North Korea

Where is North Korea?

Located in Eastern Asia, North Korea has a 1,607.00 km border with China (1,352 km), South Korea (237 km) and Russia (18 km). It has a 2,495.00 km coastline. Every year, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression.

The capital city of North Korea is Pyongyang. It is also the largest city and one of the three special cities in the country. Pyongyang is the seat of government and all major security institutions in North Korea. It has its own local administrative government which is similar to provincial administrations in the nation. The city’s politics are dominated by the Worker’s Party of Korea. Pyongyang is twinned with eight other cities in the world among them Moscow, Dubai, and Tianjin. It is the industrial center of North Korea, and its core industry is mechanical engineering. Football is the most popular sport in Pyongyang.

North Korea is an Asian country covering 120,538.00 km² of which 0.11% is water and 120,408.00 km² is land. This makes it the 97th largest country in the world and slightly larger than Virginia; slightly smaller than Mississippi. Its geographic coordinates are 40 00 N, 127 00 E and Pyongyang is the capital city.

The name comes from the Chinese name for the Korean dynasty of "Goryeo".

Its ISO code is KP.

Geography

North Korea has a mean elevation of 600 m above sea level.

It has a temperate climate with increased rainfall in the summer and long, harsh winters. Its terrain is mostly mountainous, with wide coastal plains in the west.

Population

North Korea has a population of 25,115,311 making it the 51st largest in the world. The country's population is concentrated in the plains and lowlands.

Korean is the official language. The ethnicity is reported as racially homogenous. The majority of the country practices Buddhist and Confucianist religious practices.

The national language of North Korea is the Korean language. It also serves as the official language of the country. Korean has more than 80 million speakers from across the world, and it is also the official and national language of South Korea. However, each of the two nations uses a different official standardized form of the language. The standard version of North Korea is Munhwa? or the North Korean Standard Language. It was adopted in 1966, and its basis, according to the adopting proclamation, is the Korean dialect of Pyongan spoken in Pyongyang. The people of North Korea call their language Chos?n-? or Chos?n-mal.

The dialing code for the country is 850.

Government

North Korea is an independent country. It gained independence from Japan in 1945. Its constitution was last ratified in 1972.

North Korea is an East Asian state and one of the two countries constituting the Korean Peninsula. Its official name is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). It borders Russia, China, and South Korea. The Korean Demilitarized Zone lies between North Korea and its southern counterpart South Korea, acting as a buffer zone between the two countries. North Korea has 12 main administrative divisions at the highest hierarchical level. They consist of nine provinces, the capital city Pyongyang, and two special cities, Rason and Nampo. Although North Korea claims to be a democratic state, many view it as an absolute monarchy.

Economy

The currency of North Korea is the Won (KPW).

Its major export partner is China. Its main exports are minerals, metallurgical products, textiles, and fishery products. Its major import partners are China and the Republic of the Congo. Its major imports include petroleum, coking coal, machinery, and textiles.

Flag

The national flag and ensign of North Korea is rectangular in shape with three colors, namely red, white, and blue. The ratio of the hoist to the length of the fly is 1:2. Article 170 of Chapter VII of the country’s constitution outlines the shape, colors, and proportion of the flag. Other variations of the North Korean flag used in the nation include the flag of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) and the ensign of the Supreme Commander of the KPA, flown by Kim Jong-Un. The Worker’s Party of Korea, which is the ruling party, also has its own flag.