Contents

Country Overview

North Korea, formally the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), occupies the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is a highly centralized one-party state led by Kim Jong Un, with nuclear and missile programs subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions. The population, economy, and humanitarian picture are unusually difficult to measure independently: this profile labels internationally modeled demographic figures and South Korean external estimates instead of presenting them as audited DPRK national statistics.

Reference status: Contemporary country profile • Verified: November 6, 2026 • Source years and statistical or jurisdictional limitations are stated.

CapitalPyongyangAdministrative and political center [1]
Population26.57 millionWorld Bank/UN 2025 estimate; not a census [3]
2025 GDP growth3.5%External Bank of Korea estimate, not official GDP [4]
Top leaderKim Jong UnReappointed state-affairs president March 2026 [7]
2025 goods exportsUS$0.47 billionBank of Korea external trade estimate [4]
World Heritage3 propertiesUNESCO, including Mount Kumgang (2025) [13]

Data and status note: North Korea publishes limited and selectively accessible official statistics. The World Bank/UN 2025 population estimate of 26,571,036 differs from the South Korean statistical authority’s roughly 25.87 million estimate for 2024. The Bank of Korea’s 2025 real GDP growth estimate of 3.5%, GNI and customs-trade totals are independent external reconstructions; UNData currency-converted GDP is methodologically distinct, not a confirmed national account. The 2026 party congress, assembly and leadership appointments supersede older leadership lists. UNESCO lists three inscribed properties, including Mount Kumgang (2025).

Identity & State Formation

Official name
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). [2]
Common name
North Korea; the official government routinely uses DPRK. [2]
Capital
Pyongyang, center of national executive institutions. [2]
UN statistical region
Eastern Asia. [1]
ISO country codes
KP / PRK / 408. [1]
Area reference
Approximately 120,538 square kilometres in the UNData profile. [2]
National currency
North Korean won, code KPW. [2]
Official language
Korean. [2]
Writing system
Korean Hangul script; DPRK orthography and terminology have national conventions. [2]
Current state founded
DPRK proclaimed on September 9, 1948. [19]
Japanese colonial era
Korea was annexed by Japan from 1910 to 1945. [19]
Postwar division
The peninsula was divided into northern and southern occupation zones after Japan’s surrender in 1945. [21]
1948 division
Competing Korean states were formed in the northern and southern zones. [19] [21]
Korean War
Major war began in June 1950 and continued until the July 1953 armistice. [21]
Armistice signed
July 27, 1953; the armistice stopped large-scale fighting but was not a final peace treaty. [21]
Demilitarized zone
Buffer zone approximately four kilometres wide around the military demarcation line. [21]
System
Highly centralized socialist, one-party-dominant state with hereditary-family leadership. [7] [9]
Ruling party
Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK). [7]
Top state office
President of State Affairs; Kim Jong Un reappointed March 2026. [7]
Cabinet head
Premier Pak Thae Song retained the post in March 2026. [7]
Assembly
Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA). [7]
Assembly term
15th Supreme People’s Assembly installed after March 2026 elections. [7]
Party congress
Ninth WPK Congress in February 2026. [8] [7]
Constitutional status
Socialist constitution has been revised repeatedly; accessible amended texts may lag new changes. [7]
Kim family succession
Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un successively dominated state leadership. [7]
UN admission
September 17, 1991, simultaneously with the Republic of Korea. [19]
Security classification
Nuclear-armed state subject to multiple UN sanctions; this does not imply recognition as an NPT nuclear-weapon state. [11] [20]
National emblem
Red star, hydroelectric dam imagery and agricultural framing appear in the state emblem. [2]
National flag
Broad red center band, blue outer bands and a red star in a white disc. [2]
International reporting constraint
State statistics, travel access and civil society verification are exceptionally restricted. [9] [18]

