Country Guide • Korea, North

Flag of Nkorea

North Korea is located on the northern half of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. It is bound by China to the north, Russia to the north east, South Korea to the south, the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Approximately 80% of the Korean Peninsula is covered by mountain ranges.

Official NameDemocratic People's Republic of Korea
Area122,098km² (47,142mile²)
Population22,466,000
ContinentAsia
Population per mile²483
Capital CityP'yongyang
ReligionsDue to the communist government's influences, all religious activities were effectively prohibited are now almost non-existent, although traditionally Buddhism, Confucianism and Shamanism were the national religions
LanguageKorean
GovernmentCommunist 'dynasty', civilian dictatorship
CurrencyWon
GDP$21.8 billion
GDP per Head$1,000
Natural ResourcesCoal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites and salt
Land UseArable Land 14%
AgricultureRice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses and livestock including cattle and pigs
IndustryMilitary products, machinery, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, clothing and textiles and food processing
TourismThere are many ancient buildings illustrating Korea's 500 years of imperial history. A trip to Kaesong has many such buildings and is a town surrounded by pine clad hills. North Korea's capital, Pyongyang was completely rebuilt after the Korean War as a city of wide avenues, neatly designed parks and enormous marble public buildings. The Palace of Culture, the Grand Theatre, the Juche Tower and the Ongrui Restaurant epitomise the Korean variant of Communist architecture. Kumgangsan is the country's largest national park, consisting of a range of mountains (known as 'the Diamond Mountain') along the east coast of the country
Natural HazardsSevere Winters
Health RisksSARS, Malaria and Cholera. All water is a potential health risk. For drinking and brushing teeth, you should use bottled water. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled so avoid dairy products, which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk
ClimateNorth Korea has a continental climate with warm summers and severe cold winters due to the winds from Siberia. The winters can be so severe that it causes rivers to freeze over for three to four months and snowfall to lie for long periods of time. The wettest months are from July - September when up to 85% of rainfall occurs while average annual rainfall varies from 22 inches- 60 inches depending on the region. Average temperature ranges in Pyongyang are from -8°C in January to 24°C in August
TimeGMT/UTC+9 hours
National DaysSeptember 9
VisasAll visitors to the DPRK must have a valid British passport. Visitors should contact the Embassy of the DPRK in London (North Korean representation in the UK) for further information about obtaining visas. Registration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required for stays over twenty-four hours, but most hotels will automatically complete this process on your behalf
British EmbassyEmbassy Details

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