Share urban and rural population in North Korea
North Korea: Share urban and rural population was 64.19 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
64.19
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
123rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
64.19
in 2025
All-time low
3.97
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share urban and rural population in North Korea, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, share urban and rural population in North Korea stood at 64.19. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share urban and rural population in North Korea peaked at 64.19 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.97, in 1950.
That places North Korea 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share urban and rural population in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.97 | — |
| 1951 | 6.04 | +52.4% |
| 1952 | 8.86 | +46.6% |
| 1953 | 12.4 | +39.9% |
| 1954 | 18.81 | +51.6% |
| 1955 | 24.46 | +30.1% |
| 1956 | 29 | +18.6% |
| 1957 | 32.63 | +12.5% |
| 1958 | 35.78 | +9.7% |
| 1959 | 38.45 | +7.4% |
| 1960 | 40.6 | +5.6% |
| 1961 | 42.31 | +4.2% |
| 1962 | 43.74 | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 45 | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 46.22 | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 47.5 | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 48.95 | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 50.49 | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 51.97 | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 53.25 | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 54.2 | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 54.91 | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 55.57 | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 56.12 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 56.51 | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 56.7 | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 56.76 | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 56.8 | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 56.82 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 56.85 | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 56.9 | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 56.97 | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 57.08 | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 57.21 | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 57.36 | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 57.53 | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 57.7 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 57.89 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 58.07 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 58.26 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 58.44 | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 58.6 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 58.75 | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 58.88 | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 58.98 | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 59.07 | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 59.15 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 59.23 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 59.29 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 59.36 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 59.42 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 59.48 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 59.54 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 59.61 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 59.68 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 59.75 | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 59.83 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 59.93 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 60.03 | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 60.15 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 60.31 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 60.48 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 60.68 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 60.88 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 61.09 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 61.32 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 61.57 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 61.82 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 62.08 | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 62.35 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 62.64 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 62.93 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 63.23 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 63.54 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 63.86 | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 64.19 | +0.5% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 64.19 is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.54, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 64.19 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.45, 98% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share urban and rural population 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 | +52.4% | 3.97 | 6.04 |
| 1954 | +51.6% | 12.4 | 18.81 |
| 1952 | +46.6% | 6.04 | 8.86 |
| 1953 | +39.9% | 8.86 | 12.4 |
| 1955 | +30.1% | 18.81 | 24.46 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.04 | 3.97 | 38.45 | 10 |
| 1960s | 47 | 40.6 | 53.25 | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.12 | 54.2 | 56.85 | 10 |
| 1980s | 57.5 | 56.9 | 58.26 | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.97 | 58.44 | 59.36 | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.74 | 59.42 | 60.15 | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.26 | 60.31 | 62.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.4 | 62.64 | 64.19 | 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)
- Population growth rate -0.656 (2100)
- Population density 162.05 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 794,407 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share urban and rural population in North Korea?
- Share urban and rural population in North Korea was 64.19 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share urban and rural population recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 64.19 in 2025.
- What is the lowest share urban and rural population recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.97 in 1950.
- How does North Korea rank for share urban and rural population?
- North Korea ranks 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share urban and rural population rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share urban and rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).