Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
President: Jorge Carlos Fonseca
Population
24,589,122
523,568
Life Expectancy
69.200 years
71.000 years
Capital City
Praia
Largest city
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Praia (population: 113,364)
Human Development Index
0
0.705
GDP per capita
$4,000 US
Literacy Rate
99%
76.6%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
5.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
20.1%
18.1%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
21.000%
Death Penalty
NA
Abolished
Political System
Communist state one-man dictatorship
republic
Independence date
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
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 (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Languages
Korean
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Exports
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
External Debt
$657,700,000 US
Exchange Rate
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.500%
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
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Area
120,538 km sq
4,033 km sq
Coastline
2,495 km
965 km
Climate
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
