Geographical features of North Korea
"Northern Korea" redirects here. For the state, see
North Korea
.
40°00′N
127°00′E
/
40.000°N 127.000°E
/
40.000; 127.000
North Korea
is located in
East Asia
in the Northern half of Korea, partially on the
Korean Peninsula
. It borders three countries:
China
along the
Yalu (Amnok) River
,
Russia
along the
Tumen River
, and
South Korea
to the south.
Topography and drainage
[
edit
]
The terrain consists mostly of
hills
and
mountains
separated by deep, narrow
valleys
. The coastal
plains
are wide in the west and discontinuous in the east.
Early
European
visitors to Korea remarked that the country resembled "a sea in a heavy gale" because of the many successive
mountain ranges
that crisscross the peninsula. Some 80 percent of North Korea's land area is composed of mountains and uplands, with all of the peninsula's mountains with elevations of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) or more located in North Korea. The great majority of the population lives in the plains and lowlands.
Paektu Mountain
, the highest point in North Korea at 2,743 metres (8,999 ft), is a
volcanic mountain
near
Manchuria
with
basalt
lava
plateau
with elevations between 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) and 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level. The
Hamgyong Range
, located in the extreme northeastern part of the peninsula, has many high peaks, including Kwanmobong at approximately 2,541 metres (8,337 ft).
Other major ranges include the
Rangrim Mountains
, which are located in the north-central part of North Korea and run in a north-south direction, making communication between the eastern and western parts of the country rather difficult; and the
Kangnam Range
, which runs along the
North Korea?China border
.
Kumgangsan
, or Diamond Mountain, (approximately 1,638 metres (5,374 ft)) in the
Thaebaek
Range, which extends into South Korea, is famous for its scenic beauty.
For the most part, the plains are small. The most extensive are the
Pyongyang
and
Chaeryong
plains, each covering about 500 km
2
. Because the mountains on the east coast drop abruptly to the sea, the plains are even smaller there than on the west coast.
The mountain ranges in the northern and eastern parts of North Korea form the watershed for most of its rivers, which run in a westerly direction and empty into the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay. The longest is the Amnok River, which is navigable for 678 km of its 790 kilometres (490 mi). The Tuman River, one of the few major rivers to flow into the Sea of Japan, is the second longest at 521 kilometres (324 mi) but is navigable for only 85 kilometres (53 mi) because of the mountainous topography.
The third longest river, the
Taedong River
, flows through Pyongyang and is navigable for 245 of its 397 km. Lakes tend to be small because of the lack of glacial activity and the stability of the Earth's crust in the region. Unlike neighboring Japan or northern China, North Korea experiences few severe
earthquakes
. The country has a number of natural spas and hot springs, which number 124 according to one North Korean source.
[1]
Climate
[
edit
]
Most of North Korea is classified as being of a
humid continental climate
within the
Koppen climate classification
scheme, with warm summers and cold, dry winters. In summer, there is a short rainy season called
changma
.
[2]
Long winters bring bitter cold and clear weather interspersed with snowstorms as a result of northern and northwestern winds that blow from
Siberia
. The daily average high and low temperatures for Pyongyang in January are ?3 and ?13 °C (27 and 9 °F). On average, it snows thirty-seven days during the winter. Winter can be particularly harsh in the northern, mountainous regions.
[3]
Summer tends to be short, hot, humid, and rainy because of the southern and southeastern
monsoon
winds that bring moist air from the
Pacific Ocean
. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons marked by mild temperatures and variable winds and bring the most pleasant weather. The daily average high and low temperatures for
Pyongyang
in August are 29 and 20 °C (84 and 68 °F).
[3]
On average, approximately 60% of all precipitation occurs from June to September. Natural hazards include late spring droughts which are
often followed by severe flooding
. Typhoons affect the peninsula on an average of at least once every summer or early autumn.
[3]
The drought that started in June 2015, according to the
Korean Central News Agency
, has been the worst seen in 100 years.
