Share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: Share of population living in cities was 58.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of is 58.9%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of peaked at 62.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 33.6%, in 1955.
That places Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 35.3% | — |
| 1955 | 33.6% | -4.9% |
| 1960 | 39.7% | +18.1% |
| 1965 | 45.8% | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 54.1% | +18.1% |
| 1975 | 61.2% | +13.0% |
| 1980 | 61.6% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 60.2% | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 60.1% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 61.6% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 62.5% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 62.3% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 62.0% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 61.2% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 58.9% | -3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 34.5% | 33.6% | 35.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 42.8% | 39.7% | 45.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 57.7% | 54.1% | 61.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 60.9% | 60.2% | 61.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 60.8% | 60.1% | 61.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 62.4% | 62.3% | 62.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 61.6% | 61.2% | 62.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 58.9% | 58.9% | 58.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
- 34 Dominican Republic 61.1% compare
- 35 Iran, Islamic Republic of 60.6% compare
- 36 Curaçao 59.6% compare
- 38 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 57.4% compare
- 39 Peru 56.0% compare
- 40 Malaysia 55.0% compare
More population data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
- 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 share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Share of population living in cities in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of was 58.9% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 62.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.6% in 1955.
- How does Korea, Democratic People's Republic of rank for share of population living in cities?
- Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities rising or falling in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea, Democratic People's Republic of data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in cities. Cities are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.