Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
President: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Population
24,589,122
3,887,886
Life Expectancy
69.200 years
57.410 years
Capital City
Monrovia
Largest city
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Monrovia (population: 939,524)
Human Development Index
0
0.364
GDP per capita
$500 US
Literacy Rate
99%
57.5%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
2.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
20.1%
13.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
85.000%
Death Penalty
NA
Abolished in practice
Political System
Communist state one-man dictatorship
republic
Independence date
26 July 1847
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
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages
Korean
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Exports
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
External Debt
$228,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.300%
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, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Area
120,538 km sq
111,369 km sq
Coastline
2,495 km
579 km
Climate
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
