Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
PRKEast Asia & PacificLow incomeCapital: PyongyangEconomy
Fiscal
People
Health
Education
Trade
Energy / Env
Tech
Governance
Equality
Infra
Labor
37/80 indicators · percentile vs world (IMF / WB / WHO)underover
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. in world space
192 countries · log scale on X world Korea, Dem. People's Rep.· trajectory line: 1980 → today
▶About Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
with a population of 26.5M. Key indicators include life expectancy of 73.6 years. Data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
The economy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is classified as low income and faces significant challenges. The state-controlled economy relies heavily on agriculture and industry, with a notable emphasis on military production. Economic data is often scarce and unreliable due to the government's secrecy. Unemployment is projected to be around 3.545% in 2025, though official statistics are not always transparent. The economy has been severely impacted by international sanctions and limited trade, leading to widespread shortages and economic hardship. Socially, the population stands at approximately 26,498,823 as of 2024. Life expectancy is 73.642 years as of 2023, reflecting the healthcare system's limitations and the broader impact of economic struggles on public health. The society is highly centralized, with the government playing a dominant role in all aspects of life. Access to information and freedom of movement are restricted, contributing to a unique social dynamic.
▶Trade2 indicators · 2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchandise Exports (USD) | $363.0M | 2024 | ▲ 10.0% | WB |
| Merchandise Imports (USD) | $2.36B | 2024 | ▼ 3.3% | WB |
▶External Debt1 indicator · 2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net ODA Received (USD) | $14.4M | 2023 | ▲ 6.1% | WB |
▶People23 indicators · 2023–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26.5M | 2024 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Population Growth (%) | 0.3% | 2024 | ▼ 10.1% | WB |
| Population Density (per km²) | 219 | 2023 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Surface Area (sq km) | 120,540 | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Land Area (sq km) | 120,410 | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Urban Population (%) | 63.9% | 2024 | ▲ 0.5% | WB |
| Urban Population (total) | 16.9M | 2024 | ▲ 0.8% | WB |
| Rural Population (%) | 36.1% | 2024 | ▼ 0.9% | WB |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 73.6 years | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Life Expectancy, Male | 71.5 years | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Life Expectancy, Female | 75.7 years | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Fertility Rate (births per woman) | 1.8 | 2023 | ▼ 0.9% | WB |
| Birth Rate (per 1,000) | 12.9 | 2023 | ▼ 1.5% | WB |
| Death Rate (per 1,000) | 9.7 | 2023 | ▲ 2.1% | WB |
| Net Migration | -2,787 | 2025 | ▼ 12.7% | WB |
| Population Ages 0–14 (%) | 18.9% | 2024 | ▼ 0.2% | WB |
| Population Ages 15–64 (%) | 68.7% | 2024 | ▼ 0.5% | WB |
| Population Ages 65+ (%) | 12.4% | 2024 | ▲ 3.1% | WB |
| Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 45.7% | 2024 | ▲ 1.6% | WB |
| Old-Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 18.1% | 2024 | ▲ 3.6% | WB |
| Youth Dependency Ratio (%) | 27.6% | 2024 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Male (per 1,000) | 155.9 | 2023 | ▼ 0.2% | WB |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Female (per 1,000) | 103.2 | 2023 | ▼ 0.7% | WB |
▶Labor17 indicators · 2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 17.7M | 2025 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Labor Force Participation (%) | 82.2% | 2025 | ▼ 0.0% | WB |
| Female Labor Force Participation (%) | 77.7% | 2025 | ▼ 0.0% | WB |
| Male Labor Force Participation (%) | 86.8% | 2025 | ▼ 0.0% | WB |
| Unemployment (%) | 3.5% | 2025 | ▲ 0.2% | WB |
| Female Unemployment (%) | 3.7% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| Male Unemployment (%) | 3.4% | 2025 | ▲ 0.4% | WB |
| Youth Unemployment (%) | 7.9% | 2025 | ▲ 1.7% | WB |
| Employment in Agriculture (%) | 54.1% | 2025 | ▼ 0.4% | WB |
| Employment in Industry (%) | 22.4% | 2025 | ▼ 0.5% | WB |
| Employment in Services (%) | 23.5% | 2025 | ▲ 1.4% | WB |
| Vulnerable Employment (%) | 56.8% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| Wage & Salaried Workers (% of total) | 37.9% | 2025 | ▲ 0.2% | WB |
| Employers (% of total employment) | 5.3% | 2025 | ▼ 0.0% | WB |
| Labor Force, Female (% of total) | 48.2% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| Employment to Population Ratio (%) | 79.2% | 2025 | ▼ 0.0% | WB |
| Self-Employed (% of total) | 62.1% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
▶Education9 indicators · 2009–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education Spending (% of govt expenditure) | 14.6% | 2025 | ▲ 6.9% | WB |
| Primary School Enrollment (%) | 92.1% | 2018 | — | WB |
| Secondary School Enrollment (%) | 94.3% | 2015 | — | WB |
| Tertiary School Enrollment (%) | 26.7% | 2018 | — | WB |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 97.1% | 2009 | — | WB |
| Primary School Teachers | 74,274 | 2018 | — | WB |
