As one of the last totalitarian regimes, North Korea is the the focus of many rumours and speculations.
It is difficult to confirm many things about the secretive country but when facts do emerge, they tend to be incredible.
Quora users have shared their favourite facts about North Korea from titbits from Kim Jong Il's official biography to what instruments teachers are ordered to play.
Here are just a few of our favourites:
1. North Korea has the largest military in the world (including active, reserved and paramilitary) with 7.7 million servicemen and women. The US have an estimated 1.5 million active military personnel.
2. Marijuana in North Korea is not illegal and can be bought at markets
3. The world's largest stadium is in North Korea's capital, Pyongyang - it can seat 150,000.
4. Nork Korea bases its calender on Kim Il Sung's date of birth: 15 April 1912. The year is 103, not 2015 north of 38th parallel.
5. During the 1990s, all teachers were required to learn the accordion.
6. Due to a lack of fertiliser, North Korea was forced to use homan faeces as manure on crops.
7. According to his official biography, Kim Jong Il allegedly learnt to walk aged 3 weeks.
8. North Korea has three television channels - two of which are only avaialble at weekends while the other can only be watched in the evening.
9. Elections take place every five years but only have one option.
10. Blue Denim Jeans are illegal in North Korea as denim represents capitalist America.
11. North Korean women have 28 sanctioned hair cut designs, men have only 10
