Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea
North Korea: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.78 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.78 births per woman
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
120th
of 215 countries
All-time high
4.05 births per woman
in 1967
All-time low
1.78 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea is 1.78 births per woman, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea peaked at 4.05 births per woman in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1.78 births per woman, in 2023.
North Korea ranks 120th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.57 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 3.26 births per woman | -8.6% |
| 1962 | 3.41 births per woman | +4.6% |
| 1963 | 3.63 births per woman | +6.3% |
| 1964 | 3.55 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1965 | 3.56 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 3.71 births per woman | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 4.05 births per woman | +9.2% |
| 1968 | 3.87 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 3.86 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 3.85 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 3.74 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 3.89 births per woman | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 3.35 births per woman | -13.8% |
| 1974 | 3.14 births per woman | -6.3% |
| 1975 | 3.05 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 2.84 births per woman | -6.9% |
| 1977 | 2.77 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 2.79 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 2.85 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 2.84 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 2.92 births per woman | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 2.85 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 2.78 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 2.71 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 2.65 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 2.59 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 2.53 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 2.47 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 2.41 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 2.39 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 2.35 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 2.29 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.22 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 2.18 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 2.15 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 2.09 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 2.03 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 1.99 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 1.97 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 1.94 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.94 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 1.92 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.91 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.9 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 1.87 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.94 births per woman | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 1.94 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.97 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.91 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 1.89 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.88 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 1.88 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.88 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.87 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 1.85 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 1.83 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 1.82 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 1.82 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.81 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.8 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 1.78 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 1.78 births per woman | +0.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.78 births per woman is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.11 births per woman, 43% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.78 births per woman is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12 births per woman, 84% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.65 births per woman | 3.26 births per woman | 4.05 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.23 births per woman | 2.77 births per woman | 3.89 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.67 births per woman | 2.41 births per woman | 2.92 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.17 births per woman | 1.97 births per woman | 2.39 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.92 births per woman | 1.87 births per woman | 1.97 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.86 births per woman | 1.82 births per woman | 1.89 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8 births per woman | 1.78 births per woman | 1.82 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 117 Bahrain 1.8 births per woman compare
- 118 Georgia 1.8 births per woman compare
- 119 Montenegro 1.8 births per woman compare
- 121 El Salvador 1.77 births per woman compare
- 122 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.76 births per woman compare
- 123 Brunei 1.73 births per woman compare
More population data for North Korea
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5276 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 794,407 people (2100)
- Population density 162.05 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7483 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1188 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in North Korea was 1.78 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.05 births per woman in 1967.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.78 births per woman in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- North Korea ranks 120th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.