| Secondary School Teachers | 123,539 | 2018 | — | WB |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Primary | 20 | 2018 | — | WB |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Secondary | 17 | 2015 | — | WB |
▶Health32 indicators · 2017–2024 · WHO
▶Energy & Environment16 indicators · 2020–2024 · WB / WHO
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ Emissions (tonnes per capita) | 2.5 | 2024 | ▲ 0.6% | WB |
| CO₂ Emissions (total kilotonnes) | 66 | 2024 | ▲ 0.9% | WB |
| Energy Use (kg oil eq. per capita) | 641 | 2022 | ▲ 3.4% | WB |
| Electric Power Consumption (kWh per capita) | 830 | 2022 | ▲ 2.8% | WB |
| Renewable Electricity Output (%) | 63.2% | 2021 | ▲ 18.3% | WB |
| Renewable Energy Consumption (%) | 14.7% | 2021 | ▲ 31.3% | WB |
| Access to Electricity (%) | 57.5% | 2023 | ▲ 5.1% | WB |
| Access to Clean Fuels for Cooking (%) | 14.5% | 2023 | ▲ 6.6% | WB |
| PM2.5 Air Pollution (µg/m³) | 29.9 | 2020 | ▼ 3.8% | WB |
| Forest Area (%) | 49.6% | 2023 | ▼ 0.4% | WB |
| Forest Area (sq km) | 59,664 | 2023 | ▼ 0.4% | WB |
| Arable Land (%) | 19.1% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Terrestrial Protected Areas (%) | 1.3% | 2024 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Marine Protected Areas (%) | 0.0% | 2024 | — | WB |
| Access to Basic Drinking Water (%) | 93.9% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WHO |
| Access to Basic Sanitation (%) | 84.8% | 2023 | ▲ 0.1% | WHO |
▶Agriculture11 indicators · 2018–2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Land (%) | 21.6% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Cereal Yield (kg per hectare) | 3,576 | 2023 | ▼ 1.5% | WB |
| Food Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 92.7 | 2022 | ▼ 0.9% | WB |
| Crop Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 92.6 | 2022 | ▼ 1.3% | WB |
| Livestock Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 95.4 | 2022 | ▲ 0.8% | WB |
| Land Under Cereal Production (hectares) | 1.2M | 2023 | ▼ 3.2% | WB |
| Total Fisheries Production (metric tonnes) | 208,130 | 2023 | ▼ 2.9% | WB |
| Fertilizer Consumption (kg per hectare) | 14.7 | 2023 | ▲ 107.7% | WB |
| Prevalence of Undernourishment (%) | 47.0% | 2018 | ▼ 1.1% | WB |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawals (% of internal) | 12.9% | 2022 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Cereal Production (metric tons) | 4.4M | 2023 | ▼ 4.7% | WB |
▶Technology5 indicators · 2020–2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Subscriptions (per 100 people) | 24 | 2022 | ▲ 5.5% | WB |
| Secure Internet Servers (per million) | 10.4 | 2024 | ▲ 164.6% | WB |
| Patent Applications, Residents | 6,937 | 2020 | ▼ 6.0% | WB |
| Patent Applications, Non-Residents | 6 | 2020 | ▼ 14.3% | WB |
| Scientific Journal Articles | 263 | 2022 | ▲ 7.5% | WB |
▶Infrastructure4 indicators · 2021–2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Transport, Passengers Carried | 3,690 | 2023 | ▲ 604.5% | WB |
| Air Transport, Freight (million ton-km) | 0 | 2023 | ▲ 240.9% | WB |
| Electricity from Oil (%) | 2.2% | 2022 | ▲ 8.8% | WB |
| Electricity from Nuclear (%) | 0.0% | 2021 | — | WB |
▶Gender7 indicators · 2015–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women in Parliament (%) | 17.6% | 2024 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Female Wage & Salaried Workers (%) | 36.2% | 2025 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Girls Out-of-School Rate (%) | 91.8% | 2018 | — | WB |
| Adolescent Fertility Rate (per 1,000) | 0.5 | 2023 | ▼ 2.5% | WB |
| Gender Parity Index, Primary | 92.61 | 2018 | — | WB |
| Gender Parity Index, Secondary | 1.01 | 2015 | — | WB |
| Gender Parity in Primary Education | 1.00 | 2018 | — | WB |
▶Governance10 indicators · 2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control of Corruption | -1.58 | 2023 | ▲ 1.3% | WB |
| Government Effectiveness | -1.48 | 2023 | ▼ 1.4% | WB |
| Political Stability | -0.37 | 2023 | ▲ 15.0% | WB |
| Regulatory Quality | -2.39 | 2023 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Rule of Law | -1.64 | 2023 | ▲ 1.2% | WB |
| Voice & Accountability | -1.98 | 2023 | ▲ 2.2% | WB |
| Control of Corruption (percentile rank) | 2.4% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Government Effectiveness (percentile rank) | 7.1% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Rule of Law (percentile rank) | 5.7% | 2023 | ▲ 20.0% | WB |
| Political Stability (percentile rank) | 30.3% | 2023 | ▼ 1.1% | WB |
▶Military3 indicators · 2018–2020 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military Expenditure (USD) | $1.60B | 2018 | ▲ 66.9% | WB |
| Armed Forces Personnel | 1.5M | 2020 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Armed Forces (% of labor force) | 8.6% | 2020 | ▲ 1.5% | WB |
▶Urban Development7 indicators · 2022–2025 · WB / WHO
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Population Growth (%) | 0.8% | 2024 | ▼ 2.5% | WB |
| Population in Largest City | 3.2M | 2025 | ▲ 0.8% | WB |
| Population in Largest City (% of urban) | 18.8% | 2025 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Population in Agglomerations >1M (% of total) | 12.1% | 2025 | ▲ 0.5% | WB |
| Population in Slums (% of urban) | 23.0% | 2022 | — | WB |
| Rural Population Growth (%) | -0.6% | 2024 | ▼ 13.5% | WB |
| Access to Safely Managed Drinking Water (%) | 66.6% | 2023 | ▲ 0.1% | WHO |
