Statistics (Sourced from a third party)
Population 24,457,492 (July 2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,766,006/female 2,700,378)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 8,345,737/female 8,423,482)
65 years and over: 9.1% (male 738,693/female 1,483,196) (2011 est.)
Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Economy – overview: The DPRK, one of the world’s most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel.
The nation has suffered its 12th year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land, collective farming, weather-related problems, and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but the population remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption.
In 2003, heightened political tensions with key donor countries and general donor fatigue threatened the flow of desperately needed food aid and fuel aid as well. Black market prices continued to rise following the increase in official prices and wages in the summer of 2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and unemployed, less able to buy goods. The government, however, relaxed restrictions on farmers’ market activities in spring 2003, leading to an expansion of market activity. However, a later crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation, forcing an easing of restrictions by February 2010.
The DPRK often highlights its 2012 goal of becoming a “strong and prosperous” nation. Attracting foreign investment, especially from China, will be a key factor for improving the overall standard of living.
GDP: purchasing power parity – $40 billion (2009 est.)
GDP – real growth rate: -0.9% (2009 est.)
GDP – per capita: purchasing power parity – $1,800 (2009 est.)
GDP – composition by sector: agriculture: 20%
industry: 47%
services: 32% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA (2003 est.)
Labor force: 12.2 million
Labor force – by occupation: agricultural 35%, nonagricultural 65%
Unemployment rate: NA (2009)
Agriculture – products: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs
Industries: military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism
Electricity – production: 22.5 billion kWh (2008)
Electricity – consumption: 18.57 billion kWh (2005)
Oil – consumption: 25,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil – exports: NA (2001)
Oil – imports: NA (2001)
Exports: $1.997 billion (2009)
Exports – commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments); textiles and fishery products
Exports – partners: South Korea 47%, China 40%, Hong Kong 2% (2009 est.)
$3.096 billion (2009)
Imports – commodities: petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain
Imports – partners: China 61%, South Korea 24%, Singapore 2%, India 2% (2009 est.)
Currency: DPRK won (KPW)
Currency code: KPW
Exchange rates: official: DPRK won per US dollar – 141 (2006); market: DPRK won per US dollar – 1,800 (December 2010)
Fiscal year: calendar year
