COUNTRY PROFILENorth Korea
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. · East Asia & Pacific
North Korea's population is 26,571,036 (2025) — the 56th-largest in the world and the 21st-largest in Asia, growing by about 72,213 people a year.
26,611,319
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▲ growing26,571,036 (World Bank, 2025) + +72,213/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
North Korea Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
26,571,036
World rank
#56
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
220.7 / km²
120,410 km² land area
Share of humanity
1 in 309 people on Earth lives in North Korea
North Korea's Population Growth
Yes — North Korea's population rose by 72,213 people (+0.27%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 1.8 births per woman — below the ~2.1 replacement level. Net migration was negative in the latest year on record.
You, in North Korea
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Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
North Korea Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
220.7 people / km²
120,410 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
37.6 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
73.7 years
M 71.6 · F 75.9
Average height2019
174.7 cm (male)
female 161.2 cm
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
21.8 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
64.2 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
1.8 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
−2,787 people
negative in latest year
North Korea in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population26,571,036 people
#56 / 217
→
Life expectancy73.7 years
#119 / 217
→
Average height174.7 cm (male)
#78 / 200
→
Cleanest air21.78 µg/m³ PM2.5
#126 / 200
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 13,154,540Female — 13,416,493
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is North Korea Located?
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Currency
- Won (KPW)
- Language(s)
- Korean
- Region
- East Asia & Pacific
- Continent
- 48 countries in Asia →
- Land area
- 120,410 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 120,540 km²
- Borders
- 3 countries
Shares a border with
China
South Korea
RussiaNorth KoreaVSExplore North Korea in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of North Korea?
North Korea's population is 26,571,036 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #56 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in North Korea?
26,571,036 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is North Korea's population density?
220.7 people per km², based on a land area of 120,410 km².
What is North Korea ranked in population worldwide?
#56 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in North Korea?
73.7 years on average (2024) — 71.6 for men, 75.9 for women.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →