Asia · capital city
What Is the Capital of North Korea?
Pyongyang
The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang. About 3.2 million people live in the Pyongyang urban area — 11.9% of the country's population.
3.2 million
Urban area population
UTC+9
Time zone
39.02°N
Latitude · 125.75°E
Yes
Largest city
Pyongyang at a glance
Name origin
The name translates as "flat land" in Korean.
Time zone
UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
39 01 N, 125 45 E · IANA time zone Asia/Pyongyang
Location of North Korea
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Moscow, Russia — 6,415 kmCapitals closest to Pyongyang
Seoul, South Korea — 195 km
Beijing, China — 810 km
Tokyo, Japan — 1,290 km
Taipei, Taiwan — 1,605 km
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — 1,806 km
Manila, Philippines — 2,755 km
Hanoi, Vietnam — 2,757 km
Vientiane, Laos — 3,236 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Pyongyang
What is the capital of North Korea?
The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang. About 3.2 million people live in the Pyongyang urban area — 11.9% of the country's population.
Is Pyongyang the largest city in North Korea?
Yes — Pyongyang is also the largest urban area of North Korea (3.2 million).
What time zone is Pyongyang in?
Pyongyang is on UTC+9 — UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Pyongyang come from?
The name translates as "flat land" in Korean.
Which capital is closest to Pyongyang?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Seoul (South Korea) is the closest, 195 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).