Population
26.6Mpeople
#56 of 2162025
70% of world average
SERIAL · 408Asia
North Korea
CapitalPyongyang
CurrencyKPW · North Korean won
LanguageKorean, North Korean standard language
Since1948
ISOPRK · KP
Population
26.6Mas of 2025
Watermark portrait: Kim Jong-un
— THE COUNTRY —
Country in East Asia
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city.
Text: Wikipedia — North KoreaCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-07-28
— FACTS —
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Currency
- North Korean won (KPW)
- Official language
- Korean, North Korean standard language
- Drives on the
- Right
- Calling code
- +850
- Licence plate code
- KP
- Top-level domain
- .kp
- Independence / founding
- 09 Sep 1948
- Highest point
- Baekdu Mountain (2,744 m)
- Lowest point
- Sea of Japan
- Anthem
- Aegukka
— LAND —
5 of 5 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— PEOPLE —
Population growth
0.3%% per year
#155 of 2162025
28% of world average
Population density
219people per km²
#62 of 2152023
48% of world average
People living in cities
64.2%% of population
#109 of 2162025
101% of world average
Urban population growth
0.8%% per year
#134 of 2162025
52% of world average
People living rurally
35.8%% of population
#108 of 2162025
97% of world average
Population aged 0-14
18.9%% of population
#132 of 2162025
75% of world average
Population aged 15-64
68.4%% of population
#46 of 2162025
107% of world average
Population aged 65+
12.7%% of population
#77 of 2162025
118% of world average
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
Age dependency ratio
46.3%% of working-age population
#171 of 2162025
81% of world average
Female population
50.5%% of population
#98 of 2162025
101% of world average
Births per woman
2births per woman
#120 of 2162024
76% of world average
Birth rate
12.9 /1,000per 1,000 people
#112 of 2162024
75% of world average
Death rate
9.9 /1,000per 1,000 people
#42 of 2162024
128% of world average
Net migration
-2,787people (5-year total)
#123 of 2162025
-2531% of world average
Migrants living in the country
0.2%% of population
#208 of 2152024
2% of world average
— MONEY —
Foreign investment inflows
$203,000current US$
not enough data to rank1989
0% of world average
38 of 39 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— TRADE —
Goods exported
$611.0Mcurrent US$
#165 of 2072025
0% of world average
Goods imported
$2.87Bcurrent US$
#153 of 2072025
2% of world average
Terms of trade
104index
#96 of 2062024
98% of world average
9 of 12 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— HEALTH —
Life expectancy
73.7 yrsyears
#118 of 2162024
100% of world average
Life expectancy, women
75.9 yrsyears
#129 of 2162024
99% of world average
Life expectancy, men
71.6 yrsyears
#109 of 2162024
100% of world average
Infant deaths
13.3 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#103 of 1962024
72% of world average
Deaths under age 5
16.7 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#108 of 1962024
69% of world average
Maternal deaths
67per 100,000 live births
#114 of 1942023
58% of world average
Physicians
3.6 /1,000per 1,000 people
#40 of 1872017
172% of world average
Nurses and midwives
4.4 /1,000per 1,000 people
#83 of 1962017
93% of world average
Hospital beds
12.8 /1,000per 1,000 people
#2 of 1572018
433% of world average
▸ ISSUE 6 MORE
Access to clean drinking water
93.9%% of population
#136 of 2142023
104% of world average
Access to basic sanitation
84.8%% of population
#141 of 2132023
105% of world average
Suicide rate
9per 100,000 people
#124 of 1852021
109% of world average
Adults who smoke
15.6%% of adults
#65 of 1662024
79% of world average
Undernourishment
47.0%% of population
#166 of 1682018
466% of world average
Children vaccinated against measles
99.0%% of children 12-23 months
#9 of 1932024
115% of world average
4 of 19 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— LEARNING —
Education spending
14.6%% of government spending
#65 of 1892025
108% of world average
Adult literacy
100.0%% aged 15+
not enough data to rank2008
