Introducing the ``Hermit Kingdom'' 9 (8) North Korea's Natural Landscapes 17 (12)Historical Geography 29 (8) North Korean Population Issues 37 (10) North Korean Government 47 (24) The Economy of North Korea 71 (10) Regional Identities and Landscape Contrasts 81 14) Images of North Korea in the Future 95 (5) Facts at a Glance 100 (1) History at a Glance 101 (1) Further Reading 102 (1) Bibliography 103 (2) Index 105