Part 113

Chapter 1133,621 wordsPublic domain

chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO

cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held on 17 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Anote TONG 63.7%, Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA 32.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney general, 1 nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders (representing Banaba Island); members serve four-year terms)

elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 22 August 2007 and the second round on 30 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, other 2 (includes attorney general)

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]

note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:

the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the Pacific ocean; the white stripes represent the three island groups - the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix Islands; the 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (formerly Ocean Island); the frigate bird symbolizes authority and freedom

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Urium Tamuera IOTEBA

note: adopted 1979

Economy ::Kiribati

Economy - overview:

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific Islands. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. Private sector initiatives and a financial sector are in the early stages of development. Foreign financial aid from the EU, UK, US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UN agencies, and Taiwan accounts for 20-25% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from an Australian trust fund.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$619.5 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 $610.4 million (2009 est.)

$614.7 million (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$152 million (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 -0.7% (2009 est.)

-1.1% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $6,200 (2009 est.)

$6,300 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 24.2%

services: 66.8% (2004)

Labor force:

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.7%

industry: 32%

services: 65.3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:

2% (1992 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Industries:

fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

14 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - consumption:

13.02 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - consumption:

NA bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - imports:

261 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Current account balance:

-$21 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Exports:

$17 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Exports - commodities:

copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Imports:

$62 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

Debt - external:

$10 million (1999 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.1151 (2010), 1.2822 (2009), 1.2059 (2008), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006)

Communications ::Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 216

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 217

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally good quality national and international service

domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999

international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media:

1 television broadcast station that provides about 1 hour of local programming Monday-Friday; multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasting on AM, FM, and shortwave (2009)

Internet country code:

.ki

Internet hosts:

31 (2010) country comparison to the world: 214

Internet users:

7,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 203

Transportation ::Kiribati

Airports:

19 (2010) country comparison to the world: 137

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 4 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 670 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 189

Waterways:

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2007) country comparison to the world: 109

Merchant marine:

total: 71 country comparison to the world: 61 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 32, chemical tanker 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 15

foreign-owned: 51 (China 28, Hong Kong 1, Italy 1, Singapore 11, South Korea 2, Taiwan 5, Turkey 3) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Betio (Tarawa Atoll), Canton Island, English Harbor

Military ::Kiribati

Military branches:

no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Police Force (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 24,734 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,941

females age 16-49: 19,758 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,107

female: 1,083 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

Military - note:

Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues ::Kiribati

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on January 12, 2011

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@Korea, North (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Korea, North

Background:

An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea's history of regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, long-range missile development, WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006 and 2009, and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.

Geography ::Korea, North

Location:

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 120,538 sq km country comparison to the world: 98 land: 120,408 sq km

water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries:

total: 1,673 km

border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:

2,495 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:

mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 22.4%

permanent crops: 1.66%

other: 75.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,600 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

77.1 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%)

per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

volcanism: Changbaishan (elev. 2,744 m, 9,003 ft) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People ::Korea, North

Population:

22,757,275 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.3% (male 2,440,439/female 2,376,557)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,776,889/female 7,945,399)

65 years and over: 9.4% (male 820,504/female 1,305,557) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.9 years

male: 32.5 years

female: 35.2 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.389% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Birth rate:

14.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Death rate:

10.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Net migration rate:

-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Urbanization:

urban population: 63% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 50.15 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 51 male: 57.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 42.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.13 years country comparison to the world: 170 male: 61.53 years

female: 66.89 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.94 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

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:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99%

Education expenditures:

Government ::Korea, North

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea

conventional short form: North Korea

local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form: Choson

abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:

Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities (si, singular and plural)

provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang)

municipalities: Nason-si, P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Independence:

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:

Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Constitution:

adopted 1948; revised several times most recently in 2009

Legal system:

based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 9 April 2009, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2009 president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials

head of government: Premier CHOE Yong Rim (since 7 June 2010); Vice Premier HAN Kwang Bok (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier JO Pyong Ju (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier JON Ha Chol (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier KANG Nung Su (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier KIM Rak Hui (since 7 June 2010), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil (since 18 September 2009), Vice Premier RI Thae Nam (since 7 June 2010); Vice Premier RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)

cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: last election held in September 2003; date of next election NA

election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 8 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for minor parties

Judicial branch:

Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (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; the broad red band symbolizes revolutionary traditions; the narrow white bands stands for purity, strength, and dignity; the blue bands signify sovereignty, peace, and friendship; the red star represents socialism

National anthem:

lyrics/music: PAK Se Yong/KIM Won Gyun

note: adopted 1947; both North Korea and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics; the North Korean anthem is also known as "Ach'imun pinnara" (Let Morning Shine)

Economy ::Korea, North

Economy - overview:

North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Severe flooding in the summer of 2007 aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed private "farmers' markets" to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming - on an experimental basis - in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations. In mid-2008, North Korea began receiving food aid under a US program to deliver 500,000 metric tons of food via the World Food Program and US nongovernmental organizations; but Pyongyang stopped accepting the aid in March 2009. In December 2009, North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency, capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation, forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by February 2010. Nevertheless, firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which likely will inhibit changes to North Korea's current economic system.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$40 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $40 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars;

North Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown here are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2009 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion.

GDP (official exchange rate):

$28 billion (2009 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.9% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 3.7% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 $1,900 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 20.9%

industry: 46.9%

services: 32.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

12.2 million country comparison to the world: 41 note: estimates vary widely (2009 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 35%

industry and services: 65% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Industries: