North Korea vs Netherlands: Urban and rural population
North Korea
17.06 million
in 2025
Netherlands
17.60 million
in 2025
North Korea rank
52nd
Netherlands rank
51st
Urban and rural population over time
- North Korea
- Netherlands
How they compare
Netherlands currently reports 17.60 million against 17.06 million in North Korea, a difference of 545,800.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 76 shared years of data; in 1950 it was Netherlands ahead.
North Korea ranks 52nd and Netherlands ranks 51st of 236 countries.
Across the 8 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 5 and Netherlands in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | Netherlands | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.27 million | 6.22 million | 3.95 million | Netherlands |
| 1960s | 6.21 million | 7.44 million | 1.23 million | Netherlands |
| 1970s | 9.39 million | 8.69 million | 704,571 | North Korea |
| 1980s | 11.21 million | 9.77 million | 1.44 million | North Korea |
| 1990s | 13.23 million | 11.17 million | 2.05 million | North Korea |
| 2000s | 14.52 million | 13.60 million | 918,580 | North Korea |
| 2010s | 15.63 million | 15.43 million | 202,850 | North Korea |
| 2020s | 16.71 million | 17.11 million | 400,250 | Netherlands |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher urban and rural population, North Korea or Netherlands?
- Netherlands, at 17.60 million against 17.06 million in North Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in urban and rural population between North Korea and Netherlands?
- 545,800, with Netherlands ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Netherlands?
- 76 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2025.
- How do North Korea and Netherlands rank globally for urban and rural population?
- North Korea ranks 52nd and Netherlands ranks 51st of 236 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Urban and rural population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.