9 September: North Korea

North Korea celebrates the anniversary of its formation today. Here are some things you might not know about North Korea.

1. The official name of the country is Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and it came into being on 9 September 1948.
2. The capital and largest city is Pyongyang, which translates as "Flat and peaceful land".
3. Despite being a relatively small nation it has the fourth largest active army in the world (after China, the USA and India) with over 9 million soldiers, or one in every 25 North Korean citizens being an enlisted soldier. The Korean Demilitarized Zone with South Korea is the most heavily fortified border in the world.
4. The highest point in North Korea is Paektu Mountain, a volcanic mountain with an elevation of 2,744 meters (9,003 ft) above sea level.
5. Kim Il-sung is still officially revered as the nation's "Eternal President", even though he died in 1994.
6. The dominant "religion" in North Korea is Juche, or self-reliance. The idea, sometimes referred to as Kimilsungism, is that an individual is "the master of his destiny". While there are people who follow more traditional religions, they are in the minority.
7. Class status is determined by a system called Songbun. The major divisions are core class, wavering class (the majority of people) and hostile class. This is based not just on economic background but the occupations and behaviours of ancestors and living relatives. Core class are largely people descended from those who participated in the resistance against Japanese occupation, and those who were factory workers, labourers or peasants as of 1950. Landlords, merchants, lawyers and Christian ministers and their descendants would be given the lowest status. It is very difficult to improve one's status, but there are plenty of reasons why it can be lowered - lack of political enthusiasm, marrying a lower status person and conviction of a crime (by you or by a family member). It is not unknown for whole families to be sent to prison for as many as three generations for the crime of one black sheep!
8. North Korea is the only place which regularly holds "mass games" which consist of over 100,000 gymnasts, dancers and acrobats in highly synchronised performances, usually with a political theme. The best known event of this type is the Arirang Festival, held during August and September in Pyongyang. "Arirang" refers to a Korean folk story about a young couple who are torn apart by an evil landlord, which is interpreted as representing the division of Korea.
9. There are only 28 approved ways to cut your hair in North Korea. Women are allowed to choose one of 14 styles - only single women are allowed to have long hair. Men's hair must be less than 5cm (2 inches) long, although older men can grow it slightly longer - up to 7cm (3 inches).
10. Marijuana and opium are legal in North Korea, but woe betide anyone caught using meth, as that carries the death penalty. Marijuana grows freely beside railway tracks and some sources suggest this is encouraged because the roots of the plants help support the rails.