The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a northeast Asian state located in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula.
It is bounded to the north by China, to the northeast by the Russian Federation, to the east by the Sea of Japan, to the south by South Korea and to the west by the Yellow Sea.
It has a mountainous relief, with deep and narrow valleys. The highest peak is Paektusan (2,774 meters above sea level), on the Chinese border. Almost all the important rivers begin in the mountains and flow westward towards the Yellow Sea. The longest river is the Yalu, followed by the Taedong, the Chongchon and the Chaeryong. The Tumen River is also significant, but flows eastwards.
The climate is continental, with dry cold winters and warm summers. The population of North Korea is ethnically homogeneous, mainly consisting of Koreans. Its main economic drivers are metals, textiles and the chemical industry. Agriculture (rice, maize, wheat, soybeans, cotton, etc.) employs close to 40% of the labour force, but only supplies for the basic needs of the country.
North Korea is a Communist state with a centralized government.