[4]
Examples
[
edit
]
Climate data for Pyongyang (1991?2020 normals, extremes 1961?present)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Record high °C (°F)
|
10.0
(50.0)
|
16.0
(60.8)
|
21.4
(70.5)
|
28.4
(83.1)
|
33.9
(93.0)
|
35.8
(96.4)
|
35.9
(96.6)
|
37.8
(100.0)
|
32.2
(90.0)
|
28.9
(84.0)
|
23.2
(73.8)
|
15.0
(59.0)
|
37.8
(100.0)
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
?0.4
(31.3)
|
3.1
(37.6)
|
9.7
(49.5)
|
17.6
(63.7)
|
23.5
(74.3)
|
27.5
(81.5)
|
29.1
(84.4)
|
29.6
(85.3)
|
25.7
(78.3)
|
18.8
(65.8)
|
9.7
(49.5)
|
1.4
(34.5)
|
16.3
(61.3)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
?5.4
(22.3)
|
?2.0
(28.4)
|
4.0
(39.2)
|
11.4
(52.5)
|
17.4
(63.3)
|
21.9
(71.4)
|
24.7
(76.5)
|
25.0
(77.0)
|
20.2
(68.4)
|
12.9
(55.2)
|
4.8
(40.6)
|
?2.9
(26.8)
|
11.0
(51.8)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
?9.8
(14.4)
|
?6.6
(20.1)
|
?0.9
(30.4)
|
5.9
(42.6)
|
12.0
(53.6)
|
17.4
(63.3)
|
21.4
(70.5)
|
21.5
(70.7)
|
15.6
(60.1)
|
7.8
(46.0)
|
0.5
(32.9)
|
?6.8
(19.8)
|
6.5
(43.7)
|
Record low °C (°F)
|
?26.5
(?15.7)
|
?23.4
(?10.1)
|
?16.1
(3.0)
|
?6.1
(21.0)
|
2.2
(36.0)
|
7.0
(44.6)
|
12.0
(53.6)
|
12.8
(55.0)
|
3.6
(38.5)
|
?6.0
(21.2)
|
?14.0
(6.8)
|
?22.8
(?9.0)
|
?26.5
(?15.7)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
9.6
(0.38)
|
14.5
(0.57)
|
23.9
(0.94)
|
44.8
(1.76)
|
74.7
(2.94)
|
90.2
(3.55)
|
274.7
(10.81)
|
209.6
(8.25)
|
90.8
(3.57)
|
47.2
(1.86)
|
38.4
(1.51)
|
18.0
(0.71)
|
936.4
(36.87)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
3.9
|
3.7
|
4.2
|
5.8
|
7.1
|
7.9
|
12.5
|
10.1
|
6.3
|
5.8
|
7.1
|
5.7
|
80.1
|
Average snowy days
|
5.4
|
4.0
|
1.8
|
0.3
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.1
|
1.9
|
5.5
|
19.0
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
69.1
|
65.0
|
62.5
|
60.4
|
65.3
|
72.2
|
81.1
|
80.6
|
75.3
|
72.0
|
72.2
|
70.6
|
70.5
|
Mean monthly
sunshine hours
|
184
|
197
|
231
|
237
|
263
|
229
|
181
|
204
|
222
|
214
|
165
|
165
|
2,492
|
Average
ultraviolet index
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
9
|
7
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
Source 1:
Korea Meteorological Administration
[5]
|
Source 2: Pogodaiklimat.ru (extremes),
[6]
Deutscher Wetterdienst (sun, 1961?1990)
[7]
and Weather Atlas
[8]
|
Climate data for Hamhung (1991?2020)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
2.8
(37.0)
|
5.2
(41.4)
|
10.4
(50.7)
|
17.4
(63.3)
|
22.3
(72.1)
|
25.3
(77.5)
|
27.7
(81.9)
|
28.1
(82.6)
|
24.8
(76.6)
|
19.5
(67.1)
|
11.5
(52.7)
|
4.8
(40.6)
|
16.7
(62.1)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
?3.4
(25.9)
|
?1.0
(30.2)
|
4.2
(39.6)
|
10.8
(51.4)
|
16.0
(60.8)
|
19.8
(67.6)
|
23.1
(73.6)
|
23.5
(74.3)
|
19.0
(66.2)
|
12.8
(55.0)
|
5.4
(41.7)
|
?1.2
(29.8)
|
10.8
(51.4)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
?9.0
(15.8)
|
?6.7
