Geography of North Korea 21257 225956983 2008-07-16T05:14:32Z Poiy5 7483914 {{Refimprove|date=August 2007}} [[Image:North Korea 1996 CIA map.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Map of [[North Korea]]]] '''North Korea''' is located in [[east Asia]] on the northern half of the [[Korean Peninsula]]. [[North Korea]] shares a border with three states, including [[People's Republic of China|China]] along the Amnokgang River ([[Yalu River]]), [[Russia]] along the Dumangang River ([[Tumen River]]), and [[South Korea]] along the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone]]. The [[Yellow Sea]] and the [[Korea Bay]] are off the west coast and the [Sea of Korea] is off the east coast. ==Boundaries, coastline, and islands== North Korea's [[geographic coordinates]] are at 40°00'N, 127°00'E. It has an area of 120,540 km², of which 120,410 km² is land and 130 km² is water. It has 1673 km of land boundaries; of these, 1416 km are with China, 238 km are with South Korea, and 19 km are with Russia. The Korean Peninsula extends for about 1000 km southward from the northeast Asian continental landmass. The 8460-km coastline of [[Korea]] is highly irregular, and North Korea accounts for 2495 km of this, roughly half. Some 3579 [[island]]s lie adjacent to the Korean Peninsula, mostly along the south and west coasts. ==Maritime claims== The [[North Korean government]] claims [[territorial waters]] extending 12 [[nautical mile]]s (22.224 km) from shore. It also claims an [[exclusive economic zone]] 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) from shore. In addition, a maritime military boundary that lies fifty nautical miles (92.6 km) offshore in the [[sea of korea]] and 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) 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]] unilaterally drawn by the [[Military of the United States|U.S. military forces]] in early 1950s and not officially recognized by North Korea. ==Topography and drainage== [[Image:N Korea sat image.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Satellite imagery|Satellite image]] of Korea, taken by [[NASA]]]] The terrain consists mostly of [[hill]]s and [[mountain]]s separated by deep, narrow [[valley]]s. The coastal [[plain]]s are wide in the west and discontinuous in the east. [[Image:North Korea Topography.png|thumb|right|Topography of North Korea]] ===Elevation extremes=== *Lowest point: [[Sea of Japan]] 0 m ([[sea level]]) *Highest point: [[Baekdu Mountain]] (Paektusan) 2744 m Early [[Europe]]an visitors to Korea remarked that the country resembled "a sea in a heavy gale" because of the many successive [[mountain range]]s 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 2000 m or more located in North Korea. The great majority of the population lives in the plains and lowlands. [[Baekdu Mountain]], the highest point in North Korea, is a [[Volcano|volcanic mountain]] near the Chinese border with [[basalt]] [[lava]] [[plateau]] with elevations between 1400 and 2000 m above sea level. The [[Hamgyeong Range]], located in the extreme northeastern part of the peninsula, has many high peaks including [[Mt. Gwanmosan]] at approximately 1756 m. 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. [[Mt. Geumgangsan]], often written Mt Kumgang, or Diamond Mountain, (approximately 1,638 meters) in the [[Taebaek Mountains|Taebaek]] 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 [[Pyeongyang]] and [[Chaeryong|Chaeryŏng]] plains, each covering about 500 square kilometers. 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 Amnokgang River, which is navigable for 678 of its 790 kilometers. The Dumangang River, one of the few major rivers to flow into the [[Sea of Japan]], is the second longest at 521 kilometers but is navigable for only 85 kilometers because of the mountainous topography. The third longest river, the [[Daedonggang River]], flows through Pyeongyang and is navigable for 245 of its 397 kilometers. 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 [[earthquake]]s. The country is well-endowed with spas and hot springs, which number 124 according to one North Korean source. ==Climate== [[Image:Korea.A2002361.0430.500m.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Snowfall in Korea]] The climate is temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer. Natural hazards include late spring [[drought]]s which often are followed by severe [[flood]]ing. There are occasional [[typhoon]]s during the early fall. Located between 38 and 43 north latitude, North Korea has a [[continental climate]] with four distinct seasons. Long winters bring bitter cold and clear weather interspersed with snow storms as a result of northern and northwestern winds that blow from [[Siberia]]. The daily average high and low temperatures for P'yongyang in January are -3 °C and -13 °C. Average snowfall is thirty-seven days during the winter. The weather is likely to be particularly harsh in the northern, mountainous regions. 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]]. The daily average high and low temperatures for P'yongyang in August are 29 °C and 20 °C. On average, approximately 60% of all precipitation occurs from June to September. Typhoons affect the peninsula on an average of at least once every summer. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons marked by mild temperatures and variable winds and bring the most pleasant weather. ==Environmental protection== Environment - current issues: localized [[air pollution]] attributable to inadequate industrial controls; [[water pollution]]; inadequate supplies of potable water; [[deforestation]]. Environment - international agreements: ''party to'': [[Antarctic Treaty]], [[Biodiversity]], [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change|Climate Change]], [[Environmental Modification]], [[Ozone Layer Protection]], Ship Pollution ([[MARPOL 73/78]]); ''signed, but not ratified:'' [[Antarctic-Environmental Protocol]], [[Law of the Sea]]. Lack of information makes it difficult to assess the extent to which industrialization and urbanization have damaged North Korea's natural environment. Using generally obsolete technology transferred from the former [[Soviet Union]] and the People's Republic of China, the country embarked on a program of ambitious industrialization after the [[Korean War]]. Air pollution is moderated by the extensive reliance on electricity rather than on [[fossil fuel]]s, both for industry and the heating of urban residences. Air pollution is further limited by the absence of private automobiles and restrictions on using gasoline-powered vehicles because of the critical shortage of [[petroleum]]. Significant deforestation since the 1990s, due to timber and firewood harvesting, drought, and clearing of farmland. Degradation of farmland due to deforestation has been blamed as a contributing factor in declining crop yields.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3598966.stm] ==Resources and land use== Natural resources include [[coal]], [[lead]], [[tungsten]], [[zinc]], [[graphite]], [[magnesite]], [[iron ore]], [[copper]], [[gold]], [[pyrites]], [[salt]], [[fluorspar]] and [[hydropower]]. ===Land use=== {| class="wikitable" | arable land:||14% |- |permanent crops:||2% |- |permanent pastures:||0% |- |forests and woodland:||61% |- |other:||23% |- |colspan="2"| <small>Data: ([[1993]] est.)</small> |} Irrigated land: 14,600 km² <small>([[1993]] est.)</small> ==Miscellaneous== * Strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia * Mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated ==See also== * [[List of Korea-related topics]] * [[Geography of South Korea]] ==External links== *[http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=861907&page=&vc=1&PHPSESSID=#Post861907 North Korea Uncovered], (North Korea Google Earth) the most authoritative mapping of North Korea on Google Earth. *{{coor dm|40|00|N|127|00|E|type:country}} {{Geography of Asia}} [[Category:Geography of North Korea| ]] [[bn:উত্তর কোরিয়ার ভূগোল]] [[de:Geographie Nordkoreas]] [[es:Geografía de Corea del Norte]] [[fr:Géographie de la Corée du Nord]] [[lt:Šiaurės Korėjos geografija]] [[pl:Geografia Korei Północnej]] [[pt:Geografia da Coreia do Norte]] [[ru:География КНДР]] [[sv:Nordkoreas geografi]]