Geography & Population

Geographic setting
Northern part of the Korean Peninsula in northeastern Asia. [1]
Northern neighbors
China and the Russian Federation. [1]
Southern neighbor
Republic of Korea across the Military Demarcation Line and DMZ. [21]
Western waters
Korea Bay and Yellow Sea, including a rugged western coast. [17]
Eastern waters
Sea of Japan (East Sea); naming varies internationally. [17]
Northeastern border
Short border with Russia near the Tumen River estuary. [1]
Primary northern frontier
Yalu/Amnok and Tumen rivers mark large stretches of the border with China. [17]
Surface area
Around 120,538 km², using the UN statistical figure. [2]
Highest summit
Mount Paektu (Baekdu), approximately 2,744 metres above sea level. [17]
Mount Paektu setting
Volcanic mountain on the China frontier; crater lake is often called Chonji/Heaven Lake. [17]
Other mountains
Hamgyong and Rangrim ranges dominate much of the east and interior. [17]
Western lowlands
Broad agricultural lowlands toward the Yellow Sea coast. [17]
Principal river
Yalu/Amnok River along much of the northwest border. [17]
Tumen River
Runs toward the northeast border and the Sea of Japan. [17]
Taedong River
Runs through Pyongyang to the west coast. [17]
Climate type
Humid continental/monsoon influence; cold winters and warmer, wetter summers. [17]
Summer precipitation
Much rainfall is concentrated in the summer monsoon season. [17]
Flood risk
Heavy rain and typhoons can damage crops, transport and housing. [17] [16]
Drought risk
Rainfall variability and irrigation constraints affect grain production. [17] [16]
Forest resources
Forested mountains provide ecosystem services and watershed protection. [17]
Arable land distribution
Farming concentrated in valleys and western lowlands. [17] [16]
Hydropower
Mountain rivers support electricity generation with seasonal variability. [17] [4]
Major city
Pyongyang is by far the leading political and administrative center. [2]
Industrial city
Hamhung is an important chemical and manufacturing center. [18]
Port city
Nampo provides a major western maritime outlet. [18]
Eastern port
Wonsan serves coastal trade and tourism ambitions. [18]
Northeastern port
Chongjin is a historic industrial and shipping city. [18]
Cross-border cities
Sinuiju adjoins Dandong; Rason lies near China and Russia. [18]
2025 estimated population
26,571,036 in the World Bank/UN population model. [3]
2024 alternative estimate
Roughly 25.87 million in South Korea’s 2025 statistical indicators. [6]
Population note
The two totals differ in model, reference year and statistical inputs, not because one is a new confirmed census. [3] [6]
Population density
About 220.7 people per km² in UNData’s 2025 estimates. [2]
Capital population
UNData lists around 3.06 million for the capital-city population in 2025. [2]

Population estimates from different series

These are different sources and reference populations; none is a newly verified national census. [3] [6] [2]

Reference Year Population
World Bank / UN model202526,571,036
South Korea statistical indicators2024approximately 25.87 million
UNData capital population2025approximately 3.061 million (Pyongyang)

Economy & International Trade

Economic model
State-led system with enterprises, farm units and varying formal or informal market exchange. [4] [18]
Statistical limitation
DPRK does not release fully transparent independently audited national accounts. [4] [18]
2025 real GDP growth
Estimated 3.5% by the Bank of Korea in July 2026. [4]
2024 real GDP growth
Estimated 3.7% by the Bank of Korea. [4] [5]
2023 real GDP growth
Estimated 3.1% by the Bank of Korea. [4]
2025 nominal GNI
Estimated at 48.5 trillion South Korean won by the Bank of Korea. [4]
2024 nominal GNI
Bank of Korea estimated 44.4 trillion South Korean won. [5]
2024 GNI per person
Approximately 1.72 million South Korean won, external estimate. [5]
GNI not GDP
Gross national income, economic output and US-dollar currency conversions are distinct concepts. [4] [18]
2025 merchandise trade
Bank of Korea estimated approximately US$3.13 billion in total foreign goods trade. [4]
2025 goods exports
Estimated US$470 million. [4]
2025 goods imports
Estimated US$2.66 billion. [4]
2025 goods trade deficit
Approximately US$2.19 billion based on rounded external estimates. [4]
2024 goods exports
Estimated US$360 million. [5]
2024 goods imports
Estimated US$2.34 billion. [5]
2024 total foreign trade
Around US$2.70 billion, excluding inter-Korean commerce. [5]
Trade comparison
South Korean estimates draw on partner-reported customs data rather than DPRK audited statements. [5] [18]
Principal external partner
China is a dominant source of goods and an important trade route. [18]
Russian ties
Cooperation with Russia increased in the context of the war in Ukraine. [4] [9]
Export items
Ore/concentrates, wigs and hair products, selected manufactures and basic materials. [18]
Import requirements
Fuel, machinery, industrial inputs, fertilizer and consumer goods. [18] [16]
Manufacturing in 2025
The Bank of Korea estimated increased activity linked to exports and investment projects. [4]
Construction activity
Public housing, infrastructure and industrial construction remain state priorities. [4]
Coal mining
Coal is a historical industrial input; export restrictions affect external sales. [11] [18]
Iron and steel
Metallurgy and basic materials are established industrial sectors. [18]
Agriculture
Rice, maize, potatoes and other crops contribute to domestic food supplies. [16]
Collective agriculture
Cooperative/state agricultural organizations coexist with household cultivation. [16] [18]
Farming constraints
Fertilizer, machinery, floods and droughts can impair yields. [16] [17]
Food imports
External supply and food aid have varied with policies and border access. [16] [15]
Electricity constraints
Aged networks and unreliable generation affect industrial and household access. [18]
Rail systems
Rail transport is central to internal bulk freight and border connectivity. [18]
Road infrastructure
Road conditions and fuel constraints shape domestic logistics. [18]
Financial restrictions
Banking and cross-border transactions face UN and national sanctions controls. [11]
Informal markets
Market trading offers household exchange beyond centralized distribution. [9] [18]
Tourism
Limited and politically controlled access, with selected tourism initiatives. [18]
Economic measurement
Market exchange rates cannot simply be applied to external KRW-based output estimates. [4] [18]

