Agriculture in North Korea

Farming in North Korea is concentrated in the flatlands of the four west coast provinces, where a longer growing season, level land, adequate rainfall, and good irrigated soil permit the most intensive cultivation of crops.^[1] A narrow strip of similarly fertile land runs through the eastern seaboard Hamgyŏng provinces and Kangwŏn Province.^[1]

The interior provinces of Chagang and Ryanggang are too mountainous, cold, and dry to allow much farming.^[1] The mountains contain the bulk of North Korea's forest reserves while the foothills within and between the major agricultural regions provide lands for livestock grazing and fruit tree cultivation.^[1]

Major crops include rice and potatoes. 23.4% of North Korea's labor force worked in agriculture in 2012.^[2]