North Korea

military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

17.637 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

one of the last centrally planned economies; hard hit by COVID-19, crop failures, international sanctions, and isolationist policies; declining growth and trade, and heavily reliant on China; poor exchange rate stability; economic data integrity issues

China 74%, Poland 3%, Senegal 3%, Angola 3%, Austria 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

China 97%, Togo 1%, Peru 1%, Gabon 1%, India 0% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

maize, vegetables, rice, apples, cabbages, fruits, sweet potatoes, potatoes, beans, soybeans (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

fake hair, iron alloys, tungsten ore, electricity, cars (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

processed hair, plastic products, garments, fabric, soybean oil (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

$16.447 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate