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry between the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Following the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored communist control. After the Korean War (1950-53), during which North Korea failed to conquer UN-backed South Korea (Republic of Korea, ROK), North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of juche ("self-reliance") as a check against outside influence. North Korea demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Under KIM Jong Il's reign, North Korea continued developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011, KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has since occupied the regime's highest political and military posts.  After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the North since the mid-1990s has faced chronic food shortages and economic stagnation. In recent years, the North's domestic agricultural production has increased, but still falls far short of producing sufficient food to provide for its entire population. North Korea began to ease restrictions to allow semi-private markets, starting in 2002, but has made few other efforts to meet its goal of improving the overall standard of living. New economic development plans in the 2010s failed to meet government-mandated goals for key industrial sectors, food production, or overall economic performance. In response, the North Korean leader in early 2021 admitted these failures, but vowed to continue "self-reliant" policies.North Korea has a history of provocative regional military actions and posturing that are of major concern to the international community and have limited North Korea’s international engagement, particularly economically. These include proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017; and large conventional armed forces. In 2013, North Korea declared a policy of simultaneous development of its nuclear weapons program and economy. In late 2017, KIM Jong Un declared the North's nuclear weapons development complete. In 2018, KIM announced a pivot towards diplomacy, including a re-prioritization of economic development, a pause in missile testing beginning in late 2017, and a refrain from anti-US rhetoric starting in June 2018. Since 2018, KIM has participated in four meetings with Chinese President XI Jinping, three with South Korean President MOON Jae-in, and three with US President TRUMP. Since 2019, North Korea has continued developing its ballistic missile program and issued statements condemning the US, and vowing to further strengthen its military capabilities, including long range missiles and nuclear weapons. North Korea remains one of the world’s most isolated and one of Asia’s poorest countries. 

Area

land

120,408 sq km

total

120,538 sq km

water

130 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Virginia; slightly smaller than Mississippi

Climate

temperate, with rainfall concentrated in summer; long, bitter winters

Coastline

2,495 km

Elevation

highest point

Paektu-san 2,744 m

lowest point

Sea of Japan 0 m

mean elevation

600 m

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

14,600 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

China 1352 km, South Korea 237 km, Russia 18 km

total

1,607 km

Land use

agricultural land

21.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 19.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.4% (2018 est.)

forest

46% (2018 est.)

other

32.2% (2018 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

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

note: 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

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fallvolcanism: Changbaishan (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active

Natural resources

coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, hydropower

Population distribution

population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hungnam and Wonsan in the east

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

20.33% (male 2,680,145/female 2,571,334)

15-24 years

14.39% (male 1,873,814/female 1,842,269)

25-54 years

43.77% (male 5,671,900/female 5,633,861)

55-64 years

11.77% (male 1,454,000/female 1,585,830)

65 years and over

9.75% (male 878,176/female 1,640,031) (2021 est.)

Birth rate

14.35 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.3% (2017)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

70.2% (2017)

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.2

potential support ratio

7.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

41.2

youth dependency ratio

28

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 90.2% of population

improved: total

total: 94.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 9.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.8% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

19.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

25.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.42 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Korean

major-language sample(s)

월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.74 years (2021 est.)

male

67.79 years

total population

71.65 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2015)

male

100%

total population

100%

Major urban areas - population

3.108 million PYONGYANG (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

89 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

36.2 years (2020 est.)

male

33.2 years

total

34.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Korean

noun

Korean(s)

Net migration rate

-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.8% (2016)

Physicians density

3.68 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

25,831,360 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hungnam and Wonsan in the east

Population growth rate

0.49% (2021 est.)

Religions

traditionally Buddhist and Confucian, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

note

note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 72.3% of population

improved: total

total: 84.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 91.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 27.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 15.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8.1% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2015)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.53 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.91 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

62.6% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 cities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang, Hambuk (North Hamgyong), Hamnam (South Hamgyong), Hwangbuk (North Hwanghae), Hwangnam (South Hwanghae), Kangwon, P'yongbuk (North Pyongan), P'yongnam (South Pyongan), Ryanggang major cities: Kaesong, Nampo, P'yongyang, Rason

note

note: P'yongyang is identified as a directly controlled city, while Kaesong, Nampo, and Rason are designated as special cities

Capital

etymology

the name translates as "flat land" in Korean

geographic coordinates

39 01 N, 125 45 E

name

Pyongyang

time difference

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

on 5 May 2018, North Korea reverted to UTC+9, the same time zone as South Korea

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of North Korea

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

unknown

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA); passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the total SPA membership; revised several times, last in 2019

history

previous 1948, 1972; latest adopted 1998 (during KIM Jong Il era)