(19.9)
|
?1.3
(29.7)
|
4.6
(40.3)
|
10.3
(50.5)
|
15.6
(60.1)
|
19.6
(67.3)
|
19.9
(67.8)
|
14.3
(57.7)
|
7.3
(45.1)
|
0.2
(32.4)
|
?6.3
(20.7)
|
5.7
(42.3)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
12.3
(0.48)
|
11.2
(0.44)
|
20.3
(0.80)
|
44.9
(1.77)
|
72.2
(2.84)
|
85.3
(3.36)
|
205.0
(8.07)
|
172.8
(6.80)
|
95.8
(3.77)
|
41.8
(1.65)
|
49.4
(1.94)
|
19.0
(0.75)
|
830.0
(32.68)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
3.6
|
3.1
|
4.3
|
5.4
|
7.4
|
8.5
|
12.4
|
10.9
|
6.9
|
4.6
|
5.5
|
3.3
|
75.9
|
Average snowy days
|
4.4
|
3.5
|
3.4
|
0.3
|
0.1
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
1.3
|
3.4
|
16.4
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
63.6
|
61.2
|
61.4
|
61.2
|
69.4
|
78.7
|
84.0
|
84.7
|
79.9
|
71.3
|
67.0
|
63.7
|
70.5
|
Source:
Korea Meteorological Administration
[9]
|
Climate data for Wonsan, North Korea (1991?2020)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
2.6
(36.7)
|
4.7
(40.5)
|
9.8
(49.6)
|
16.7
(62.1)
|
21.5
(70.7)
|
24.3
(75.7)
|
27.0
(80.6)
|
27.3
(81.1)
|
23.6
(74.5)
|
18.7
(65.7)
|
11.5
(52.7)
|
4.7
(40.5)
|
16.0
(60.8)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
?1.7
(28.9)
|
0.4
(32.7)
|
5.3
(41.5)
|
11.5
(52.7)
|
16.5
(61.7)
|
20.1
(68.2)
|
23.4
(74.1)
|
23.8
(74.8)
|
19.6
(67.3)
|
14.0
(57.2)
|
7.2
(45.0)
|
0.6
(33.1)
|
11.7
(53.1)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
?5.7
(21.7)
|
?3.8
(25.2)
|
1.0
(33.8)
|
6.7
(44.1)
|
11.9
(53.4)
|
16.6
(61.9)
|
20.5
(68.9)
|
21.0
(69.8)
|
15.9
(60.6)
|
9.6
(49.3)
|
3.0
(37.4)
|
?3.2
(26.2)
|
7.8
(46.0)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
21.9
(0.86)
|
26.9
(1.06)
|
34.6
(1.36)
|
58.1
(2.29)
|
96.1
(3.78)
|
128.9
(5.07)
|
319.1
(12.56)
|
279.3
(11.00)
|
201.8
(7.94)
|
76.9
(3.03)
|
71.6
(2.82)
|
34.8
(1.37)
|
1,350
(53.15)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
4.0
|
4.0
|
5.1
|
6.3
|
7.7
|
10.1
|
13.9
|
13.2
|
8.1
|
6.0
|
6.1
|
3.7
|
88.2
|
Average snowy days
|
5.1
|
4.2
|
3.7
|
0.6
|
0.1
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.9
|
3.3
|
17.9
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
52.7
|
54.5
|
56.5
|
57.2
|
67.0
|
78.2
|
82.9
|
83.7
|
77.9
|
66.0
|
58.3
|
54.2
|
65.8
|
Mean monthly
sunshine hours
|
204.6
|
206.2
|
232.5
|
234.0
|
235.6
|
207.0
|
173.6
|
176.7
|
198.0
|
223.2
|
192.0
|
192.2
|
2,475.6
|
Source 1:
Korea Meteorological Administration
[10]
|
Source 2: Wetter Spiegel Online (sunshine only)
[11]
|
Climate data for Nampo (1991?2020)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
?0.5
(31.1)
|
2.6
(36.7)
|
8.9
(48.0)
|
16.5
(61.7)
|
22.5
(72.5)
|
26.4
(79.5)
|
28.5
(83.3)
|
29.1
(84.4)
|
25.5
(77.9)
|
18.9
(66.0)
|
9.9
(49.8)
|
1.8
(35.2)
|
15.8
(60.4)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
?4.4
(24.1)
|
?1.7
(28.9)
|
3.9
(39.0)
|
10.8
(51.4)
|
16.7
(62.1)
|
21.2
(70.2)
|
24.3
