What is the population of North Korea in 2026?
North Korea has a population of 26,571,036 people (2025 estimate), which is 56th in the world and about 0.32% of the global total.
Officially Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Population 2025
26,571,036
0.32% of world population
World Bank, 2025Annual Growth
+0.27%
+72,273 people a year
World Bank, 2025Density
219/km²
120,410 km² land area
World Bank, 2023Median Age
36.5 years
Life expectancy 73.7 years
Our World in Data, 2025About North Korea
With a population of 26.6 million, North Korea ranks 56th globally and has a population density of 219 people per km². The country spans 120,410 km² on the Korean Peninsula in Asia, bordered by China, South Korea, and Russia. Its capital is Pyongyang.
The population is aging, with a median age of 36.5 years and life expectancy at 73.7 years. Annual growth stands at 0.3%, supported by a fertility rate of 1.8 births per woman. Urban areas account for 64% of the population, while the economy has a GDP per capita of $1,800 and uses the North Korean won as currency.
Established in 1948, the country operates as a republic with Korean as its official language.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Continent
- Asia
- ISO codes
- KP · PRK
- Demonym
- North Korean
- Currency
- North Korean won (KPW ₩)
- Government
- Communist dictatorship, Family dictatorship, Juche +4 more
- State inception
- 1948
- Time zone
- UTC+09:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +850
- Internet TLD
- .kp
- Land neighbours
- 3
Languages
- Korean
Demographics
Economy
Not published for North Korea: GDP Growth, Inflation Rate, Poverty Rate, Gini Index.
Health
Not published for North Korea: Health Spending.
Education
Not published for North Korea: Education Spending, Mean Years of Schooling.
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
None of our sources publish these indicators for North Korea.
Geography
Military
None of our sources publish these indicators for North Korea.
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 18.9%
- Age 15–64
- 68.7%
- Age 65+
- 12.4%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 29 | 340 |
| 95-99 | 670 | 4,682 |
| 90-94 | 8,039 | 32,824 |
| 85-89 | 51,264 | 131,759 |
| 80-84 | 147,931 | 279,486 |
| 75-79 | 271,385 | 402,156 |
| 70-74 | 317,968 | 393,380 |
| 65-69 | 588,361 | 655,547 |
| 60-64 | 732,421 | 780,962 |
| 55-59 | 985,428 | 1,016,782 |
| 50-54 | 1,055,309 | 1,064,400 |
| 45-49 | 823,167 | 816,842 |
| 40-44 | 860,875 | 845,288 |
| 35-39 | 931,945 | 908,873 |
| 30-34 | 1,001,680 | 970,680 |
| 25-29 | 996,908 | 959,886 |
| 20-24 | 918,918 | 881,165 |
| 15-19 | 839,738 | 800,977 |
| 10-14 | 832,492 | 791,681 |
| 5-9 | 868,635 | 823,677 |
| 0-4 | 875,556 | 828,719 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 11,116,736 |
| 1960 | 11,722,953 |
| 1970 | 15,172,775 |
| 1980 | 18,236,786 |
| 1990 | 21,112,137 |
| 2000 | 23,665,910 |
| 2010 | 24,987,258 |
| 2020 | 26,136,312 |
| 2030 | 26,784,904 |
| 2040 | 26,542,432 |
| 2050 | 25,787,127 |
| 2060 | 24,682,709 |
| 2070 | 23,397,808 |
| 2080 | 22,124,706 |
| 2090 | 20,821,743 |
| 2100 | 19,512,149 |
How North Korea Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
- India1.46B
- China1.41B
- United States341.8M
- Indonesia285.7M
- Pakistan255.2M
- Nigeria237.5M
- Brazil212.8M
- Bangladesh175.7M
- Russia143.5M
- Ethiopia135.5M
- North Korea26.6M
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| North Korea | 26.6M |
Major Cities in North Korea
1 metropolitan area in our city dataset.
- Pyongyang3.14M · +0.35%
Countries Bordering North Korea
3 land borders.
- China1.41B · −0.17%
- South Korea51.7M · −0.13%
- Russia143.5M · −0.11%
North Korea Population FAQ
Is the population of North Korea growing or shrinking?
North Korea's population is growing at +0.27% per year, a change of roughly 72,273 people annually.
What is the capital of North Korea?
The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang.
What is the largest city in North Korea?
Pyongyang is the largest metropolitan area in North Korea, with about 3.14M people.
How densely populated is North Korea?
North Korea has 219/km² across 120,410 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in North Korea?
Life expectancy at birth in North Korea is 73.7 years (2024).
What is the median age in North Korea?
The median age in North Korea is 36.5 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is North Korea in?
North Korea is in Asia.