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North Korea
dictatorship, single-party communist state
<p>The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C. Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms -- Kogoryo, Paekche, and Silla -- were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula and part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China).
Profile
CapitalPyongyang
Population26.4M
GDP$15.4B
Area120,538 km²
LanguageKorean
CurrencyNorth Korean won (KPW) per US dollar (average market rate)
Leadership
Head of State
Kim Jong-un
Since 2011
Head of Government
Pak Thae-song
Since 2024
At a Glance
Population
26.4M
GDP (PPP)
$15B
