Urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea
North Korea: Urban population, annual growth rate was 0.7919 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.7919 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
134th
of 218 countries
All-time high
6.6 % change on previous year
in 1961
All-time low
0.6445 % change on previous year
in 2002
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea stood at 0.7919 % change on previous year.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea peaked at 6.6 % change on previous year in 1961 and was at its lowest, 0.6445 % change on previous year, in 2002.
That places North Korea 134th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.6 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 5.72 % change on previous year | -13.3% |
| 1963 | 5.44 % change on previous year | -5.0% |
| 1964 | 5.33 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 5.41 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 5.78 % change on previous year | +6.9% |
| 1967 | 6.1 % change on previous year | +5.5% |
| 1968 | 5.94 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 1969 | 5.34 % change on previous year | -10.1% |
| 1970 | 4.57 % change on previous year | -14.5% |
| 1971 | 3.99 % change on previous year | -12.7% |
| 1972 | 3.81 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 3.36 % change on previous year | -11.8% |
| 1974 | 2.69 % change on previous year | -19.9% |
| 1975 | 2.13 % change on previous year | -20.7% |
| 1976 | 1.71 % change on previous year | -19.7% |
| 1977 | 1.51 % change on previous year | -11.6% |
| 1978 | 1.44 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 1.45 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 1.49 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 1.58 % change on previous year | +6.2% |
| 1982 | 1.67 % change on previous year | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 1.71 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 1.74 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 1.77 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 1.79 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 1.8 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 1.79 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 1.79 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 1.79 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 1.76 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 1.7 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 1.63 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 1.39 % change on previous year | -15.2% |
| 1996 | 1.14 % change on previous year | -17.9% |
| 1997 | 1.07 % change on previous year | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 0.9841 % change on previous year | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 0.9065 % change on previous year | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 0.8202 % change on previous year | -9.5% |
| 2001 | 0.7339 % change on previous year | -10.5% |
| 2002 | 0.6445 % change on previous year | -12.2% |
| 2003 | 0.7204 % change on previous year | +11.8% |
| 2004 | 0.7995 % change on previous year | +11.0% |
| 2005 | 0.7102 % change on previous year | -11.2% |
| 2006 | 0.6654 % change on previous year | -6.3% |
| 2007 | 0.6529 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 0.6547 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 0.6653 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 0.6929 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 0.7366 % change on previous year | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 0.7767 % change on previous year | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 0.8086 % change on previous year | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.8268 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 0.8669 % change on previous year | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 0.8799 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 0.8766 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 0.8646 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 0.8504 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 0.8315 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 0.8344 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 0.8475 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 0.8326 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 0.8114 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 2025 | 0.7919 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.7919 % change on previous year is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.1 % change on previous year, 19% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.7919 % change on previous year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.9317 % change on previous year, 85% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.74 % change on previous year | 5.33 % change on previous year | 6.6 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.67 % change on previous year | 1.44 % change on previous year | 4.57 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.72 % change on previous year | 1.49 % change on previous year | 1.8 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.41 % change on previous year | 0.9065 % change on previous year | 1.79 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7067 % change on previous year | 0.6445 % change on previous year | 0.8202 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.818 % change on previous year | 0.6929 % change on previous year | 0.8799 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8249 % change on previous year | 0.7919 % change on previous year | 0.8475 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 131 Suriname 0.8918 % change on previous year compare
- 132 Netherlands 0.8374 % change on previous year compare
- 133 Finland 0.825 % change on previous year compare
- 135 Croatia 0.7789 % change on previous year compare
- 136 Guam 0.7785 % change on previous year compare
- 137 Belgium 0.771 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for North Korea
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total 26.57 million (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 27.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6419 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 17.06 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.8% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.2725 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population growth 0.3% (2025)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals (Greenhouse gas, Total, Metric ton of) 0 units per person (2024)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions from cement 0.2% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in North Korea was 0.7919 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.6 % change on previous year in 1961.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6445 % change on previous year in 2002.
- How does North Korea rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- North Korea ranks 134th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.