Country name

abbreviation

DPRK

conventional long form

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

conventional short form

North Korea

etymology

derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the North Korean name "Choson" means "[Land of the] Morning Calm"

local long form

Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form

Choson

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none; the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet or Naegak members appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly except the Minister of People's Armed Forces

chief of state

State Affairs Commission President KIM Jong Un (since 17 December 2011); note(s) - North Korea revised its constitution in 2019 to define "the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission" as "the supreme leader who represents the state"; functions as the commander-in-chief and chief executive; the specific titles associated with this office have changed multiple times under KIM's tenure, however, KIM Jong Un has been supreme leader since his father's death in 2011 (2021)

election results

KIM Jong Un reelected unopposed

elections/appointments

chief of state and premier indirectly elected by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held on 10 March 2019 (next election March 2024)

head of government

Supreme People's Assembly President CHOE Ryong Hae (since 11 April 2019); note - functions as the technical head of state and performs related duties, such as receiving ambassadors' credentials (2021)

note

note: the Korean Workers' Party continues to list deceased leaders KIM Il Sung and KIM Jong Il as Eternal President and Eternal General Secretary respectively

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; the broad red band symbolizes revolutionary traditions; the narrow white bands stand for purity, strength, and dignity; the blue bands signify sovereignty, peace, and friendship; the red star represents socialism

Government type

dictatorship, single-party state; official state ideology of "Juche" or "national self-reliance"

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC

International organization participation

ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court or Central Court (consists of one judge and 2 "People's Assessors" or, for some cases, 3 judges)

judge selection and term of office

judges elected by the Supreme People's Assembly for 5-year terms

subordinate courts

lower provincial courts as determined by the Supreme People's Assembly

Legal system

civil law system based on the Prussian model; system influenced by Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members directly elected by majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); note - the Korean Workers' Party selects all candidates

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KWP 607, KSDP 50, Chondoist Chongu Party 22, General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) 5, religious associations 3; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; composition - men 575, women 112, percent of women 16.3%note: KWP, KSDP, Chondoist Chongu Party, and Chongryon are under the KWP's control; a token number of seats reserved for minor parties

elections

last held on 10 March 2019 (next to be held March 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

PAK Se Yong/KIM Won Gyun

name

"Aegukka" (Patriotic Song)

note

note: adopted 1947; both North Korea's and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics; the North Korean anthem is also known as "Ach'imun pinnara" (Let Morning Shine)

National holiday

Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948)

National symbol(s)

red star, chollima (winged horse); national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

major parties:Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Un, general secretary]General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) [HO Chong Man]minor parties: Chondoist Chongu Party [RI Myong Chol] (under KWP control)Social Democratic Party or KSDP [PAK Yong Il] (under KWP control) (2021)

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

rice, maize, vegetables, apples, potatoes, cabbages, fruit, sweet potatoes, beans, soybeans

Budget

expenditures

3.3 billion (2007 est.)

revenues

3.2 billion (2007 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.4% (of GDP) (2007 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2013

$5 billion (2013 est.)

Economic overview

North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of decades of mismanagement, underinvestment, shortages of spare parts, and poor maintenance. Corruption and resource misallocation, including show projects, large-scale military spending, and development of its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, severely draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power outputs have stagnated for years at a fraction of pre-1990 levels. Frequent weather-related crop failures aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, poor soil quality, insufficient fertilization, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel.   The mid 1990s through mid-2000s were marked by severe famine and widespread starvation. Significant food aid was provided by the international community through 2009. Since that time, food assistance has declined significantly. In the last few years, domestic corn and rice production has improved, although domestic production does not fully satisfy demand. A large portion of the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed semi-private markets to begin selling a wider range of goods, allowing North Koreans to partially make up for diminished public distribution system rations. It also implemented changes in the management process of communal farms in an effort to boost agricultural output.   In December 2009, North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency, capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation, forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by February 2010. In response to the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, South Korea’s government cut off most aid, trade, and bilateral cooperation activities. In February 2016, South Korea ceased its remaining bilateral economic activity by closing the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test a month earlier. This nuclear test and another in September 2016 resulted in two United Nations Security Council Resolutions that targeted North Korea’s foreign currency earnings, particularly coal and other mineral exports. Throughout 2017, North Korea’s continued nuclear and missile tests led to a tightening of UN sanctions, resulting in full sectoral bans on DPRK exports and drastically limited key imports. Over the last decade, China has been North Korea’s primary trading partner.   The North Korean Government continues to stress its goal of improving the overall standard of living, but has taken few steps to make that goal a reality for its populace. In 2016, the regime used two mass mobilizations — one totaling 70 days and another 200 days — to spur the population to increase production and complete construction projects quickly. The regime released a five-year economic development strategy in May 2016 that outlined plans for promoting growth across sectors. Firm political control remains the government’s overriding concern, which likely will inhibit formal changes to North Korea’s current economic system.