(75.7)
|
24.8
(76.6)
|
20.4
(68.7)
|
13.7
(56.7)
|
5.7
(42.3)
|
?1.8
(28.8)
|
11.1
(52.0)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
?7.9
(17.8)
|
?5.4
(22.3)
|
0.0
(32.0)
|
6.4
(43.5)
|
12.4
(54.3)
|
17.7
(63.9)
|
21.4
(70.5)
|
21.7
(71.1)
|
16.6
(61.9)
|
9.5
(49.1)
|
2.0
(35.6)
|
?5.0
(23.0)
|
7.5
(45.5)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
9.2
(0.36)
|
12.9
(0.51)
|
17.3
(0.68)
|
36.8
(1.45)
|
67.0
(2.64)
|
82.0
(3.23)
|
202.2
(7.96)
|
166.2
(6.54)
|
72.4
(2.85)
|
38.5
(1.52)
|
38.8
(1.53)
|
19.6
(0.77)
|
762.9
(30.04)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
4.2
|
3.5
|
3.7
|
5.0
|
6.5
|
7.0
|
10.8
|
8.2
|
5.5
|
5.3
|
6.8
|
6.0
|
72.5
|
Average snowy days
|
5.2
|
3.2
|
1.6
|
0.1
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
2.1
|
5.6
|
17.8
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
72.1
|
70.0
|
69.2
|
66.6
|
71.1
|
78.4
|
85.8
|
84.6
|
77.2
|
72.4
|
73.6
|
72.5
|
74.5
|
Source:
Korea Meteorological Administration
[12]
|
Climate data for Kaesong (1991?2020)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
1.6
(34.9)
|
4.6
(40.3)
|
10.5
(50.9)
|
17.3
(63.1)
|
22.8
(73.0)
|
26.8
(80.2)
|
28.1
(82.6)
|
29.3
(84.7)
|
25.8
(78.4)
|
20.1
(68.2)
|
11.3
(52.3)
|
3.6
(38.5)
|
16.8
(62.2)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
?3.6
(25.5)
|
?0.8
(30.6)
|
4.6
(40.3)
|
11.0
(51.8)
|
16.7
(62.1)
|
21.3
(70.3)
|
24.1
(75.4)
|
24.9
(76.8)
|
20.4
(68.7)
|
13.7
(56.7)
|
5.9
(42.6)
|
?1.3
(29.7)
|
11.4
(52.5)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
?8.1
(17.4)
|
?5.6
(21.9)
|
?0.3
(31.5)
|
5.6
(42.1)
|
11.6
(52.9)
|
17.1
(62.8)
|
21.1
(70.0)
|
21.5
(70.7)
|
15.9
(60.6)
|
8.3
(46.9)
|
1.1
(34.0)
|
?5.6
(21.9)
|
6.9
(44.4)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
10.9
(0.43)
|
19.4
(0.76)
|
24.7
(0.97)
|
49.9
(1.96)
|
95.2
(3.75)
|
105.7
(4.16)
|
359.9
(14.17)
|
285.2
(11.23)
|
109.9
(4.33)
|
40.9
(1.61)
|
40.8
(1.61)
|
18.3
(0.72)
|
1,160.8
(45.70)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
3.3
|
3.6
|
4.6
|
6.3
|
7.4
|
8.1
|
12.8
|
11.3
|
5.9
|
4.7
|
6.4
|
4.9
|
79.3
|
Average snowy days
|
4.6
|
3.1
|
1.6
|
0.1
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
1.4
|
4.9
|
15.7
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
67.2
|
64.7
|
64.4
|
66.7
|
72.9
|
77.8
|
85.3
|
81.8
|
73.4
|
70.1
|
70.3
|
67.9
|
71.9
|
Source:
Korea Meteorological Administration
[13]
|
Climate data for Hyesan (1991?2020)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
?8
(18)
|
?2.8
(27.0)
|
4.5
(40.1)
|
13.6
(56.5)
|
20.8
(69.4)
|
25.1
(77.2)
|
27.7
(81.9)
|
27.0
(80.6)
|
21.9
(71.4)
|
14.2
(57.6)
|
2.9
(37.2)
|
?6.3
(20.7)
|
11.7
(53.1)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
?15.9
(3.4)
|
?11.2
(11.8)
|
?2.7
(27.1)
|
6.0
(42.8)
|
12.8
(55.0)
|
17.5
(63.5)
|
21.1
(70.0)
|
20.3
(68.5)
|
13.8
(56.8)
|
5.8
(42.4)