Externally estimated economic growth

These are reconstructed Bank of Korea estimates, not official DPRK national accounts. [4] [5]

Reference year Real GDP growth Provenance
20233.1%Bank of Korea external estimate
20243.7%Bank of Korea external estimate
20253.5%Bank of Korea external estimate

Estimated merchandise trade (US$ billions)

Rounded foreign merchandise trade excluding inter-Korean flows; figures derive primarily from trade-partner reporting. [4] [5]

Year Exports Imports Total
20240.362.342.70
20250.472.663.13

People & Society

Language
Korean, using North Korean orthographic conventions. [2]
Literacy reporting
State and international literacy figures are difficult to independently verify. [9]
Demographic modeling
The 2025 population total is an international estimate, not a new census. [3]
Population structure
Aging and low fertility are emerging demographic pressures. [6]
2024 fertility estimate
South Korean statistical indicators reported about 1.60 births per woman. [6]
Major religion policy
State ideology and administrative control sharply restrict independent religious organizations. [9]
Historical religious traditions
Buddhist, Confucian, Christian and local traditions shaped Korean history. [13] [9]
State ideology
Juche and Kim-family leadership ideology inform political education. [7] [9]
State media
Newspapers, radio and television operate under strict political controls. [9]
Outside information
Foreign broadcasts and uncontrolled foreign media are strongly restricted. [9]
Internet access
Public global-internet access is very limited; managed domestic networks exist. [9]
Travel rules
Internal movement and international travel are heavily regulated. [9]
Border crossing
Unauthorized exit and return can expose people to serious punishment. [9]
Food access
Food security remains precarious for vulnerable households. [16] [9]
Children’s nutrition
UNICEF has operated nutrition and maternal-child programs under access constraints. [15]
Schooling
State education is compulsory under the national schooling system. [15]
University center
Kim Il Sung University is a prominent national institution in Pyongyang. [18]
Medical system
Universal service claims coexist with severe material and supply limitations. [14] [9]
Maternal health
UN agencies track health outcomes with constrained national access. [14] [15]
Water and sanitation
Rural infrastructure needs affect safe drinking water and sanitation access. [15]
Labor organization
State assignments and forced-labor practices are documented by UN rights bodies. [9]
Women and markets
Women have significant roles in market exchange and household survival. [9]
Gender inequities
Political and social controls produce specific burdens for women and girls. [9]
Housing
State allocation and centrally managed construction are substantial features of urban housing. [4] [9]
Urban-rural gap
Pyongyang enjoys preferential access to some infrastructure and consumer goods. [9]
Music and theater
State-sponsored cultural organizations and national performance traditions are prominent. [13]
Mass games
Large choreographed displays are associated with state ceremonial culture. [9]
Cuisine
Rice, noodles, fermented vegetables and soups are central Korean culinary forms. [13]
Kimchi
Fermented-vegetable traditions are widely shared across the Korean Peninsula. [13]
Sport
Football, gymnastics and other organized sports feature in state programs. [2]
Disability context
International monitoring of accessibility and disability rights is limited. [9]
Human-rights reporting
The UN Special Rapporteur’s 2026 report details restrictions and access difficulties. [9]
Data-quality caution
Health, income and literacy benchmarks should be read with external-source caveats. [14] [9]

