Outline of North Korea

See also: Index of North Korea-related articles

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea or the DPRK,[1] is a sovereign country located on the northern half of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia.[2] To the south, separated by the Korean Demilitarized Zone, lies South Korea, with which it formed one nation until division following World War II. At its northern Amnok River border are China and, separated by the Tumen River in the extreme north-east, Russia. The capital of North Korea is the city of Pyongyang.

North Korea is widely considered to be a Stalinist dictatorship.[3][4][5][6][7][8] The country's government styles itself as following the Juche ideology of self reliance, developed by Kim Il-sung, the country's former leader. The current leader is Kim Jong-il, the late president Kim Il-sung's son. Relations are strongest with other officially socialist states: Vietnam, Laos, especially China and Russia, as well as with Cambodia and Myanmar. Following a major famine in the early 1990s, due partly to the collapse of the Soviet Union (previously a major economic partner), leader Kim Jong-il instigated the "Military-First" policy in 1995, increasing economic concentration and support for the military.

North Korea's culture is officially promoted and heavily controlled by the government. The Mass Games are government-organized events glorifying its two leaders, involving over 100,000 performers.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to North Korea:

Contents

General reference

Geography of North Korea

Main article: Geography of North Korea
 China 1,416 km
 South Korea 238 km
 Russia 19 km
  • Coastline: 2,495 km

Environment of North Korea

Natural geographic features of North Korea

Regions of North Korea

Ecoregions of North Korea

Administrative divisions of North Korea

Main article: Administrative divisions of North Korea
Provinces of North Korea
Main article: Administrative divisions of North Korea

Provinces
Special Administrative Regions
Directly-governed cities

  • Chagang Province (Chagang-do; 자강도; 慈江道)
  • North Hamgyŏng Province (Hamgyŏng-pukto; 함경 북도; 咸鏡北道)
  • South Hamgyŏng Province (Hamgyŏng-namdo; 함경 남도; 咸鏡南道)
  • North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghae-pukto; 황해 북도; 黃海北道)
  • South Hwanghae Province (Hwanghae-namdo; 황해 남도; 黃海南道)
  • Kangwŏn Province (Kangwŏndo; 강원도; 江原道)
  • North P'yŏngan Province (P'yŏngan-pukto; 평안 북도; 平安北道)
  • South P'yŏngan Province (P'yŏngan-namdo; 평안 남도; 平安南道)
  • Ryanggang Province (Ryanggang-do; 량강도; 兩江道)1
Note:Sometimes also spelled as "Yanggang" in English.
  • P'yŏngyang (P'yŏngyang Chikhalsi; 평양 직할시; 平壤直轄市)
  • Rasŏn (Rajin-Sŏnbong)(Rasŏn (Rajin-Sŏnbong) Chikhalsi; 라선 (라진-선봉) 직할시; 羅先 (羅津-先鋒) 直轄市)
Second-level administrative districts of North Korea
Main article: List of second-level administrative divisions of North Korea
Associated First-level district City(-ies) County(-ies) Workers' District(s) District(s) Ward(s)
P'yŏngyang Directly Governed City N/A 4 counties: N/A N/A 19 wards
Rasŏn Directly Governed City N/A 1 county: N/A N/A 1 ward:
Chagang Province 3 cities: 15 counties: N/A N/A N/A
North Hamgyŏng Province 3 cities: 12 counties: N/A N/A N/A
South Hamgyŏng Province 4 cities: 15 counties: 1 district: 1 worker's district: N/A
North Hwanghae Province 3 cities: 16 counties: N/A N/A N/A
South Hwanghae Province 1 city: 19 counties: N/A N/A N/A
Kangwŏn Province 2 cities: 15 counties: N/A N/A N/A
North P'yŏngan Province 3 cities: 22 counties: N/A N/A N/A
South P'yŏngan Province 1 special city:

5 cities:

 1 district: 2 workers' districts: 19 counties: N/A
Ryanggang Province 1 city: 11 counties: N/A N/A N/A
Kaesŏng Industrial Region N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Municipalities of North Korea

Demography of North Korea

Main article: Demographics of North Korea

Government and politics of North Korea

Main article: Government of North Korea and Politics of North Korea

Branches of the government of North Korea

Main article: Government of North Korea

Executive branch of the government of North Korea

Legislative branch of the government of North Korea

Judicial branch of the government of North Korea

Foreign relations of North Korea

Main article: Foreign relations of North Korea

International organization membership

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a member of:[2]

