Eastern Asia · AsiaNorth Korea
Discover North Korea - the world's most isolated country, where Cold War ideology persists, ancient Korean culture endures, and mystery surrounds daily life.
Where Is North Korea?
North Korea is a country in Eastern Asia. Its capital is Pyongyang.
- Capital Pyongyang
- Population 26.6M
- Area 120,538 km²
North Korea is the most secretive country on Earth. Officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, it has been sealed off from the outside world since the Korean War ceasefire in 1953. The Kim dynasty - grandfather, father, and son - has ruled for over seven decades, making it the world's only hereditary communist state. Almost everything the outside world knows about daily life inside comes from defectors, satellite imagery, and the handful of carefully managed tourist visits each year.
Behind the curtain, though, there is a country with real mountains, real rivers, and 26 million real people. The Korean Peninsula was one civilization for over a thousand years before it was divided. Pyongyang was an ancient capital long before it became a showcase of socialist architecture. Mount Paektu, the highest peak on the peninsula, is sacred to all Koreans. The food, the language, the culture - these are Korean, shared with the south, even if politics has carved an unbridgeable gap between the two. North Korea is not a place most people can visit, but understanding it matters because its existence shapes the geopolitics of all of East Asia.
At a glance
Largest cities in North Korea
Pyongyang
Hamhung
Chongjin
Kaesong
Famous people from North Korea
Kim Il-sung
PoliticsFounding leader of North Korea who ruled from 1948 until his death in 1994, establishing the ideology and dynasty that still govern the country
Shin Sang-ok
FilmSouth Korean director kidnapped by North Korea in 1978 and forced to make films for Kim Jong-il before dramatically escaping in 1986
Hong Myong-hui
LiteratureAuthor of The Tale of Im Kkeok-jeong, a beloved Korean historical novel about a Robin Hood-like bandit hero
Om Yun-chol
SportWeightlifter who won Olympic gold in 2012, set world records, and became one of North Korea's most celebrated athletes
Traditional cuisine of North Korea
- Naengmyeon
- Cold buckwheat noodles in icy broth, Pyongyang's signature dish and one of the most distinctive foods on the Korean Peninsula
- Kimchi
- Fermented vegetables - usually cabbage with chili, garlic, and ginger - eaten at every meal across both Koreas
- Injo Gogi Bap
- Rice wrapped in soybean-based meat substitute, a uniquely North Korean creation born from food scarcity and ingenuity
- Mandu
- Korean dumplings filled with pork, vegetables, and tofu, steamed or fried and served across the peninsula
Nature and landmarks in North Korea
- Mount PaektuMountain
- Highest peak on the Korean Peninsula at 2,744 meters with a stunning crater lake, sacred in Korean mythology as the birthplace of the Korean people
- KumgangsanMountain
- Diamond Mountains on the east coast, legendary for their beauty with granite peaks, waterfalls, and Buddhist temples
- Taedong RiverRiver
- Major river flowing through Pyongyang, central to the capital's identity and lined with monuments and parks
- MyohyangsanMountain
- Scenic mountain range northwest of Pyongyang known for Buddhist temples, waterfalls, and the International Friendship Exhibition
Sports in North Korea
- Weightlifting
- Consistent Olympic medal producer, with lifters like Om Yun-chol and Rim Jong-sim winning gold at multiple Games
- Football
- Qualified for the 1966 World Cup and shocked the world by beating Italy 1-0, one of the greatest upsets in tournament history
- Table Tennis
- Historically strong program that has produced world-class players and has been a rare venue for inter-Korean sporting cooperation
Did you know?
North Korea and South Korea are technically still at war - the 1953 Korean War ceasefire was never followed by a peace treaty
The country operates on its own calendar called Juche, which starts from 1912, the birth year of founding leader Kim Il-sung
North Korea's Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang seats 114,000 people, making it one of the largest stadiums in the world by capacity
The DMZ between North and South Korea is 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, and has become an accidental nature reserve
North Korea has an intranet called Kwangmyong that is completely separate from the global internet, accessible only within the country
The Pyongyang Metro runs up to 110 meters underground, making it one of the deepest metro systems in the world
Read more about North Korea
Can you find North Korea on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place North Korea and its neighbours without a second thought.
