Data / North Korea / Profile

North Korea in figures

A profile of North Korea from official statistics: 12 figures in 3 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in North Korea was 26.57 million in 2025, up 0.3% from 2024, and the 56th highest of 215 countries.

Population26.57 million2025Up 0.3% from 2024The 56th highest of 215 countries
Population growth rate0.34%2023Down 0.03 percentage points from 2022The 61st lowest of 215 countries
Median age, July 1 estimate36.05 years2023, estimatedUp 0.24 years from 2022The 90th highest of 236 countries
Population aged 65 and over12%2023Up 0.4 percentage points from 2022
Population density220.1 inhabitants per km²2024Up 0.3% from 2023
Net migration-1,9972023Unchanged from 2022
23M24M25M26M27M20012005200920132017202120252001: 23,815,358 persons2002: 23,943,973 persons2003: 24,090,380 persons2004: 24,254,943 persons2005: 24,396,433 persons2006: 24,524,507 persons2007: 24,646,383 persons2008: 24,764,618 persons2009: 24,878,332 persons2010: 24,987,258 persons2011: 25,097,874 persons2012: 25,211,728 persons2013: 25,329,451 persons2014: 25,451,262 persons2015: 25,575,350 persons2016: 25,698,326 persons2017: 25,817,709 persons2018: 25,931,147 persons2019: 26,037,632 persons2020: 26,136,312 persons2021: 26,232,534 persons2022: 26,328,845 persons2023: 26,418,204 persons2024: 26,498,823 persons2025: 26,571,036 persons
Population, 2001 to 2025. persons. Source: World Bank, Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL).

Sources: World Bank, Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL); World Bank, Population growth, annual % (SP.POP.GROW); United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Median age on 1 July, modelled estimates 1950 to 2023; projections excluded; World Bank, Population ages 65 and above, % of total population (SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS); World Bank, Population density, people per km² of land area (EN.POP.DNST); World Bank, Net migration (SM.POP.NETM). Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in North Korea was 3.55% in 2025, up 0.01 percentage points from 2024, and the 60th lowest of 181 countries.

Unemployment rate3.55%2025Up 0.01 percentage points from 2024The 60th lowest of 181 countries
Employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over79.2%2025Down less than 0.1 percentage points from 2024The 8th highest of 181 countries
Labor force participation rate, ages 15 and over82.2%2025Down less than 0.1 percentage points from 2024The 7th highest of 181 countries
3.43.53.63.720012005200920132017202120252001: 3.68 %2002: 3.64 %2003: 3.67 %2004: 3.62 %2005: 3.58 %2006: 3.55 %2007: 3.55 %2008: 3.48 %2009: 3.48 %2010: 3.42 %2011: 3.52 %2012: 3.54 %2013: 3.57 %2014: 3.51 %2015: 3.52 %2016: 3.57 %2017: 3.5 %2018: 3.41 %2019: 3.44 %2020: 3.62 %2021: 3.69 %2022: 3.46 %2023: 3.46 %2024: 3.54 %2025: 3.55 %
Unemployment rate, 2001 to 2025. %. Source: World Bank, Unemployment, total, % of total labor force, modeled ILO estimate (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS).

Sources: World Bank, Unemployment, total, % of total labor force, modeled ILO estimate (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS); World Bank, Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS); World Bank, Labor force participation rate, total, % of total population ages 15+, modeled ILO estimate (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). Labor market statistics and rankings

Health

Life expectancy in North Korea was 73.64 years in 2023, up less than 0.01 years from 2022, and the 102nd lowest of 215 countries.

Life expectancy at birth73.64 years2023Up less than 0.01 years from 2022The 102nd lowest of 215 countries
Infant mortality rate13.3 per 1,000 live births2024Down 1.2 per 1,000 live births from 2023The 94th highest of 195 countries
Adult obesity rate, age-standardized12%2024Up 0.5 percentage points from 2023The 39th lowest of 199 countries
6065707519992003200720112015201920231999: 60.91 years2000: 60.91 years2001: 60.89 years2002: 60.88 years2003: 69.4 years2004: 69.29 years2005: 69.17 years2006: 69.06 years2007: 69.02 years2008: 69.3 years2009: 69.7 years2010: 70.25 years2011: 70.77 years2012: 71.32 years2013: 71.87 years2014: 72.45 years2015: 72.83 years2016: 72.97 years2017: 73.03 years2018: 73.02 years2019: 72.93 years2020: 72.78 years2021: 73.44 years2022: 73.64 years2023: 73.64 years
Life expectancy at birth, 1999 to 2023. years. Source: World Bank, Life expectancy at birth, total, years (SP.DYN.LE00.IN).

Sources: World Bank, Life expectancy at birth, total, years (SP.DYN.LE00.IN); World Bank, Mortality rate, infant, per 1,000 live births (SP.DYN.IMRT.IN); World Health Organization, Age-standardized prevalence of obesity among adults (18+ years), both sexes (NCD_BMI_30A). Health statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  2. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population growth, annual % (SP.POP.GROW). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  3. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Median age on 1 July, modelled estimates 1950 to 2023; projections excluded. Modelled estimate. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Retrieved 2026-10-10. CC BY 3.0 IGO.
  4. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population ages 65 and above, % of total population (SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  5. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population density, people per km² of land area (EN.POP.DNST). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  6. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Net migration (SM.POP.NETM). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  7. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Unemployment, total, % of total labor force, modeled ILO estimate (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  8. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  9. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Labor force participation rate, total, % of total population ages 15+, modeled ILO estimate (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  10. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Life expectancy at birth, total, years (SP.DYN.LE00.IN). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  11. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Mortality rate, infant, per 1,000 live births (SP.DYN.IMRT.IN). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.IMRT.IN. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  12. World Health Organization, data.who.int. Age-standardized prevalence of obesity among adults (18+ years), both sexes (NCD_BMI_30A) [Indicator]. https://data.who.int/indicators/i/C6262EC/BEFA58B (Accessed on 2026-10-12). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. No changes made to source values. WHO does not endorse Invokely or this use of the data.

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