Exchange rates

currency

North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar (average market rate)

Exchange rates 2012

155.5 (2012 est.)

Exchange rates 2013

98.5 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

130 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

130 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

135 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2015

$2.908 billion (2015 est.)

Exports 2017

$4.582 billion (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$222 million (2018)

Exports - commodities

watch components, fake hair, iron alloys, instructional models, tungsten (2019)

Exports - partners

China 67%, Suriname 6% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

5.9% (2016 est.)

government consumption

NA (2014 est.)

household consumption

NA (2014 est.)

imports of goods and services

-11.1% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

NA (2014 est.)

investment in inventories

NA (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

22.5% (2017 est.)

industry

47.6% (2017 est.)

services

29.9% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$28 billion (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2016

$3.86 billion (2016 est.)

Imports 2018

$2.32 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

clothing and apparel, soybean oil, rice, wheat products, clocks/watches (2019)

Imports - partners

China 96% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA

Labor force

14 million (2014 est.)

note

note: estimates vary widely

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

37%

industry

63% (2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2015 US dollarsNorth Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2015 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion.

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2013

$40 billion (2013 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$40 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$40 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2013

1.1% (2013 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2014

1% (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2015

-1.1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2015 US dollars

Real GDP per capita 2013

$1,800 (2013 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2014

$1,800 (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2015

$1,700 (2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.4% (of GDP) (2007 est.)

note

note: excludes earnings from state-operated enterprises

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2012

25.5% (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate 2013

25.6% (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

10,640 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

13.89 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

45% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

55% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

10.01 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

16.57 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

11% (2019)

electrification - total population

26% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

36% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

18,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

8,260 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

11,270 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadcast media

no independent media; radios and TVs are pre-tuned to government stations; 4 government-owned TV stations; the Korean Workers' Party owns and operates the Korean Central Broadcasting Station, and the state-run Voice of Korea operates an external broadcast service; the government prohibits listening to and jams foreign broadcasts (2019)

Internet country code

.kp

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fiber-optic links installed down to the county level; telephone directories unavailable; mobile service launched in late 2008 for the Pyongyang area and considerable progress in expanding to other parts of the country since; fixed-lines are 5 per 100 and mobile-cellular 15 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

underdeveloped yet growing market dependent on 3G; nationwide fiber-optic network; some mobile-cellular service beyond Pyongyang; remote areas on manual switchboards; though currently under sanction, dependent on foreign investment (primarily Chinese) for equipment and infrastructure; low broadband penetration; international communication restricted and domestic use monitored by state (2020)

international

country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4.64 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

1,183,806

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14.98 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

3,821,857

Airports

total

82 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

8

2,438 to 3,047 m

22

914 to 1,523 m

2

over 3,047 m

3

total

39

under 914 m

4 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

17

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

15

total

43

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

P

Heliports

23 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 8, container ship 5, general cargo 189, oil tanker 33, other 29 (2021)

total

264

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

250,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

103,560 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

4

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Pipelines

6 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam, Namp'o, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Wonsan

Railways

note

note: figures are approximate; some narrow-gauge railway also exists

standard gauge

7,435 km 1.435-m gauge (5,400 km electrified) (2014)

total

7,435 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

724 km (2006)

total

25,554 km (2006)

unpaved

24,830 km (2006)

Waterways

2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011)

Military - note

in addition to the invasion of South Korea and the subsequent Korean War (1950-53), North Korea from the 1960s to the 1980s launched a considerable number of limited military and subversive actions against South Korea using special forces and terrorist tactics; including aggressive skirmishes along the DMZ, overt attempts to assassinate South Korean leaders, kidnappings, the bombing of an airliner, and a failed effort in 1968 to foment an insurrection and conduct a guerrilla war in the South with more than 100 seaborne commandos; from the 1990s until 2010, the North lost two submarines and a semi-submersible boat attempting to insert infiltrators into the South (1996, 1998) and provoked several engagements in the Northwest Islands area along the disputed Northern Limit Line, including naval skirmishes between patrol boats in 1999 and 2002, the torpedoing and sinking of a South Korean corvette, the Cheonan, in 2010, and the bombardment a South Korean Marine Corps installation on Yeonpyeong Island, also in 2010; since 2010, further minor incidents continue to occur periodically along the DMZ, where both the KPA and the South Korean military maintain large numbers of troops the KPA was founded in 1948; Kim Jong Un is the KPA supreme commander, while operational control of the armed forces resides in the General Staff Department (GSD), which reports directly to Kim; the GSD maintains overall control of all military forces and is charged with turning Kim’s directives into operational military orders; the Ministry of National Defense (MND) is responsible for administrative control of the military and external relations with foreign militaries as of 2021, North Korea’s growing ballistic missile program included close- (CRBM), short- (SRBM), medium- (MRBM), intermediate- (IRBM), and intercontinental- (ICBM) range ballistic missiles; the North received its first ballistic missiles, short-range FROGs (free rocket over ground), from the Soviet Union in the 1960s, but its modern ballistic missile program is generally thought to date back to the mid-1970s when it received a Soviet Scud-class missile, likely from Egypt; the North reverse-engineered the missile and developed an indigenously built version in 1984; it flight-tested its first Scud-based medium-range Nodong missile in 1990, and probably began development of the multi-stage Taepodong missiles around this time as well; the North revealed its first road-mobile ICBM in 2012 and conducted the first test of an ICBM-class system in 2017  

