The United Nations has unanimously approved new sanctions on North Korea following its sixth nuclear test.

The resolution is not as harsh as the US wanted as it does not include an oil import ban or international asset freeze on the government and leader Kim Jong-un.

It does however ban the pariah state from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates.

But it only caps Pyongyang's imports of crude oil at the level of the last 12 months, and it limits the import of refined petroleum products to 2 million barrels a year.

The United States watered down an initial tougher draft resolution to win the support of North Korea's ally China and Russia.

The resolution also bans all textile exports and prohibits all countries from authorizing new work permits for North Korean workers.

North Korea is already under UN sanctions in an effort to force Kim Jong-un to stop its development of nuclear weapons.