North Korea is 1 of only 7 U.N. members which is not a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Law and order in North Korea

Military of North Korea

Main article: Military of North Korea

Local government in North Korea

History of North Korea

Main article: History of North Korea, Timeline of the history of North Korea, and Current events of North Korea

Culture of North Korea

Main article: Culture of North Korea

Art in North Korea

Sports in North Korea

Main article: Sports in North Korea

Economy and infrastructure of North Korea

Main article: Economy of North Korea

Education in North Korea

Main article: Education in North Korea

See also

Korea portal
Geography portal
Asia portal
Main article: North Korea

References

  1. ^ Another acronym occasionally used in the media is DPRNK, as for Democratic People's Republic of North Korea.
  2. ^ a b "North Korea". The World Factbook. United States Central Intelligence Agency. July 2, 2009. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html. Retrieved July 23, 2009. 
  3. ^ Spencer, Richard (2007-08-28). "North Korea power struggle looms". The Telegraph (online version of UK national newspaper). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/28/wnkorea128.xml. Retrieved 2007-10-31. "A power struggle to succeed Kim Jong-il as leader of North Korea's Stalinist dictatorship may be looming after his eldest son was reported to have returned from semi-voluntary exile." 
  4. ^ Brooke, James (2003-10-02). "North Korea Says It Is Using Plutonium to Make A-Bombs". The New York Times (online version of New York, United States newspaper). http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/02/international/asia/02CND-KORE.html?ex=1380513600&en=a29d7f1e49aabee0&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND. Retrieved 2007-10-31. "North Korea, run by a Stalinist dictatorship for almost six decades, is largely closed to foreign reporters and it is impossible to independently check today's claims." 
  5. ^ Parry, Richard Lloyd (2007-09-05). "North Korea's nuclear 'deal' leaves Japan feeling nervous". The Times (online version of UK's national newspaper of record). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2388356.ece. Retrieved 2007-10-31. "The US Government contradicted earlier North Korean claims that it had agreed to remove the Stalinist dictatorship’s designation as a terrorist state and to lift economic sanctions, as part of talks aimed at disarming Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons." 
  6. ^ Walsh, Lynn (2003-02-08). "The Korean crisis". CWI online: Socialism Today, February 2003 edition, journal of the Socialist Party, CWI England and Wales. socialistworld.net, website of the committee for a worker’s international. http://socialistworld.net/eng/2003/02/08korea.html. Retrieved 2007-10-31. "Kim Jong-il's regime needs economic concessions to avoid collapse, and just as crucially needs an end to the strategic siege imposed by the US since the end of the Korean war (1950-53). Pyongyang's nuclear brinkmanship, though potentially dangerous, is driven by fear rather than by militaristic ambition. The rotten Stalinist dictatorship faces the prospect of an implosion. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, which deprived North Korea of vital economic support, the regime has consistently attempted to secure from the US a non-aggression pact, recognition of its sovereignty, and economic assistance. The US's equally consistent refusal to enter into direct negotiations with North Korea, effectively ruling out a peace treaty to formally close the 1950-53 Korean war, has encouraged the regime to resort to nuclear blackmail." 
  7. ^ Oakley, Corey (October 2006). "US is threat to peace not North Korea". Edition 109 - October–November 2006. Socialist Alternative website in Australia. http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=333&Itemid=106. Retrieved 2007-10-31. "In this context, the constant attempts by the Western press to paint Kim Jong Il as simply a raving lunatic look, well, mad. There is no denying that the regime he presides over is a nasty Stalinist dictatorship that brutally oppresses its own population. But in the face of constant threats from the US, Pyongyang's actions have a definite rationality from the regime's point of view." 
  8. ^ Baruma, Ian. "Leader Article: Let The Music Play On". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Let_The_Music_Play_On/articleshow/2859521.cms. Retrieved 2008-03-27. "North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is one of the world's most oppressive, closed, and vicious dictatorships. It is perhaps the last living example of pure totalitarianism — control of the state over every aspect of human life. Is such a place the right venue for a western orchestra? Can one imagine the New York Philharmonic, which performed to great acclaim in Pyongyang, entertaining Stalin or Hitler?" 

External links

Wikimedia Atlas of North Korea

Outlines
  • General reference
  • Culture and the arts
  • Geography and places
  • Health and fitness
  • History and events
  • Mathematics and logic
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  • Religion and belief systems
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