Military and security forces

Korean People's Army (KPA): KPA Ground Forces, KPA Navy, KPA Air Force and Air Defense Forces, KPA Strategic Forces (missile forces); KPA Special Forces (special operations forces)Security Guard Command (aka Bodyguard Command; protects the Kim family, other senior leadership figures, and government facilities); Ministry of Public Security: Border Guards, civil security forces (2021)

note

note - the North also has a large paramilitary force organized into the Worker Peasant Red Guard and Red Youth Guard; these organizations are present at all levels of government (province, county, ward) and are under the control of the Korean Workers' Party in peacetime, but revert to KPA control in crisis or war; they are often mobilized for domestic projects, such as road building and agricultural support

Military and security service personnel strengths

assessments of the size of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) vary widely; approximately 1.1-1.3 million active troops (950,000-1.0 million Army; 110-120,000 Air Force; 60,000 Navy; 10,000 Strategic Missile Forces); est. 200,000 internal security forces (2021)

note

note -

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the KPA is equipped with older weapon systems originally acquired from the former Soviet Union, Russia, and China, as well as some domestically-produced equipment; North Korea manufactures copies and provides some upgrades to the older foreign weapon systems; it also produces a diverse array of military hardware, including small arms, munitions, light armored vehicles, tanks, naval vessels and submarines, and advanced weapons systems; since 2010, there were no publicly-reported transfers of weapons to North Korea; between 2000 and 2010, Russia was the only recorded provider of arms (2021)

Military expenditures

an estimated 20-30% of North Korea's GDP is allocated to the military

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for compulsory male and female military service; service obligation 10 years for men, to age 23 for women (reportedly reduced in 2021 to 8 years for men and 5 years for women) (2021)

Disputes - international

risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen Rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Illicit drugs

at present there is insufficient information to determine the current level of involvement of government officials in the production or trafficking of illicit drugs, but for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of North Korea , many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics; police investigations in Taiwan, Japan and Australia during that period have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

undetermined (2021)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor, forced marriage, and sex trafficking; in the recent past, many North Korean women and girls lured by promises of food, jobs, and freedom migrated to China illegally to escape poor social and economic conditions only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements; North Koreans do not have a choice in the work the government assigns them and are not free to change jobs at will; many North Korean workers recruited to work abroad under bilateral contracts with foreign governments are subjected to forced labor and reportedly face government reprisals if they try to escape or complain to outsiders; thousands of North Koreans, including children, are subjected to forced labor in prison camps

tier rating

Tier 3 — the government of North Korea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; during this reporting period there was a government policy or pattern of forced labor of adults and children in prison camps, labor training centers, and through its imposition of forced labor conditions on North Korean overseas contract workers;  proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor fund government functions and illicit activities; the government has made no effort to address human trafficking (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

28.28 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

18.68 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

30.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

temperate, with rainfall concentrated in summer; long, bitter winters

Environment - current issues

water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Law of the Sea

Food insecurity

widespread lack of access

due to low food consumption levels, poor dietary diversity, and economic downturn - a large portion of the population suffers from low levels of food consumption and very poor dietary diversity; the economic constraints, particularly resulting from the global impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, have increased the population’s vulnerability to food insecurity; the food gap is estimated at about 860,000 mt in the 2020/21 marketing year (November/October); if this gap is not adequately covered through commercial imports and/or food aid, households could experience a harsh lean period, particularly from August until October, when the 2021 main season grain crops are expected to be available for consumption (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

21.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 19.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.4% (2018 est.)

forest

46% (2018 est.)

other

32.2% (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

77.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

6.61 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

1.145 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

902.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

62.6% of total population (2021)