Korea, North (2003) | San Marino (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Najin Sonbong-si*, Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (Pyongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province) | 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 25% (male 2,845,727; female 2,763,800)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 7,485,310; female 7,746,603) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 541,155; female 1,083,886) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs | wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides |
Airports | 72 (2002) | none (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 34
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 7 (2002) |
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Area | total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km water: 130 sq km |
total: 61.2 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Mississippi | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Following World War II, Korea was split, with the northern half coming under Communist domination and the southern portion becoming Western-oriented. KIM Chong-il has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's founder, president KIM Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and research into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, North Korea repudiated a 1994 agreement that shut down its nuclear reactors and expelled UN monitors, further raising fears it would produce nuclear weapons. | The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor. |
Birth rate | 17.61 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Pyongyang | San Marino |
Climate | temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer | Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers |
Coastline | 2,495 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992 and September 1998 | 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution |
Country name | conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: none note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country abbreviation: DPRK |
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino |
Currency | North Korean won (KPW) | - |
Death rate | 6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $12 billion (1996 est.) | $NA |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (Swedish Embassy in P'yongyang represents the US as consular protecting power) | the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York | San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu |
Disputes - international | with China, certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in uncontested dispute; a section of boundary around Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; China objects to illegal migration of North Koreans into northern China; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA; note - nearly $300 million in food aid alone from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 2001 plus much additional aid from the UN and non-governmental organizations | $NA |
Economy - overview | North Korea, 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 tenth year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land; collective farming; weather-related problems, including major drought in 2000; 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. Recently, the regime has placed emphasis on earning hard currency, developing information technology, addressing power shortages, and attracting foreign aid, but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over key national assets or undergoing widespread market-oriented reforms. In 2003, heightened political tensions with key donor countries and general donor fatigue have held down the flow of desperately needed food aid and have threatened fuel aid as well. | The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.91 billion kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 30.01 billion kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 29%
hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m |
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 755 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution |
Ethnic groups | racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese | Sammarinese, Italian |
Exchange rates | official: North Korean won per US dollar - 150 (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North Korean won per US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002), 200 (December 2001) | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was reelected President of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier PAK Pong-chu (since 3 September 2003); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom-ki (since 5 September 1998), CHON Sung-hun (since 3 September 2003), NO Tu-chol (since 3 September 2003) cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA) election results: HONG Song-nam elected premier; percent of Supreme People's Assembly vote - NA% |
chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Claudio MUCCIOLI and Captain Regent Antonello BACCIOCHI (for the period 1 October 2005 - 31 March 2006)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA September 2005 (next to be held March 2006); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003 (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled) election results: Claudio MUCCIOLI and Antonello BACCIOCHI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA% note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister |
Exports | NA (2001) | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Exports - commodities | minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments); textiles and fishery products | building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics |
Exports - partners | China 23.5%, Japan 19.9%, Costa Rica 12.4%, Brazil 6.5% (2002) | - |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $22.26 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 30.4%
industry: 32.3% services: 37.3% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2002 est.) | 7.5% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 40 00 N, 127 00 E | 43 46 N, 12 25 E |
Geography - note | strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated | landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines |
Highways | total: 31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.) |
total: 220 km
paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Imports - commodities | petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain | wide variety of consumer manufactures, food |
Imports - partners | China 24.9%, Brazil 12.1%, India 9.2%, Thailand 9.2%, Germany 7.8%, Japan 7.1%, Singapore 4.5%, Qatar 4% (2002) | - |
Independence | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) | 3 September 301 |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 6% (1997 est.) |
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 | tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine |
Infant mortality rate | total: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3.3% (2001) |
International organization participation | ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO | CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 14,600 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly) | Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII |
Labor force | 9.6 million | 18,500 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64% | agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km |
total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km |
Land use | arable land: 14.12%
permanent crops: 2.49% other: 83.39% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2001) |
Languages | Korean | Italian |
Legal system | based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; the KWP approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties |
unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 70.79 years
male: 68.1 years female: 73.61 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 81.62 years
male: 78.13 years female: 85.43 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write Korean
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea | Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy |
Map references | Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM note: military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 881,276 GRT/1,309,547 DWT
ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 120, combination bulk 2, container 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 4, short-sea passenger 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 2, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Italy |
Military branches | Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces | Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $5,217.4 million (FY02) | $700,000 (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 33.9% (FY02) | NA |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 6,103,615 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 3,654,223 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 180,875 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) | Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301) |
Nationality | noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese |
Natural hazards | late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall | NA |
Natural resources | coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower | building stone |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | oil 136 km (2003) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]; Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong-tae, chairman]; major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Chong-il, general secretary] | Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 22,466,481 (July 2003 est.) | 28,880 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.07% (2003 est.) | 1.3% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999) | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 5,214 km
standard gauge: 4,549 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge (2002) |
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Religions | traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom |
Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 17 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing |
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.1 million (1997) | 20,600 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 16,800 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 38 (1999) | 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east | rugged mountains |
Total fertility rate | 2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 2.6% (2001) |
Waterways | 2,253 km
note: mostly navigable by small craft only |
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