Ireland vs North Korea: Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute)
Ireland
35.2%
in 2024
North Korea
36.5%
in 2024
Ireland rank
107th
North Korea rank
105th
Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) over time
- Ireland
- North Korea
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 36.5% against 35.2% in Ireland, a difference of 1.3%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 55 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 107th and North Korea ranks 105th of 214 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 3 and North Korea in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | North Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 46.6% | 44.0% | 2.6% | Ireland |
| 1980s | 43.8% | 42.4% | 1.4% | Ireland |
| 1990s | 42.1% | 41.1% | 1.1% | Ireland |
| 2000s | 39.7% | 40.2% | 0.5% | North Korea |
| 2010s | 37.5% | 38.8% | 1.2% | North Korea |
| 2020s | 35.8% | 37.1% | 1.3% | North Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, Ireland or North Korea?
- North Korea, at 36.5% against 35.2% in Ireland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in rural population between Ireland and North Korea?
- 1.3%, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and North Korea?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do Ireland and North Korea rank globally for rural population?
- Ireland ranks 107th and North Korea ranks 105th of 214 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release