|
?4
(25)
|
?13.2
(8.2)
|
4.2
(39.6)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
?22.2
(?8.0)
|
?18.5
(?1.3)
|
?9.5
(14.9)
|
?1.1
(30.0)
|
5.7
(42.3)
|
11.4
(52.5)
|
16.0
(60.8)
|
15.4
(59.7)
|
7.6
(45.7)
|
?0.7
(30.7)
|
?9.6
(14.7)
|
?19.1
(?2.4)
|
?2.1
(28.2)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
5.0
(0.20)
|
9.1
(0.36)
|
11.6
(0.46)
|
30.0
(1.18)
|
62.4
(2.46)
|
86.8
(3.42)
|
135.2
(5.32)
|
112.9
(4.44)
|
48.9
(1.93)
|
27.7
(1.09)
|
19.6
(0.77)
|
9.8
(0.39)
|
559.0
(22.01)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
5.2
|
4.4
|
6.1
|
8.4
|
12.2
|
13.8
|
13.8
|
12.2
|
6.9
|
6.4
|
6.8
|
6.5
|
102.7
|
Average snowy days
|
10.9
|
9.4
|
10.5
|
5.9
|
0.6
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.1
|
2.5
|
9.9
|
13.2
|
63.0
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
73.3
|
68.6
|
63.2
|
59.6
|
61.1
|
69.8
|
75.3
|
77.0
|
72.8
|
65.9
|
72.2
|
74.2
|
69.4
|
Source:
Korea Meteorological Administration
[14]
|
Climate change
[
edit
]
North Korea
is highly
vulnerable to climate change
to the
effects of climate change
due to its weak
food security
, which in the past has led to
widespread famine
.
[15]
The North Korean Ministry of Land and Environmental Protection estimates that North Korea's average temperature rose by 1.9 °C between 1918 and 2000.
[16]
In the 2013 edition of
Germanwatch's
Climate Risk Index
, North Korea was judged to be the seventh hardest hit by climate-related extreme weather events of 179 nations during the period 1992?2011.
[17]
North Korean
carbon dioxide emissions
are estimated to be roughly 56.38 million metric tons of CO
2
in 2021. The vast majority of this is due to North Korea's reliance on coal for energy production.
[18]
[19]
As a result of its mountainous geography as well as the onset of
sea level rise
and increasing frequency of
extreme weather
events, the biggest climate change-related concern for North Korea is food security. Low food production in 2017 and 2018 resulted in undernourishment in an estimated 10.3 million people.
[20]
This has created a high dependency on foreign nations to fulfil food demands. This challenge - along with disruption to economic growth as a result of climate change - might undermine the totalitarian rule of the North Korean government and may be a cause for regime change in the future.
[21]
Environment
[
edit
]
The environment of North Korea is diverse, encompassing
alpine
, forest, farmland,
freshwater
, and
marine ecosystems
.
[22]
Cultivation, logging, and natural disasters have all put pressure on North Korea's forests. During the
economic crisis of the 1990s
, deforestation accelerated, as people turned to the woodlands to provide firewood and food. This in turn has led to soil erosion, soil depletion, and increased risk of flooding. In response, the government has promoted a tree planting program.
