North Korea remained one of the most opaque countries in the world in 2021, especially as extreme pandemic restrictions stymied the flow of not only goods and people across the border but also information from inside the country.

Despite this, bits and pieces of data — from satellite imagery and ship movements to customs records and state media — tell the story of a year when the DPRK turned more inward than ever before: Diplomatic engagement ceased, trade plummeted and Kim Jong Un disappeared for long stretches.

The following charts and graphs, built using metrics from NK Pro