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World Measure
The population almanac240 countries · 31,365 cities · UN WPP 2024
City profile · North Korea · Asia

Hamhŭng

South Hamgyong · North Korea
City population
559,056
#2
in North Korea
#1
in South Hamgyong
#996
worldwide
PyongyangHamhŭng
39.918, 127.536 · 182 km from Pyongyang
City population
559,056
Within the city boundary, not a metro area
Rank in North Korea
#2
of 96 cities of 15,000+
World rank
#996
of 31,365 cities listed
Share of North Korea
2.1%
of the national population

About Hamhŭng

Surrounded by several substantial population centres within a short distance, this city of 559,056 is the largest in South Hamgyong province. Hŭngnam lies 12 km away with a population of 346,082, while Yŏnggwang-ŭp and Samho-rodongjagu are situated 13 km and 29 km distant respectively. The city accounts for 2.1% of North Korea's national population and ranks second among the country's 96 listed cities.

This summary is AI-generated from the figures on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.

Position in North Korea
#2of 96
LargestSmallest
Position in South Hamgyong
#1of 10
LargestSmallest

Key Facts

Country
North Korea
Region
South Hamgyong
Rank in region
#1of 10
Distance to capital
182 km
to Pyongyang
Elevation
16 m
Approximate — modelled, not surveyed
Time zone
Asia/Pyongyang
Coordinates
39.918, 127.536
Record updated
2026-04-14
Entry edited, not measured

City population, GeoNames. GeoNames publishes no year for its population figures, so “record updated” is when the entry was last edited — not the date the population was measured. Elevation is modelled from a digital elevation model rather than surveyed, so it is approximate.

Nearby Cities

All 96 in North Korea

Closest listed cities by great-circle distance from the city centre.

12KMHŭngnam346K people29KMSamho-rodongjagu19K people38KMHongwŏn71K people54KMYuktae-dong76K people58KMSinp’o153K people

Compared with the World's Largest Cities

City-proper population against the fifteen largest cities in the dataset.

  1. Shanghai24.9M
  2. Beijing19M
  3. Shenzhen17.5M
  4. Guangzhou16.1M
  5. Kinshasa16M
  6. Istanbul15.7M
  7. Lagos15.4M
  8. Ho Chi Minh City14M
  9. Chengdu13.6M
  10. Lahore13M
  11. Mumbai12.7M
  12. São Paulo12.4M
  13. Mexico City12.3M
  14. Karachi11.6M
  15. Tianjin11.1M
  16. Hamhŭng559K
City-proper figures only. Administrative boundaries differ between countries, so these are not directly comparable to metropolitan-area estimates.
Hamhŭng compared with the fifteen largest cities
NameCity population
Shanghai24.9M
Beijing19M
Shenzhen17.5M
Guangzhou16.1M
Kinshasa16M
Istanbul15.7M
Lagos15.4M
Ho Chi Minh City14M
Chengdu13.6M
Lahore13M
Mumbai12.7M
São Paulo12.4M
Mexico City12.3M
Karachi11.6M
Tianjin11.1M
Hamhŭng559K

Hamhŭng Population FAQ

What is the population of Hamhŭng?

Hamhŭng has a city population of 559,056. That is the population within the city's own boundary, not its wider metropolitan area. City population, GeoNames.

Where is Hamhŭng?

Hamhŭng is in South Hamgyong, North Korea, 182 km from the capital, Pyongyang. Its coordinates are 39.918, 127.536.

How big is Hamhŭng compared with other cities in North Korea?

It is the 2nd largest of the 96 cities of 15,000 or more listed in North Korea, holding 2.1% of the national population.

Explore

North KoreaAll 96 citiesSouth Hamgyong10 cities in the regionCountry profileNorth Korea population & indicators