Location:
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Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
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Geographic coordinates:
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40 00 N, 127 00 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Mississippi
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
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Coastline:
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2,495 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
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Climate:
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temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
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Terrain:
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mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
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Natural resources:
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coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 22.4%
permanent crops: 1.66%
other: 75.94% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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14,600 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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77.1 cu km (1999)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%)
per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated
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Population:
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23,479,088 (July 2008 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 22.9% (male 2,733,352/female 2,654,186)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 7,931,484/female 8,083,626)
65 years and over: 8.8% (male 751,401/female 1,325,040) (2008 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 32.7 years
male: 31.2 years
female: 34.2 years (2008 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.732% (2008 est.)
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Birth rate:
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14.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Death rate:
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7.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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NA (2008 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.2 years
male: 69.45 years
female: 75.08 years (2008 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2 children born/woman (2008 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean
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Ethnic groups:
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racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese
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Religions:
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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
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Languages:
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Korean
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%
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Education expenditures:
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NA
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Country name:
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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
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Government type:
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Communist state one-man dictatorship
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Capital:
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name: Pyongyang
geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 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: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin-Sonbong), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)
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Independence:
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15 August 1945 (from Japan)
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National holiday:
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Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948)
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Constitution:
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adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998
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Legal system:
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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
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Suffrage:
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17 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, 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 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 Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003), THAE Jong Su (since 16 October 2007)
cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008)
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed
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Legislative branch:
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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 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties
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Judicial branch:
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Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)
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Political parties and leaders:
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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)
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none
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International organization participation:
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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
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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 years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Due in part to severe summer flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of 2006, the nation suffered its 13th year of food shortages because of on-going systemic problems including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. During the summer of 2007, severe flooding again occurred. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Since 2002, the government has formalized an arrangement whereby private "farmers' markets" were allowed to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. During the October 2007 summit, South Korea also agreed to develop some of North Korea's infrastructure and natural resources and light industry. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$40 billion
note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2007 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$25.96 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-1.1% (2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$1,700 (2007 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 23.3%
industry: 43.1%
services: 33.6% (2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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20 million
note: estimates vary widely (2004 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 37%
industry and services: 63% (2004 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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NA%
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA%
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.88 billion $NA
expenditures: $2.98 billion $NA
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Agriculture - products:
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rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs
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Industries:
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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
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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22.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
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18.57 billion kWh (2005)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2007)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2007)
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Oil - production:
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141 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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10,520 bbl/day (2006)
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Oil - exports:
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0 bbl/day (2006)
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Oil - imports:
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10,520 bbl/day (2006 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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NA bbl
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2007 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2007 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2007 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2007)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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0 cu m (1 January 2007)
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Exports:
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$1.466 billion f.o.b. (2006)
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Exports - commodities:
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minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products
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Exports - partners:
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China 31.4%, Venezuela 14.8%, Brazil 6.8%, Lebanon 4.8% (2006)
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Imports:
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$2.879 billion c.i.f. (2006)
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain
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Imports - partners:
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China 43.6%, Algeria 11.9%, Russia 7.1%, Thailand 5.6%, South Africa 4.3% (2006)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$372 million
note: approximately 65,000 metric tons in food aid through the World Food Program appeals in 2007, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations (2007 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$12.5 billion (2001 est.)
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Currency (code):
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North Korean won (KPW)
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Exchange rates:
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official: North Korean won per US dollar - 140 (2007), 141 (2006), 170 (December 2004), market: North Korean won per US dollar - 2,500-3,000 (December 2006)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Airports:
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77 (2007)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 36
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2007)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 7 (2007)
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Heliports:
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23 (2007)
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Pipelines:
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oil 154 km (2007)
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Railways:
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total: 5,235 km
standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006)
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Roadways:
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total: 25,554 km
paved: 724 km
unpaved: 24,830 km (2006)
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Waterways:
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2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 163 ships (1000 GRT or over) 790,427 GRT/1,153,404 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 123, carrier 1, chemical tanker 1, container 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 19 (Egypt 1, Greece 2, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 1, Pakistan 1, Romania 4, Syria 2, UAE 5, Yemen 2)
registered in other countries: 1 (Mongolia 1) (2008)
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Ports and terminals:
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Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
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Disputes - international:
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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)
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid-2007 and famine during mid-1990s) (2007)
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Trafficking in persons:
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current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements once in China
tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize trafficking, either within the country or transnationally; North Korea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
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Illicit drugs:
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for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003
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Location:
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Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
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Geographic coordinates:
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37 00 N, 127 30 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Indiana
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Land boundaries:
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total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km
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Coastline:
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2,413 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified
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Climate:
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temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
|
Terrain:
|
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mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
|
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
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Natural resources:
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coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
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Land use:
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arable land: 16.58%
permanent crops: 2.01%
other: 81.41% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
|
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8,780 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
|
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69.7 cu km (1999)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
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total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)
per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
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Environment - current issues:
|
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air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
|
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strategic location on Korea Strait
|
Population:
|
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48,379,392 (July 2008 est.)
|
Age structure:
|
|
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 4,431,315/female 4,004,810)
15-64 years: 72% (male 17,760,975/female 17,095,436)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 2,030,931/female 3,055,925) (2008 est.)
