(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

_*_Economy
_#_Overview: More than 90% of this command economy is socialized;
agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95%
of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually
tight even for a Communist country because of the small size and
homogeneity of the society and the strict one-man rule of Kim. Economic
growth during the period 1984-90 averaged approximately 3%. Abundant
natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial
development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore,
magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals.
Manufacturing emphasis is centered on heavy industry, with light industry
lagging far behind. Despite the use of high-yielding seed varieties,
expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea
has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Four consecutive
years of poor harvests, coupled with distribution problems, have led to
chronic food shortages. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in
economic development and living standards.

_#_GNP: $29.7 billion, per capita $1,390; real growth rate 2%
(1990 est.)

_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

_#_Unemployment rate: officially none

_#_Budget: revenues $15.6 billion; expenditures $15.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

_#_Exports: $1.95 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities--minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural
products, manufactures;

partners--USSR, China, Japan, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore

_#_Imports: $2.85 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities--petroleum, machinery and equipment, coking coal,
grain;

partners--USSR, Japan, China, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore

_#_External debt: $7 billion (1991)

_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%

_#_Electricity: 6,440,000 kW capacity; 40,250 million kWh produced,
1,890 kWh per capita (1990)

_#_Industries: machine building, military products, electric power,
chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing

_#_Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GNP and 36% of work force;
principal crops--rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and
livestock products--cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in
grain; fish catch estimated at 1.7 million metric