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Country Guide > East Asia > Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic Of) | |
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General Information Area 122,762 sq km (47,399 sq miles).
Population 22,541,000 (UN estimate 2002). Population Density 183.6 per sq km. Capital Pyongyang. Population: 2,741,260 (1993). Geography The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shares borders in the north with China, in the east with the Sea of Japan, in the west with the Yellow Sea, and in the south with the demilitarised zone (separating it from the Republic of Korea). Most of the land consists of hills and low mountains and only a small area is cultivable. Intensive water and soil conservation programmes, including land reclamation from the sea, are given high priority. The eastern coast is rocky and steep with mountains rising from the water and this area contains most of the waterways. Government Communist Republic. Head of State: President Kim Jong-Il since 1994. Head of Government: Prime Minister Hong Song-nam since 1997. Language Korean. Religion Buddhism, Christianity and Chundo Kyo are officially cited as the main religions. Time GMT + 9. Electricity 110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. Communications Telephone IDD to the country is available, although there is a very sparse internal network. Some hotels in Pyongyang provide direct international calls although this may be expensive. Country code: 850. Mobile telephone Limited GSM 900 network. SUNNETis the only network provider. Internet Access to the Internet is unavailable. Telegram Services available in all Pyongyang hotels. Post Services are extremely slow and limited outside the capital. Airmail takes about 10 days to reach Western Europe. Post office hours: Mon-Sat 0900-2100. Press Major daily newspapers include Minju Choson, Pyongyang Sinmun, Rodong Sinmun and Sonyon Sinmun. The Pyongyang Times is published weekly in English, French and Spanish. There are also several monthly English-language magazines. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |