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Median age:
|
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total: 36.7 years
male: 35.5 years
female: 37.9 years (2008 est.)
|
Population growth rate:
|
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0.269% (2008 est.)
|
Birth rate:
|
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9.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Death rate:
|
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5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Net migration rate:
|
|
NA (2008 est.)
|
Sex ratio:
|
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at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
|
total: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
|
total population: 78.64 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 82.17 years (2008 est.)
|
Total fertility rate:
|
|
1.2 children born/woman (2008 est.)
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
|
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
|
8,300 (2003 est.)
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
|
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
|
Nationality:
|
|
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean
|
Ethnic groups:
|
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homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
|
Religions:
|
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Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
|
Languages:
|
|
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
|
Literacy:
|
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 99.2%
female: 96.6% (2002)
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
|
|
total: 17 years
male: 18 years
female: 15 years (2007)
|
Education expenditures:
|
|
4.6% of GDP (2004)
|
Country name:
|
|
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: Han'guk
abbreviation: ROK
|
Government type:
|
|
republic
|
Capital:
|
|
name: Seoul
geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
|
Administrative divisions:
|
|
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)
|
Independence:
|
|
15 August 1945 (from Japan)
|
National holiday:
|
|
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
|
Constitution:
|
|
17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987
|
Legal system:
|
|
combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
Suffrage:
|
|
19 years of age; universal
|
Executive branch:
|
|
chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister HAN Seung-soo (since 29 February 2008)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held on in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation
election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president on 19 December 2002; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; others 4.5%; LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%
|
Legislative branch:
|
|
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 153, UDP 81, LFP 18, Pro-Park Alliance 14, DLP 5, CKP 3, independents 25
|
Judicial branch:
|
|
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)
|
Political parties and leaders:
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Creative Korea Party or CKP [MOON Kook-hyun]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [CHUN Young-se]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Hee-tae]; Liberty Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP)
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations
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International organization participation:
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ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS
embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550
telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
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Flag description:
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white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
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Economy - overview:
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Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is roughly the same as that of Greece and Spain. This success was achieved by a system of close government/business ties including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2007, growth moderated to about 4-5% annually. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, and an export surplus in 2007 characterize this solid economy, but inflation and unemployment are increasing in the face of rising oil prices.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$1.206 trillion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$957.1 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5% (2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$25,000 (2007 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 39.4%
services: 57.6% (2007 est.)
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Labor force:
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24.22 million (2007 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 7.5%
industry: 17.3%
services: 75.2% (2007)
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Unemployment rate:
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3.3% (2007 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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15% (2003 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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35.1 (2006)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.5% (2007 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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28.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $262.2 billion
expenditures: $225.8 billion (2007 est.)
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Public debt:
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28.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish
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Industries:
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electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5.5% (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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403.2 billion kWh (2007)
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Electricity - consumption:
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368.6 billion kWh (2007)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Oil - production:
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17,050 bbl/day (2005)
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Oil - consumption:
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2.13 million bbl/day (2006)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - imports:
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2.41 million bbl/day (2006)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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1.66 billion cu m (2006)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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34.2 billion cu m (2006)
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Natural gas - exports:
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2,450 cu m (2006)
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Natural gas - imports:
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35.86 billion cu m (2006)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Current account balance:
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$5.954 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports:
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$379 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
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Exports - partners:
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China 26.2%, US 12.4%, Japan 6.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2007)
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Imports:
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$349.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics
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Imports - partners:
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China 16.9%, Japan 16.3%, US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2007)
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $455.3 million (2006)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$68.07 million (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$262.2 billion (31 December 2007)
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Debt - external:
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$220.1 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$119.6 billion (2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
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$82.1 billion (2006)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$1.051 trillion (2007)
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Currency (code):
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South Korean won (KRW)
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Exchange rates:
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South Korean won per US dollar - 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Airports:
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105 (2007)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 68
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 19 (2007)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 37
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 34 (2007)
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Heliports:
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536 (2007)
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Pipelines:
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gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2007)
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Railways:
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total: 3,472 km
standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006)
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Roadways:
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total: 102,293 km
paved: 78,581 km (includes 3,060 km of expressways)
unpaved: 23,712 km (2005)
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Waterways:
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1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 804 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,632,019 GRT/20,764,152 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 204, cargo 218, carrier 2, chemical tanker 131, container 83, liquefied gas 32, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 65, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 7
foreign-owned: 15 (Japan 3, Norway 4, UK 1, US 7)
registered in other countries: 384 (Belize 1, Cambodia 23, China 1, Cyprus 2, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 5, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 10, Netherlands 1, Panama 311, Russia 1, Singapore 8, Tuvalu 1, unknown 3) (2008)
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Ports and terminals:
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Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan
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Military branches:
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Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2008)
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Military service age and obligation:
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20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2007)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 16-49: 13,691,809
females age 16-49: 13,029,859 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 11,282,699
females age 16-49: 10,683,668 (2008 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
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male: 371,108
female: 325,408 (2008 est.)
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Military expenditures:
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2.7% of GDP (2006)
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