North Korea Population (LIVE)

retrieving data...

North Korea Population (1950 - 2024)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Population of North Korea (2024 and historical)

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country's Share of World Pop	World Population	DPRK Global Rank
2024	26,244,582	0.32 %	83,761	-2,000	36.4	1.78	218	63.5 %	16,673,964	0.32 %	8,118,835,999	56
2023	26,160,821	0.35 %	91,405	-2,000	36.1	1.79	217	63.2 %	16,533,344	0.33 %	8,045,311,447	56
2022	26,069,416	0.38 %	97,507	-2,000	35.9	1.79	217	62.9 %	16,394,046	0.33 %	7,975,105,156	56
2020	25,867,467	0.43 %	112,026	-1,589	35.4	1.82	215	62.3 %	16,119,904	0.33 %	7,840,952,880	54
2015	25,258,015	0.46 %	114,316	-3,200	34.1	1.88	210	61.2 %	15,468,816	0.34 %	7,426,597,537	51
2010	24,686,435	0.48 %	117,091	-3,047	32.9	1.81	205	60.1 %	14,847,551	0.35 %	6,985,603,105	49
2005	24,100,982	0.62 %	146,785	-2,860	31.3	1.96	200	59.3 %	14,295,919	0.37 %	6,558,176,119	47
2000	23,367,059	0.86 %	196,305	-3,139	29.1	1.97	194	58.3 %	13,622,723	0.38 %	6,148,898,975	44
1995	22,385,536	1.48 %	317,203	-3,093	26.9	2.16	186	57.6 %	12,902,762	0.39 %	5,743,219,454	41
1990	20,799,523	1.48 %	294,807	0	24.8	2.35	173	57.0 %	11,847,860	0.39 %	5,316,175,862	40
1985	19,325,487	1.46 %	270,367	0	23.0	2.58	160	56.3 %	10,881,506	0.40 %	4,861,730,613	41
1980	17,973,650	1.45 %	250,080	0	21.2	2.84	149	55.3 %	9,941,648	0.40 %	4,444,007,706	38
1975	16,723,252	2.20 %	345,275	0	19.5	3.05	139	55.2 %	9,227,778	0.41 %	4,069,437,231	35
1970	14,996,879	2.73 %	378,187	0	20.2	3.85	125	52.1 %	7,810,437	0.41 %	3,695,390,336	35
1965	13,105,946	2.37 %	290,056	0	20.0	3.56	109	43.2 %	5,657,767	0.39 %	3,337,111,983	35
1960	11,655,666	2.38 %	259,079	0	18.8	3.57	97	39.4 %	4,591,910	0.39 %	3,019,233,434	35
1955	10,360,269	-1.38 %	-148,622	-35,414	17.2	3.67	86	34.5 %	3,577,106	0.38 %	2,746,072,141	35

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

North Korea Population Forecast

-2,000

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country's Share of World Pop	World Population	DPRK Global Rank
2025	26,319,924	0.35 %	90,491	-2,000	36.6	1.77	219	63.9 %	16,815,725	0.32 %	8,191,988,453	56
2030	26,569,401	0.19 %	49,895	-2,000	38.0	1.75	221	66.0 %	17,530,948	0.31 %	8,546,141,327	59
2035	26,598,048	0.02 %	5,729	-2,000	39.6	1.73	221	68.5 %	18,220,460	0.30 %	8,879,397,401	61
2040	26,441,399	-0.12 %	-31,330	-2,000	41.1	1.71	220	71.3 %	18,860,424	0.29 %	9,188,250,492	64
2045	26,165,201	-0.21 %	-55,240	-2,000	42.2	1.70	217	74.2 %	19,422,437	0.28 %	9,467,543,575	64
2050	25,807,197	-0.28 %	-71,601		42.8	1.69	214	77.1 %	19,885,471	0.27 %	9,709,491,761	65

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

North Korea Demographics

Life Expectancy

73.71 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality

13.3

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Deaths under age 5

16.7

(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in North Korea

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

#	CITY NAME	POPULATION
1	Pyongyang	3,222,000
2	Hamhung	559,056
3	Namp'o	455,000
4	Sunch'on	437,000
5	Hungnam	346,082
6	Kaesong	338,155
7	Wonsan	329,207
8	Chongjin	327,000
9	Sariwon	310,100
10	Sinuiju	288,112
11	Haeju	222,396
12	Kanggye	209,530
13	Hyesan	192,680
14	Songnim	152,425
15	Manp'o	116,760
16	P'yongsong	100,000
17	Hyesan-dong	97,794
18	Yuktae-dong	76,427
19	Hongwon	70,923
20	Rajin	66,224
21	Ongjin	64,247
22	Kilju	63,652
23	Chaeryong-up	53,330
24	Anju	50,196
25	Uiju	50,081
26	Hoeryong	43,831
27	Sungho 1-tong	39,841
28	Changyon	39,368
29	Sunan	36,671
30	Hwangju-up	35,641
31	Kyongsong	35,604
32	Aoji-ri	34,248
33	Nanam	34,055
34	Anbyon-up	31,845
35	Kusong	30,902
36	Chongju	29,065
37	Kangdong-up	28,922
38	Sonbong	27,331
39	Iwon-up	26,364
40	Hukkyo-ri	25,437
41	Kosan	24,822
42	Yonan-up	22,665
43	Namyang-dong	22,218
44	Yonggwang-up	21,882
45	Musan-up	21,739
46	Kowon-up	21,490
47	Hoeyang	21,111
48	T'ongch'on-up	20,575
49	Kapsan-up	20,406
50	Anak	19,995
51	Onsong	19,806
52	Kujang-up	19,522
53	Sil-li	19,463
54	Chunghwa	19,346
55	Samho-rodongjagu	19,025
56	Sinmak	18,669
57	Sakchu-up	18,001
58	Ayang-ni	16,104
59	Sinanju	15,693

Notes

The North Korea Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of North Korea delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of North Korea (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by North Korea in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.