Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in North Korea
North Korea: Population growth (annual %) (World Population) was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in North Korea, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in North Korea is 0.3%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 10.7% on the previous year and down 44.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in North Korea peaked at 2.9% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2025.
North Korea ranks 155th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.3% | — |
| 1962 | 2.2% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 2.5% | +9.2% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 2.5% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 2.6% | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | +8.3% |
| 1968 | 2.9% | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 2.8% | -4.0% |
| 1970 | 2.7% | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.6% | -3.9% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 2.3% | -9.0% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | -15.8% |
| 1975 | 1.8% | -9.4% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -10.1% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -9.8% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | -3.8% |
| 1979 | 1.4% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.4% | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 1.5% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -15.3% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -18.7% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 0.7% | -10.2% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | -11.8% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -14.4% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +13.2% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +11.7% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -14.6% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -10.0% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -7.5% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | -10.1% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -10.7% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.3% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.6%, 11% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.6%, 42% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.4% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More climate change data for North Korea
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.22 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3103 °C (2026)
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.29 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2 °C (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 27.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6419 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies 127.56 millimeters (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.2725 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7919 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in North Korea?
- Population growth in North Korea was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 1968.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2025.
- How does North Korea rank for population growth?
- North Korea ranks 155th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.