Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) in North Korea
North Korea: Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) was 14,775 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
14,775 thousands
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
45th
of 233 countries
All-time high
14,775 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
5,959 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Population aged 25-64 years in North Korea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population aged 25-64 years in North Korea is 14,775 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population aged 25-64 years in North Korea peaked at 14,775 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5,959 thousands, in 1970.
North Korea ranks 45th of 233 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5,959 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 6,157 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 6,359 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 6,554 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 6,731 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 6,898 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 7,078 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 7,144 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 7,226 thousands | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 7,350 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 7,513 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 7,698 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 7,881 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 8,135 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 8,401 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 8,618 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 8,847 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 9,058 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 9,293 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 9,560 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 9,828 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 10,106 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 10,407 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 10,754 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 11,082 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 11,400 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 11,680 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 11,937 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 12,199 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 12,376 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 12,506 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 12,606 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 12,659 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 12,686 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 12,732 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 12,781 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 12,831 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 12,897 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 12,966 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 13,043 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 13,129 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 13,220 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 13,314 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 13,417 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 13,534 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 13,662 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 13,786 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 14,002 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 14,203 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 14,364 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 14,487 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 14,585 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 14,683 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 14,715 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 14,728 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 14,775 thousands | +0.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 14,775 thousands is above the median for low income countries, which is 7,739 thousands, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 14,775 thousands is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 559.65 thousands, 26.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6,745 thousands | 5,959 thousands | 7,350 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 8,500 thousands | 7,513 thousands | 9,560 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 11,177 thousands | 9,828 thousands | 12,376 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 12,771 thousands | 12,506 thousands | 13,043 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 13,663 thousands | 13,129 thousands | 14,364 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,662 thousands | 14,487 thousands | 14,775 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
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)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 162.05 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 794,407 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population aged 25-64 years in North Korea?
- Population aged 25-64 years in North Korea was 14,775 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population aged 25-64 years recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 14,775 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest population aged 25-64 years recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,959 thousands in 1970.
- How does North Korea rank for population aged 25-64 years?
- North Korea ranks 45th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population aged 25-64 years rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population aged 25-64 years (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release