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Since the fall of the USSR, North Korea has existed in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world.
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Electricity is still a rare commodity across North Korea, even in the capital of Pyongyang, where the city is shrouded in darkness at night.
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North Korea has faced a dire food crisis over the past two decades, the ongoing impact of which is still visible on North Korean citizens.
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Over 1,500 miles of North Korean coastline are surrounded by electric fences to prevent people from trying to flee the country.
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Lines for transportation and basic necessities can span for hours. Here, a long queue forms for a bus in Pyongyang.
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Chronic shortages of food has made the population look food any where they can find it, including by collecting grass from parks.
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Two school girls hold hands in a subway station in Pyongyang.
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Most agricultural production in North Korea has not been mechanized, meaning farmers are highly reliant on animals for a majority of their activities.
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Virtually sealed off from the outside world, North Koreans have few - if any - encounters with other nationalities and races. This photograph captures the reaction of a group of people to seeing a Westerner.
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Dubbed "The Worst Building in the History of Mankind" and the "Hotel Of Doom", the yet-to-be-completed Ryugyong Hotel dominates the Pyongyang skyline.
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A defining attribute of North Korean roads are the frequent appearance of giant roadside blocks, which contain debris and shrapnel to inhibit the mobility of tanks in case of a land invasion.
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On top of an active force of over one million, North Korea's military has a reserve force of over 8 million men and women.
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The Gallery of Art in Pyongyang deals with a mid-afternoon power outage.
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Though operating businesses is technically illegal in North Korea, many rural families supplement their livelihood by opening small roadside stores.
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Pyongyang is home to the world's deepest subway system, which also doubles as a city-wide bomb shelter.
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While education is hypothetically universal and mandated in North Korea, most farms are dependent on child labor.
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Holidays in North Korea are a little different than most, as citizens are 'asked' to pay homage to the great leader at various monuments. The resulting lines can last several miles.
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While North Korea nominally has one of the world's largest armies, the reality is the North Korean government cannot adequately provide for over 1 million active personnel. Meaning scenes like the above -- where soldiers trade labor for food or money -- are quite common.
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Pyongyang from above.
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Western brands and goods are available to the elite in Pyongyang, where higher end items can be purchased only in Euros and U.S. dollars.
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In 1968, North Korea captured the USS Pueblo, an intelligence vessel that is now a museum in Pyongyang.
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Driving is a relatively new activity for North Koreans; these signs instruct drivers to watch their speed and be careful of other motorists.
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