PopulationTracker

North Korea population

Current population of North Korea

26,650,851

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
194
Deaths today
149
Change today (UTC)
+41
World rank
56th of 218
0.32% of world population
Population
26,571,036
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+0.27%
2025
Density
219 /km²
2023
Land area
120,410 km²
Urban population
64%
2025
Median age
36.5 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
1.78
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
73.7 yrs
2024
Net migration
−2,787
2025
Capital
Pyongyang
Region
East Asia & Pacific

Population of North Korea: overview

North Korea has a population of 26,571,036 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 56th largest in the world. North Korea is part of the East Asia & Pacific region and its capital is Pyongyang.

Growth has slowed to 0.27% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 72,213 additional people over the past year.

Population density is relatively high at about 219 people per km², spread across 120,410 km² of land. A slim urban majority has emerged, with 64% of people living in cities.

The population is maturing, with a median age of 36.5 years. Fertility is well below replacement, at 1.78 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 73.7 years (2024).

UN projections (medium variant) see North Korea peaking in the coming decades before starting to decline, with 25.79 million people expected by 2050.

North Korea population, 1960–2025 and projections

07.5M15M22.5M30M19601980200020202040projected2025: 26.57M1960: 11,722,9531961: 11,990,7131962: 12,262,8821963: 12,567,0571964: 12,889,7701965: 13,219,3691966: 13,569,0941967: 13,958,3501968: 14,365,5961969: 14,767,6151970: 15,172,7751971: 15,572,4571972: 15,975,0691973: 16,350,3671974: 16,673,1211975: 16,971,0551976: 17,243,4501977: 17,492,7981978: 17,735,9951979: 17,983,4701980: 18,236,7861981: 18,501,2951982: 18,776,3571983: 19,054,0341984: 19,335,0431985: 19,620,3881986: 19,910,8551987: 20,205,4831988: 20,503,1611989: 20,804,3671990: 21,112,1371991: 21,428,6381992: 21,750,9111993: 22,073,3521994: 22,393,9751995: 22,669,3041996: 22,895,7461997: 23,110,8301998: 23,311,5641999: 23,497,5992000: 23,665,9102001: 23,815,3582002: 23,943,9732003: 24,090,3802004: 24,254,9432005: 24,396,4332006: 24,524,5072007: 24,646,3832008: 24,764,6182009: 24,878,3322010: 24,987,2582011: 25,097,8742012: 25,211,7282013: 25,329,4512014: 25,451,2622015: 25,575,3502016: 25,698,3262017: 25,817,7092018: 25,931,1472019: 26,037,6322020: 26,136,3122021: 26,232,5342022: 26,328,8452023: 26,418,2042024: 26,498,8232025: 26,571,0362030: 26,784,9042050: 25,787,127
Population of North Korea by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202526,571,036+0.27%+72,213
202426,498,823+0.30%+80,619
202326,418,204+0.34%+89,359
202226,328,845+0.37%+96,311
202126,232,534+0.37%+96,222
202026,136,312+0.38%+98,680
201926,037,632+0.41%+106,485
201825,931,147+0.44%+113,438
201725,817,709+0.46%+119,383
201625,698,326+0.48%+122,976
201525,575,350+0.49%+124,088
201425,451,262+0.48%+121,811
201024,987,258+0.44%+108,926
200524,396,433+0.58%+141,490
200023,665,910+0.71%+168,311
199522,669,304+1.22%+275,329
199021,112,137+1.47%+307,770
198519,620,388+1.47%+285,345
198018,236,786+1.40%+253,316
197516,971,055+1.77%+297,934
197015,172,775+2.71%+405,160
196513,219,369+2.52%+329,599
196011,722,953––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

North Korea population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of North Korea
YearProjected populationvs today
203026,784,904+0.8%
205025,787,127−3.0%

North Korea population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 18.9% of North Korea's population is under 15, 68.4% is of working age (15–64), and 12.7% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%1%1%2%2%3%3%4%4%0-4 male: 870,037 (3.3%)0-4 female: 822,923 (3.1%)0-45-9 male: 873,114 (3.3%)5-9 female: 827,598 (3.1%)10-14 male: 838,610 (3.2%)10-14 female: 797,157 (3.0%)10-1415-19 male: 833,533 (3.1%)15-19 female: 794,693 (3.0%)20-24 male: 893,346 (3.4%)20-24 female: 856,297 (3.2%)20-2425-29 male: 984,395 (3.7%)25-29 female: 947,466 (3.6%)30-34 male: 1,007,569 (3.8%)30-34 female: 975,626 (3.7%)30-3435-39 male: 943,604 (3.6%)35-39 female: 919,927 (3.5%)40-44 male: 876,530 (3.3%)40-44 female: 860,211 (3.2%)40-4445-49 male: 803,795 (3.0%)45-49 female: 796,614 (3.0%)50-54 male: 1,010,351 (3.8%)50-54 female: 1,017,836 (3.8%)50-5455-59 male: 1,021,177 (3.8%)55-59 female: 1,051,501 (4.0%)60-64 male: 760,839 (2.9%)60-64 female: 809,091 (3.0%)60-6465-69 male: 613,626 (2.3%)65-69 female: 682,559 (2.6%)70-74 male: 330,654 (1.2%)70-74 female: 399,505 (1.5%)70-7475-79 male: 274,832 (1.0%)75-79 female: 399,711 (1.5%)80-84 male: 152,703 (0.6%)80-84 female: 279,224 (1.1%)80-8485-89 male: 55,621 (0.2%)85-89 female: 137,667 (0.5%)90-94 male: 9,398 (0.0%)90-94 female: 35,459 (0.1%)90-9495-99 male: 773 (0.0%)95-99 female: 5,059 (0.0%)100+ male: 33 (0.0%)100+ female: 376 (0.0%)100+

North Korea population FAQ

What is the population of North Korea in 2026?

North Korea's population is estimated at about 26.65 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 26,571,036 (2025). North Korea ranks 56th in the world by population.

Is the population of North Korea growing or shrinking?

North Korea's population is growing at about 0.27% per year, an increase of roughly 72,213 people over the past year.

How densely populated is North Korea?

North Korea has about 219 people per square kilometre across a land area of 120,410 km².

What share of the world's population lives in North Korea?

North Korea is home to about 0.32% of the world's population.

What is North Korea's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put North Korea's population at 25,787,127 in 2050, passing through 26,784,904 in 2030.

What is the median age in North Korea?

The median age in North Korea is 36.5 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.