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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 120,408 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 130 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 100

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Virginia; slightly smaller than Mississippi
Area comparison map: slightly larger than Virginia; slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries:
total: 1,607 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): China 1,352 km, South Korea 237 km, Russia 18 km

Coastline:
2,495 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
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; long, bitter winters
More Climate Details

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

Elevation:
mean elevation: 600 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, hydropower

Land use:
agricultural land: 21.8% arable land 19.5%; permanent crops 1.9%; permanent pasture 0.4%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 46%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 32.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
14,600 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hungnam and Wonsan in the east

Natural hazards:
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
volcanism: Changbaishan (2,744 m) (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