Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
President : Thein Sein
Population
24,589,122
54,584,650
Life Expectancy
69.200 years
65.240 years
Capital City
Rangoon (Yangon)
Largest city
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Rangoon (population: 4,477,640)
Human Development Index
0
NA
GDP per capita
$1,300 US
Literacy Rate
99%
89.9%
Corruption Perception Index
Percentage of Women in Parliament
20.1%
NA
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
5.500%
Death Penalty
Political System
Communist state one-man dictatorship
military junta
Independence date
4 January 1948 (from UK)
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
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%
Languages
Korean
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,205 (2008 est.), 1,296 (2007), 1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004) note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for 2003-05 are official exchange rates
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
6
0
Location
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Area
120,538 km sq
676,578 km sq
Coastline
2,495 km
1,930 km
Climate
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
