Total population (thousands) in North Korea
North Korea: Total population (thousands) was 26,537 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
26,537 thousands
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
56th
of 233 countries
All-time high
26,537 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
14,970 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in North Korea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
In 2025, total population in North Korea stood at 26,537 thousands. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in North Korea peaked at 26,537 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14,970 thousands, in 1970.
That places North Korea 56th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 14,970 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 15,376 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 15,769 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 16,181 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 16,520 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 16,827 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 17,116 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 17,371 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 17,614 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 17,858 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 18,109 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 18,364 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 18,638 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 18,914 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 19,194 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 19,476 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 19,764 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 20,058 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 20,354 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 20,653 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 20,956 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 21,268 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 21,589 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 21,913 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 22,234 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 22,554 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 22,784 thousands | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 23,007 thousands | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 23,215 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 23,408 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 23,587 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 23,745 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 23,886 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 24,002 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 24,178 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 24,332 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 24,461 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 24,588 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 24,705 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 24,824 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 24,933 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 25,042 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 25,154 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 25,270 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 25,389 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 25,513 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 25,637 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 25,759 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 25,876 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 25,986 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 26,089 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 26,184 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 26,282 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 26,376 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 26,460 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 26,537 thousands | +0.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 26,537 thousands is above the median for low income countries, which is 23,812 thousands, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 26,537 thousands is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,410 thousands, 18.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16,560 thousands | 14,970 thousands | 17,858 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,352 thousands | 18,109 thousands | 20,653 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 22,293 thousands | 20,956 thousands | 23,408 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 24,231 thousands | 23,587 thousands | 24,824 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,456 thousands | 24,933 thousands | 25,986 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 26,321 thousands | 26,089 thousands | 26,537 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 total population in North Korea?
- Total population in North Korea was 26,537 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 26,537 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,970 thousands in 1970.
- How does North Korea rank for total population?
- North Korea ranks 56th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. 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 Total population (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