Government & Institutions

State structure
Authoritarian socialist one-party-dominant system. [9] [7]
Political leadership
Kim Jong Un, leader since 2011, holds top party and state offices. [7]
State-affairs president
Kim Jong Un reappointed on March 22, 2026. [7]
WPK general secretary
Kim Jong Un was re-elected at the February 2026 party congress. [7]
Cabinet premier
Pak Thae Song retained his post in March 2026. [7]
SPA standing committee chair
Jo Yong Won elected in March 2026, replacing Choe Ryong Hae. [7]
First vice premier
Kim Tok Hun received a new first-vice-premier role in March 2026. [7]
State Affairs Commission
Top body formally directing state policy under Kim Jong Un. [7]
National legislature
Supreme People’s Assembly, a single national chamber. [7]
Latest SPA election
March 15, 2026, for the 15th Assembly. [7]
Assembly first meeting
March 22–23, 2026. [7]
Party congress
Ninth Workers’ Party Congress, February 2026. [7]
Party-state relationship
Workers’ Party appointments determine central political direction. [7] [9]
Local people’s assemblies
Subnational assemblies are part of formal institutional organization. [7]
Electoral competition
Elections do not provide competitive multiparty national government choice. [9]
Judiciary
Courts operate within the party-state system; independence is severely constrained. [9]
Freedom of expression
Extensively restricted by law, surveillance and punishment. [9]
Freedom of assembly
Independent public gatherings face serious restrictions. [9]
Freedom of religion
Independent practice and institutions are tightly controlled. [9]
Political detention
UN monitoring identifies continued operation of political prison camps. [9]
Death penalty
UN reporting documents expanded scope and use of capital punishment. [9]
Forced labor
UN investigators document forced labor and compulsory mobilization. [9]
Military structure
Korean People’s Army is central to the state’s security apparatus. [11]
Nuclear weapons
State pursues nuclear arms and delivery systems contrary to Security Council demands. [20] [11]
Missile programs
Ballistic missile programs remain under international sanctions. [11]
Budget transparency
Detailed internationally verifiable public spending data are limited. [18]
Provincial administration
Includes provinces, directly administered cities and special administrative areas. [2]
Constitutional changes
2026 SPA discussed constitutional revisions; unpublished provisions should not be asserted as settled text. [7]
Kim Yo Jong role
March 2026 personnel changes removed her from the State Affairs Commission roster; party influence is not resolved by that list alone. [7]
Public accountability
Civil society oversight and independent journalism face severe restrictions. [9]
Humanitarian exemptions
UN sanctions framework provides procedures intended to permit qualifying humanitarian aid. [11] [12]
Global assessments
UN Human Rights Council continues formal scrutiny of reported violations. [9]

Selected appointments in March 2026

Appointments reported after the first session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly. [7]

Office Person Reference
President of State AffairsKim Jong UnReappointed March 22, 2026
PremierPak Thae SongRetained March 2026
SPA Standing Committee ChairJo Yong WonElected March 2026
First Vice PremierKim Tok HunAppointed March 2026

International Profile

United Nations
DPRK has been a UN member since September 17, 1991. [19]
UN statistical grouping
Eastern Asia. [1]
China relationship
China is the dominant trade partner and principal land-border neighbor. [18]
Russia relationship
Security and economic ties expanded significantly in the 2020s. [9] [4]
Inter-Korean relations
South Korea is governed separately; the two states are internationally recognized UN members. [19] [21]
Armistice
The Korean War armistice dates to July 27, 1953; no comprehensive peace treaty replaced it. [21]
DMZ
Military Demarcation Line and DMZ restrict border travel and access. [21]
State policy toward South Korea
Pyongyang has adopted more confrontational language describing separate hostile states. [7]
Nuclear safeguards
IAEA continues monitoring DPRK nuclear developments without normal in-country safeguards access. [20]
UN sanctions basis
Security Council resolution 1718 (2006) and subsequent resolutions. [11]
Sanctions restrictions
Include arms, finances, designated individuals and selected industrial trade measures. [12]
Sanctions humanitarian rules
UN mechanisms allow requests for exemptions for eligible aid activities. [12]
Human-rights mechanisms
UN Special Rapporteur and Human Rights Council have standing mandates concerning abuses. [9]
International access
Tight limits on travel and foreign inspection impede independent verification. [9]
Humanitarian partners
UNICEF and WFP document the sectoral needs and program limitations. [15] [16]
World Heritage count
Three inscribed UNESCO properties. [13]
Koguryo tombs
Complex of Koguryo Tombs, cultural property inscribed 2004. [13]
Kaesong
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong, cultural property inscribed 2013. [13]
Mount Kumgang
Diamond Mountain from the Sea, mixed World Heritage property added 2025. [13]
Tentative properties
UNESCO lists additional tentative nominations that are not inscriptions. [13]
Heritage category
Two cultural and one mixed property in the current UNESCO listing. [13]
Cultural heritage cooperation
Heritage listing is distinct from recognition of government policy. [13]
International sports
DPRK participates in selected international sporting competitions. [2]
Foreign policy limits
Security sanctions, nuclear tensions and political restrictions shape participation. [11]
Economic comparison
International output and trade data rely largely on third-country estimates. [18] [4]
Editorial status
Territorial and security descriptions differentiate observed facts from claims and external estimates. [9] [18]

Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage properties

Complete list of three inscribed properties; tentative nominations and intangible-heritage entries are distinct. [13]

Property Category Inscribed
Complex of Koguryo TombsCultural2004
Historic Monuments and Sites in KaesongCultural2013
Mount Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the SeaMixed2025

Sources and Methodology

Statistics rely on United Nations models, South Korea’s Bank of Korea and Statistics Korea, humanitarian agencies, UNESCO, and clearly dated reporting. DPRK national statistics are often unavailable or not independently verifiable. The Bank of Korea real-growth, GNI and goods-trade values are external estimates; do not mix them with UNData US-dollar GDP without explicitly qualifying conversion and methodology. North Korean official texts and alternative romanizations vary. Human-rights conclusions are attributed to the United Nations and cited monitoring organizations; this is not a claim of direct independent inspection.

Editorial cutoff: November 6, 2026 (Pacific Time). All stated population counts, prices, elections, and legal statuses have specific reference dates or qualifications. This page should be updated following major new statistical releases or changes of government.

  1. United Nations Statistics Division — M49 classification — UN regional and ISO identification.
  2. United Nations Data — DPRK country profile — surface area, capital, currency and UN comparative statistics.
  3. World Bank — DPRK total population indicator — 2025 modeled population of 26,571,036.
  4. Yonhap — Bank of Korea 2025 North Korea growth and trade estimates, July 31 2026 — South Korean central bank 2025 reconstructed output and trade figures.
  5. Bank of Korea — North Korea GDP estimates for 2024 — 2024 GDP change, income and merchandise-trade comparison.
  6. Statistics Korea — 2025 Statistical Indicators of North Korea — 2024 external estimates of population, social data and economy.
  7. Yonhap — 15th Supreme People’s Assembly and leadership appointments, March 23 2026 — Kim Jong Un, Jo Yong Won, Pak Thae Song and cabinet appointments.
  8. Yonhap — February 2026 Workers’ Party Congress and leadership — 2026 political congress background; cross-check against March assembly report.
  9. UN Special Rapporteur — Human rights in the DPRK, 2026 — human rights, access, labor, health, information and food security.
  10. Human Rights Watch — World Report 2026, North Korea — 2025 restrictions and human rights context.
  11. UN Security Council — DPRK sanctions committee (1718) — Security Council sanctions, nuclear and missile restrictions.
  12. UN Security Council — 2025 sanctions fact sheet — sanctions aims, measures and humanitarian exemptions.
  13. UNESCO World Heritage Centre — DPRK — three inscribed properties and tentative-list entries.
  14. World Health Organization — DPRK country data — health indicator provenance and data availability.
  15. UNICEF — DPR Korea — children, nutrition, water and sanitation programming.
  16. World Food Programme — DPR Korea — food security, nutrition and limitations on access.
  17. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal — DPRK — climate, precipitation and hazard context.
  18. OECD Economic Survey Korea 2026 — North Korea comparison — cross-border comparisons and externally estimated economic and trade data.
  19. United Nations — Member States — DPRK UN admission September 17, 1991.
  20. IAEA — DPRK nuclear verification and safeguards — nuclear safeguards and verification context.
  21. United Nations Command — Korean Armistice Agreement — 1953 armistice and military demarcation context.