Country	Korea-North
Capital	Pyongyang
Continent	Asia
Currency	North Korean won(KPW)
Languages	Korean

Locaion

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

Geographic Co ordinates

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Land Boundries

Total:1,673 km
Border countries:China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Geography - note

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

Population

22,757,275 (July 2010 est.)
Country comparison to the world:50

Nationality

Noun:Korean(s)
Adjective:Korean

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Languages

Korean

Country Name

Conventional long form:Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Conventional short form:North Korea
Local long form:Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
Local short form:Choson
abbreviation: DPRK

Government Type

Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital

Name:Pyongyang
Geographic coordinates:39 01 N, 125 45 E
Time difference:UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities (si, singular and plural)
provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
municipalities: Nason-si, P'yongyang-si

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National Holiday

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

Constitution

adopted 1948; revised several times most recently in 2009

Legal system

based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state:KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 9 April 2009, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2009 president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials
Head of government:Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premier KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), Vice Premier O Su Yong (since 13 April 2009), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil (since 18 September 2009), Vice Premier PAK Myong Su (since 4 September 2009), Vice Premier RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
Cabinet:Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections:last election held in September 2003; date of next election NA
Election results:KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed

Legislative branch

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 on 8 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014)
Election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for minor parties

Judicial branch

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

Political Parties and Leaders

major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

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

Video

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Korean envoy stresses commitment to 'peaceful coexistence' on peninsula, denuclearization  The Korea Times North Korea Is Now Displaying Captured Western Tanks - The National InterestNorth Korea Is Now Displaying Captured Western Tanks  The National Interest North Korea's lawfare strategy - upi.comNorth Korea's lawfare strategy  upi.com North Korea fires ballistic missiles again, flexing muscle amid Iran war - ReutersNorth Korea fires ballistic missiles again, flexing muscle amid Iran war  Reuters North Korea fires around 10 ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan amid military drill tensions - The Times of IndiaNorth Korea fires around 10 ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan amid military drill tensions  The Times of India 34,537 escapes, countless stories - The Korea Times34,537 escapes, countless stories  The Korea Times Protesters gather in Seoul to accuse U.S. of meddling in South Korea's domestic affairs - Korea JoongAng DailyProtesters gather in Seoul to accuse U.S. of meddling in South Korea's domestic affairs  Korea JoongAng Daily An extraordinary story - facebook.comAn extraordinary story  facebook.com Why the US must deliver full US nuclear propulsion and fuel cycle technology to South Korea now - The Korea TimesWhy the US must deliver full US nuclear propulsion and fuel cycle technology to South Korea now  The Korea Times Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Nonproliferation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - United States Mission to the United Nations (.gov)Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Nonproliferation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea  United States Mission to the United Nations (.gov) North Korea’s strategic play in an era of great power confrontation - East Asia ForumNorth Korea’s strategic play in an era of great power confrontation  East Asia Forum North Korea’s Surprise Offering to the South: Presidential Flattery - WSJNorth Korea’s Surprise Offering to the South: Presidential Flattery  WSJ 5 Korean War POWs forced to work in North Korean coal mine are suing the regime - NK News5 Korean War POWs forced to work in North Korean coal mine are suing the regime  NK News North Korea’s Kim Jong Un warns South Korea, says US should end hostility - Al JazeeraNorth Korea’s Kim Jong Un warns South Korea, says US should end hostility  Al Jazeera North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US-South Korea hold military drills - Al JazeeraNorth Korea fires ballistic missiles as US-South Korea hold military drills  Al Jazeera