Comparison of fertility rates in North Korea
North Korea: Comparison of fertility rates was 1.78 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Comparison of fertility rates in North Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for comparison of fertility rates in North Korea is 1.78, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, comparison of fertility rates in North Korea peaked at 4.99 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.78, in 2023.
North Korea ranks 130th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Comparison of fertility rates in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.99 | — |
| 1951 | 2.6 | -48.0% |
| 1952 | 2.61 | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 3.08 | +18.0% |
| 1954 | 3.5 | +13.4% |
| 1955 | 3.67 | +5.1% |
| 1956 | 3.51 | -4.5% |
| 1957 | 4.28 | +22.0% |
| 1958 | 4.27 | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 3.56 | -16.7% |
| 1960 | 3.57 | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 3.26 | -8.6% |
| 1962 | 3.41 | +4.6% |
| 1963 | 3.63 | +6.3% |
| 1964 | 3.55 | -2.2% |
| 1965 | 3.56 | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 3.71 | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 4.05 | +9.2% |
| 1968 | 3.87 | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 3.86 | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 3.85 | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 3.74 | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 3.89 | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 3.35 | -13.8% |
| 1974 | 3.14 | -6.3% |
| 1975 | 3.05 | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 2.84 | -6.9% |
| 1977 | 2.77 | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 2.79 | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 2.85 | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 2.84 | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 2.92 | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 2.85 | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 2.78 | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 2.71 | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 2.65 | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 2.59 | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 2.53 | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 2.47 | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 2.41 | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 2.39 | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 2.35 | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 2.29 | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.22 | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 2.18 | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 2.15 | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 2.09 | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 2.03 | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 1.99 | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 1.97 | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 1.94 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.94 | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 1.92 | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.91 | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.9 | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 1.87 | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.94 | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 1.94 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.97 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.91 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 1.89 | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.88 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 1.88 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.88 | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.87 | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.86 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.86 | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 1.85 | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 1.83 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 1.82 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 1.82 | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.81 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.8 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 1.78 | -0.9% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.78 is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.19, 43% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.78 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.13, 84% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Comparison of fertility rates in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | -48.0% | 4.99 | 2.6 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.61 | 2.6 | 4.99 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.65 | 3.26 | 4.05 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.23 | 2.77 | 3.89 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.67 | 2.41 | 2.92 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.17 | 1.97 | 2.39 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.92 | 1.87 | 1.97 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.86 | 1.82 | 1.89 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8 | 1.78 | 1.82 | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 127 Ecuador 1.82 compare
- 128 Georgia 1.81 compare
- 129 Montenegro 1.8 compare
- 131 El Salvador 1.77 compare
- 131 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.77 compare
- 133 Bulgaria 1.75 compare
More population data for North Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5276 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 25,807 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1188 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7483 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.656 (2100)
- Population density 162.05 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 794,407 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is comparison of fertility rates in North Korea?
- Comparison of fertility rates in North Korea was 1.78 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest comparison of fertility rates recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.99 in 1950.
- What is the lowest comparison of fertility rates recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.78 in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for comparison of fertility rates?
- North Korea ranks 130th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is comparison of fertility rates rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Comparison of fertility rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).