est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 2,888,478; female 2,747,133)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 7,380,183; female 7,612,275) 65 years and over:
7.2% (male 527,256; female 1,068,870) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.1% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.44 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.22 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community
and a few ethnic Japanese

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

Languages: Korean

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write Korean total population:
Government Korea, North

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of
Korea conventional short form: North Korea local short form: none local
long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk note: the North Koreans
generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country abbreviation:
DPRK

Government type: authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship

Capital: P'yongyang

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4
special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province),
Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong
Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo
(South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon
Province), Najin Sonbong-si*, Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto
(North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province),
P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)

Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japa