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Compare Singapore (2003) - Korea, North (2005)

Compare Singapore (2003) z Korea, North (2005)

 Singapore (2003)Korea, North (2005)
 SingaporeKorea, North
Administrative divisions none 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si, singular and plural)

provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang)

municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)
Age structure 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575)


15-64 years: 75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783)


65 years and over: 7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 24.2% (male 2,816,844/female 2,735,478)


15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,668,581/female 7,883,267)


65 years and over: 7.9% (male 625,819/female 1,182,188) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs
Airports 9 (2002) 78 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 35


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 23


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 43


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 20


914 to 1,523 m: 14


under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Area total: 692.7 sq km


land: 682.7 sq km


water: 10 sq km
total: 120,540 sq km


land: 120,410 sq km


water: 130 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Mississippi
Background Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe. An independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of the past millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War; five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed republic in the southern portion by force, North Korea, under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. It molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as KIM's successor in 1980 and assumed a growing political and managerial role until his father's death in 1994. He assumed full power without opposition. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the North since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international 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, following revelations it was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the United States to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." From August 2003, North Korea has participated on and off in six-party talks with the China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the United States to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs.
Birth rate 12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 16.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $27.9 billion


expenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (FY 00/01 est.)
revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Capital Singapore Pyongyang
Climate tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
Coastline 193 km 2,495 km
Constitution 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution) adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Singapore


conventional short form: Singapore
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
Currency Singapore dollar (SGD) -
Death rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $8.2 billion (2002 est.) $12 billion (1996 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN


embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508


mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001


telephone: [65] 6476-9100


FAX: [65] 6476-9340
none (Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee


chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100


FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876


consulate(s) general: San Francisco


consulate(s): New York
none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
Disputes - international disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, maritime boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of thousands of North Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers and a section of boundary around Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South over the Northern Limit Line; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)
Economic aid - recipient $NA NA; note - over $117 million in food aid through the World Food Program in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations
Economy - overview Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2002 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. 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 eleventh 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, 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 July 2002, the government took limited steps toward a freer market economy. In 2004, heightened political tensions with key donor countries and general donor fatigue threatened the flow of desperately needed food aid and fuel aid. Black market prices have 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. In 2004, the regime allowed private markets to sell a wider range of goods and permitted private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will constrain any further loosening of economic regulations.
Electricity - consumption 28.35 billion kWh (2001) 31.26 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 30.48 billion kWh (2001) 33.62 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m


highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m


highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
Environment - current issues industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese
Exchange rates Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998) official: North Korean won per US dollar - 170 (December 2004), 150 (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001); market: North Korean won per US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (since 1 August 1995)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premier


head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPA


elections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008)


election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed
Exports NA (2001) NA
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments); textiles and fishery products
Exports - partners Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% (2002) China 29.9%, South Korea 24.1%, Japan 13.2% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $112.4 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NEGL%


industry: 33%


services: 67% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 30.2%


industry: 33.8%


services: 36% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.2% (2002 est.) 1% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 1 22 N, 103 48 E 40 00 N, 127 00 E
Geography - note focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated
Heliports - 19 (2004 est.)
Highways total: 3,066 km


paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (1999)
total: 31,200 km


paved: 1,997 km


unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering for years, from the 1970's into the 2000's, citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; in recent years, police investigations in Taiwan and Japan have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003; all indications point to North Korea emerging as an important regional source of illicit drugs targeting markets in Japan, Taiwan, the Russian Far East, and China
Imports NA (2001) 11,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain
Imports - partners Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%, Thailand 4.6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2002) China 32.9%, Thailand 10.7%, Japan 4.8% (2004)
Independence 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Industrial production growth rate -9.8% (2002 est.) NA
Industries electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 24.04 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 22.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.4% (2002 est.) NA (2003 est.)
International organization participation APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 9 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 14,600 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)
Labor force 2.19 million (2000) 9.6 million
Labor force - by occupation financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22% agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,673 km


border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Land use arable land: 1.64%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 98.36% (1998 est.)
arable land: 20.76%


permanent crops: 2.49%


other: 76.75% (2001)
Languages Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official) Korean
Legal system based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 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
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member


elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
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; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.42 years


male: 77.46 years


female: 83.6 years (2003 est.)
total population: 71.37 years


male: 68.65 years


female: 74.22 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 93.2%


male: 96.7%


female: 89.7% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99%
Location Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Map references Southeast Asia Asia
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice


territorial sea: 3 NM
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
Merchant marine total: 859 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,836,021 GRT/32,765,063 DWT


ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 85, chemical tanker 87, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 8, container 176, liquefied gas 38, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, petroleum tanker 277, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 31


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6, China 12, Denmark 27, Germany 17, Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4, Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3, Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46, Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, UAE 4, UK 14, US 1 (2002 est.)
total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 985,108 GRT/1,389,389 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 191, container 2, livestock carrier 4, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5


foreign-owned: 52 (China 1, Denmark 2, France 1, Greece 4, Italy 1, Lebanon 4, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 1, Pakistan 2, Romania 10, Russia 2, Singapore 2, South Korea 2, Syria 9, Turkey 6, Ukraine 1, UAE 3) (2005)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force North Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force; Civil Security Forces (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $4.47 billion (FY01 est.) $5,217.4 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.9% (FY01) NA
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,392,740 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 9 August (1965) Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948)
Nationality noun: Singaporean(s)


adjective: Singapore
noun: Korean(s)


adjective: Korean
Natural hazards NA late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
Natural resources fish, deepwater ports coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Net migration rate 25.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines gas 139 km (2003) oil 154 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [leader NA]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore Justice Party or SJP [leader NA]; Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman]; Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang] major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il, general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control); Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under KWP control)
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none
Population 4,608,595 (July 2003 est.) 22,912,177 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 3.42% (2003 est.) 0.9% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Singapore Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2003)
Railways total: 38.6 km


narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge


note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations
total: 5,214 km


standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2004)
Religions Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist 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
Sex ratio at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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: 0.53 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal and compulsory 17 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service


domestic: excellent domestic facilities


international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing
Telephones - main lines in use 1.95 million (2000) 1.1 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2.74 million (2000) NA
Television broadcast stations 6 (2000) 4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003)
Terrain lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Total fertility rate 1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.15 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.6% (2002 est.) NA (2003)
Waterways none 2,250 km


note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)
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