Democratic People's Republic of Korea
| |
|---|---|
.svg) Land controlled by North Korea shown in dark green; land claimed but uncontrolled shown in light green. | |
| Capital and largest city | Pyongyang 39°2′N 125°45′E / 39.033°N 125.750°E |
| Official languages | Korean[1] |
| Official script | Chosŏn'gŭl[2] |
| Religion | State atheism |
| Demonym(s) | |
| Government | Unitary one-party republic[3] under a totalitarian dictatorship[4][5][6] |
| Kim Jong-un[n 1] | |
| Choe Ryong-hae[n 2] | |
| Choe Ryong-hae | |
| Pak Pong-ju | |
| Kim Tok-hun | |
| Pak Thae-song | |
| Legislature | Supreme People's Assembly |
| Formation | |
| c. 7th century BC | |
| 18 BC | |
| 698 | |
| 918 | |
| 17 July 1392 | |
| 12 October 1897 | |
| 29 August 1910 | |
| 1 March 1919 | |
| 11 April 1919 | |
• Independence from Japan | 15 August 1945 |
• Soviet administration of Korea north of the 38th parallel | 8 February 1946 |
• Foundation of the DPRK | 9 September 1948 |
| 27 December 1972 | |
• Admitted to the UN | 17 September 1991 |
| Area | |
• Total | 120,540 km2 (46,540 sq mi)[7] (97th) |
• Water (%) | 0.11 |
| Population | |
• 2018 estimate | 25,549,604[8][9] (55th) |
• 2008 census | 24,052,231[10] |
• Density | 212/km2 (549.1/sq mi) (45th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2014 estimate |
• Total | $40 billion[11] |
• Per capita | $1,800[12] |
| GDP (nominal) | 2017 estimate |
• Total | $30 billion[13][14] |
• Per capita | $1,300[14] |
| Currency | Korean People's won (₩) (KPW) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Pyongyang Time[15]) |
| Date format | |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +850[16] |
| ISO 3166 code | KP |
| Internet TLD | .kp[17] |
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. The country is bordered to the north by China and by Russia along the Amnok and Tumen rivers, and to the south by South Korea, with the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two. North Korea, like its southern counterpart, claims to be the legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the country's capital and largest city.