North Korea Population (LIVE)

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North Korea Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of North Korea is 26,220,620 as of Monday, March 18, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • North Korea 2023 population is estimated at 26,160,821 people at mid year.
  • North Korea population is equivalent to 0.33% of the total world population.
  • North Korea ranks number 56 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in North Korea is 217 per Km2 (563 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 120,410 Km2 (46,491 sq. miles)
  • 63.2 % of the population is urban (16,533,344 people in 2023)
  • The median age in North Korea is 36.1 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of North Korea (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationDPRK
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).
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North Korea Population Forecast

-2,000
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationDPRK
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

Main Page: Demographics of North Korea
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

See also

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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.