119% of world average
Youth literacy
100.0%% aged 15-24
not enough data to rank2008
110% of world average
Primary school enrolment
92.1%% gross
#166 of 2002018
91% of world average
Secondary school enrolment
94.3%% gross
not enough data to rank2015
108% of world average
University enrolment
26.7%% gross
#113 of 1672018
54% of world average
Primary school completion
97.1%% of relevant age group
not enough data to rank2009
108% of world average
Pupils per teacher, primary school
20pupils per teacher
#94 of 1602018
91% of world average
Years of compulsory education
12.0 yrsyears
#47 of 1972025
120% of world average
1 of 10 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— WORK —
Unemployment
3.5%% of labour force
#60 of 1862025
51% of world average
Youth unemployment
7.9%% of labour force aged 15-24
#49 of 1862025
50% of world average
Labour force participation
82.2%% aged 15+
#7 of 1862025
136% of world average
Women in the labour force
77.7%% of women aged 15+
#6 of 1862025
152% of world average
Men in the labour force
86.8%% of men aged 15+
#8 of 1862025
124% of world average
Labour force
17.7Mpeople
#39 of 1862025
87% of world average
Working in agriculture
54.1%% of employment
#20 of 1862025
246% of world average
Working in industry
22.4%% of employment
#63 of 1862025
114% of world average
Working in services
23.5%% of employment
#180 of 1862025
40% of world average
▸ ISSUE 2 MORE
Self-employed
62.1%% of employment
#43 of 1862025
160% of world average
Employed
79.2%% aged 15+
#8 of 1862025
140% of world average
1 of 12 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— CONNECTED —
People online
0.0%% of population
not enough data to rank2004
0% of world average
Mobile phone subscriptions
24per 100 people
#209 of 2102022
21% of world average
Fixed telephone lines
4per 100 people
#133 of 2132022
30% of world average
Access to electricity
61.4%% of population
#184 of 2142024
69% of world average
Access to clean cooking fuel
14.5%% of population
#157 of 1892023
21% of world average
Electricity used per person
789kWh per person
#114 of 1492023
19% of world average
Energy used per person
665kg oil equivalent per person
#110 of 1492023
29% of world average
Air passengers carried
3,690passengers
#158 of 1652023
0% of world average
Air freight
0million tonne-km
#145 of 1632023
0% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Rail network
5,214route-km
not enough data to rank1999
50% of world average
Patent applications by residents
6,937count
#13 of 1422020
43% of world average
Scientific journal articles published
269count
#118 of 1972023
2% of world average
6 of 18 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— NATURE —
12 of 12 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— STATE —
7 of 7 figures unavailable for North Korea.
— TRADE PARTNERS —
Loading trade partner map…
— TRADE —
No trade data available for North Korea.
— EXTRAS —
Anthem
No anthem audio available
Capital time
--:--:--Pyongyang · approx. UTC+8
Landmarks
Goguryeo tombsImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Mount KumgangImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Historic Monuments and Sites in KaesongImage: Wikimedia Commons
People
Kim Jong-unSupreme Leader of North Korea since 2011
Kim Il-sungSupreme Leader of North Korea from 1948 to 1994
Kim Jong-ilSupreme Leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011
Kim Yo-jongNorth Korean politician and diplomat, sister of Kim Jong Un
Park Hon-youngNorth Korean politician (1900–1955)
Park Hon-youngNorth Korean politician (1900–1955)
Kim Yong-namNorth Korean politician (1928–2025)
Ri Sol-juFirst Lady of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Kim Jong-sukFirst wife of North Korean President Kim Il Sung (1917–1949)
Jong Tae-seNorth Korean association football player
Kim Jong-namOldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (1971–2017)
Jang Sung-taekNorth Korean government official (1946–2013)
History
09 Sep 1948North Korea — founding / independence (Wikidata)
Size, side by side
Loading size comparison…
1960 → now
2026
Population26.6M2025