Mountains in north of country
Extinct volcano there
Stunning natural beauty
Country suffered hundreds of foreign wars |
South Korean military analysts
estimate 460,000 troops would be needed to stabilize North Korea, in the event of a
chaotic destabilization of the regime. |
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| Cities |
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- Pyongyang (3,171,800)
- Hamhung (841,200)
- Chongjin (684,000)
- Nampho (665,100)
- Sinujiu (400,000)
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- Wonsan (352,300)
- Pyongsung (315,800)
- Sariwon (300,100)
- Haeju (265,200)
- Rason (257,200)
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| Demographics |
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- Population: 23,479,088
- Life Expectancy: 72.2 years
- Literacy: 99%
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- Median Age: 32.7 years
- Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
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| History |
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- Anti-Japanese Demonstrations During Colonial Period (June
10, 1926)
- Japan occupied Korea (1944)
- Kim Il Song lead North Korea per Soviet Russia, at age 36, initially as a
Soviet puppet
- Pyong Yong established as capital (1948)
- North Korea invades South Korea, to create a unified Communist nation
(June 25, 1950)
- Ceasefire (not peace treaty) signed (July 27, 1953)
This solidified the border at the 38th parallel between North and South.
- Late 1950s and 60s, Soviet Union invested heavily in North Korea's
infrastructure, eventually surpassing that of South Korea
- North Korea promoted the idea of Du Chay (self reliance)
- Soviets provided a nuclear power reactor to North Korea (1965)
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- North Korea attempted assassination of South
Korea's president. Wife died, president survived(1974)
- South Korea wins Olympics hosting, North Korea bombs civilian South
Korean airliner (1987)
- North Korea announced plans to freeze its nuclear
program, in exchange for cooperation with West on nuclear fuel (1993)
- Kim Jong Il assumes leadership (1994)
- Floods wiped out agriculture in North Korea and half-million homeless,
compounded with no more Soviet aid produced massive famine (1995)
- Pope John Paul II led a day-long fast in support of famine victims in
North Korea April 25, 1998
- North Korea named in Axis of Evil (Jan 2002)
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Religion |
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- Buddhist and Confucianist
- some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion
of the Heavenly Way)
- autonomous religious activities now almost
nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide
illusion of religious freedom
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