[23]
[24]
[25]
[26]
Based on satellite imagery, it was estimated in 2013 that 40% of forest cover had been lost since 1985.
[27]
A
forest restoration
policy was adopted in 2012.
[28]
Boundaries, coastline, and islands
[
edit
]
North Korea has an area of 120,538 km², of which 120,408 km² is land and 130 km² is water. It has 1,671.5 kilometres (1,038.6 mi) of land boundaries; of these, 1,416 kilometres (880 mi) are with China, 238 kilometres (148 mi) are with South Korea, and 17.5 kilometres (10.9 mi) are with Russia.
The Korean Peninsula extends about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) southward from the northeast Asian continental landmass. The 8,460 kilometres (5,260 mi) coastline of
Korea
is highly irregular, and North Korea accounts for 2,495 kilometres (1,550 mi) of this, roughly one-third. Some 3579
islands
lie adjacent to the Korean Peninsula, mostly along the south and west coasts.
[29]
The southern stretch of its east coast forms the northern side of the
East Korea Bay
. At the headland
Musu Dan
, this ends and the coast turns sharply northward.
A recent global
remote sensing
analysis suggested that there were 1,483 km² of tidal flats in North Korea, making it the 21st ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.
[30]
Maritime claims
[
edit
]
The
North Korean government
claims
territorial waters
extending 12
nautical miles
(22.2 km; 13.8 mi) from shore. It also
claims an exclusive economic zone
200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) from shore.
In addition, a maritime military boundary that lies 50 nautical miles (92.6 km; 57.5 mi) offshore in the Sea of Japan and 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) offshore in the Yellow Sea demarcates the waters and airspace into which foreign ships and planes are prohibited from entering without permission.
Waters of the Yellow Sea are demarcated between North Korea and South Korea by the disputed
Northern Limit Line
drawn by the
United Nations Command
in early 1950s and not officially recognized by North Korea. Disputes between North and South Korean naval vessels have occurred in this area. A total of five disputes were noteworthy enough to have been reported in the news (three in 2009 and two in 2010).
Resources and land use
[
edit
]
Natural resources include
coal
,
petroleum
,
lead
,
tungsten
,
zinc
,
graphite
,
magnesite
,
iron ore
,
copper
,
gold
,
pyrites
,
salt
,
fluorspar
and
hydropower
.
Land use
[
edit
]
arable land:
|
19.5%
|
permanent crops:
|
1.9%
|
permanent pasture
|
0.4%
|
forest
|
46.0%
|
other:
|
32.2%
|
[32]
|
Irrigated land
[
edit
]
Total renewable water resources
[
edit
]
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
[
edit
]
- total: 8.66 km
3
/yr (10%/13%/76%)
- per capita: 360.6 m
3
/yr (2005)
See also
[
edit
]
Lists:
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Topography and Drainage"
.
countrystudies.us
. U.S. Library of Congress
. Retrieved
17 June
2018
.
- ^
Federal Research Division
of the US
Library of Congress
(2007).
"North Korea ? Climate"
.
Country Studies
.
Archived
from the original on 27 September 2006
. Retrieved
1 August
2007
.
- ^
a
b
c
"North Korea Country Studies. Climate"
. Lcweb2.loc.gov.
Archived
from the original on 12 December 2012
. Retrieved
23 June
2010
.
- ^
"North Korea says it faces worst drought in a century"
. BBC. 17 June 2015.
Archived
from the original on 18 June 2015
. Retrieved
19 June
2015
.
- ^
"30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)"
(PDF)
(in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 199?367.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 29 January 2022
. Retrieved
31 January
2022
.
- ^
"Climate Pyongyang"
.
Pogoda.ru.net
. Retrieved
16 May
2019
.
- ^
"PYONGYANG SUN 1961?1990"
. DWD
. Retrieved
16 May
2019
.
- ^
"Pyongyang, North Korea - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast"
.
Weather Atlas
. Yu Media Group
. Retrieved
2019-07-09
.
- ^
"30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)"
(PDF)
(in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 212, 300, and 344.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 29 January 2022
. Retrieved
23 March
2022
.
- ^
"30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)"
(PDF)
(in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 216, 312, and 344.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 29 January 2022
. Retrieved
24 March
2022
.
- ^
"Klimadaten"
.
Spiegel Online
. Retrieved
2012-04-11
.
- ^
"30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)"
(PDF)
(in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 218, 318, and 345.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 29 January 2022
. Retrieved
24 March
2022
.
- ^
"30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)"
(PDF)
(in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 224, 336, and 345.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 29 January 2022
. Retrieved
23 March
2022
.
- ^
"30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)"
(PDF)
(in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 203, 273, and 343.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 29 January 2022
. Retrieved
23 March
2022
.
- ^
Eunjee, Kim (23 November 2015).
"Experts: N. Korea Especially Vulnerable to Effects of Climate Change"
.
Voa News
. Voice of America
. Retrieved
26 October
2020
.
- ^
Ministry of Land and Environment Protection (2012).
Democratic People's Republic of Korea Environment and Climate Change Outlook
(Report). Ministry of Land and Environment Protection. p. 75.
ISBN
978-9946-1-0170-5
. Retrieved
26 October
2020
.
- ^
Harmeling, Sven; Eckstein, David (November 2012). Baum, Daniela; Kier, Gerold (eds.).
Global Climate Risk Index 2013
(PDF)
(Report). Germanwatch e.V.
ISBN
978-3-943704-04-4
.
- ^
Ritchie, Hannah; Roser, Max.
"North Korea - CO
2
and Greenhouse Gas Emissions"
.
Our World in Data
. Retrieved
28 May
2023
.
- ^
Pavone, Gregory; Sun, Jin (March 2014).
Coal diplomacy: the political economy of North Korean coal
(PDF)
(Report). Harvard University. p. IV. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 8 November 2021
. Retrieved
12 March
2021
.
- ^
International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (29 April 2019).
DPR Korea: Drought and Food Insecurity - Information bulletin
(Report). IFRC.
- ^
Habib, Benjamin (2010). "Climate Change and Regime Perpetuation in North Korea".
Asian Survey
.
50
(2): 396?400.
doi
:
10.1525/as.2010.50.2.378
.
- ^
United Nations Environmental Programme.
"DPR Korea: State of the Environment, 2003"
(PDF)
. pp. 13, 52. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 2004-08-31.
- ^
Tenenbaum, David J. (2005).
"International Health: North Korean Catastrophe"
.
Environ Health Perspect
.
113
(1): A26.
doi
:
10.1289/ehp.113-a26
.
PMC
1253723
.
PMID
15643724
.
- ^
McKenna, Phil (March 6, 2013).
"Inside North Korea's Environmental Collapse"
.
PBS
.
Archived
from the original on December 23, 2014.
- ^
Kirby, Alex (August 27, 2004).
"North Korea's environment crisis"
.
BBC
.
Archived
from the original on February 21, 2006.
- ^
"The Environment Is So Bad in North Korea, They'll Even Let Americans Help"
.
The Atlantic Wire
. April 3, 2012.
Archived
from the original on June 6, 2013.
- ^
Raven, Peter (2013-09-09).
"Engaging North Korea through Biodiversity Protection"
.
Science & Diplomacy
.
2
(3).
Archived
from the original on 2013-10-29.
- ^
Bruce Songhak Chung (31 December 2020).
"North Korean Forestlands Have Rebounded in Recent Years"
.
38 North
. The Henry L. Stimson Center
. Retrieved
6 January
2021
.
- ^
SINA Corporation news service website Mar 29, 2010 see
"Northern Limit Line - World News - SINA English"
.
Archived
from the original on 2013-12-31
. Retrieved
2013-12-28
.
- ^
Murray, N.J.; Phinn, S.R.; DeWitt, M.; Ferrari, R.; Johnston, R.; Lyons, M.B.; Clinton, N.; Thau, D.; Fuller, R.A. (2019).
"The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats"
.
Nature
.
565
(7738): 222?225.
doi
:
10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8
.
PMID
30568300
.
S2CID
56481043
.
- ^
2011
Works cited
[
edit
]
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014.
ISBN
978-89-6297-167-5
External links
[
edit
]