Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in North Korea
North Korea: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 220.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
220.07 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
63rd
of 216 countries
All-time high
220.07 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
99.58 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in North Korea, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density in North Korea is 220.07 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in North Korea peaked at 220.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 99.58 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
North Korea ranks 63rd of 216 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 99.58 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 101.84 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 104.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 107.05 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 109.79 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 112.69 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 115.92 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 119.31 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 122.64 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 126.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 129.33 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 132.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 135.79 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 138.47 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 140.94 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 143.21 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 145.28 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 147.3 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 149.35 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 151.46 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 153.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 155.94 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 158.24 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 160.58 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 162.95 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 165.36 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 167.81 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 170.28 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 172.78 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 175.34 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 177.96 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 180.64 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 183.32 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 185.98 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 188.27 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 190.15 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 191.93 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 193.6 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 195.15 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 196.54 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 197.79 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 198.85 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 200.07 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 201.44 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 202.61 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 203.68 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 204.69 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 205.67 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 206.61 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 207.52 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 208.44 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 209.38 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 210.36 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 211.37 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 212.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 213.42 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 214.41 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 215.36 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 216.24 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 217.06 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 217.86 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 218.66 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 219.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 220.07 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 220.07 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for low income countries, which is 65.39 people per sq. km of land area, 3.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 220.07 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 140.28 people per sq. km of land area, 1.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 110.35 people per sq. km of land area | 99.58 people per sq. km of land area | 122.64 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 138.83 people per sq. km of land area | 126.01 people per sq. km of land area | 149.35 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 161.9 people per sq. km of land area | 151.46 people per sq. km of land area | 172.78 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 186.23 people per sq. km of land area | 175.34 people per sq. km of land area | 195.15 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 201.79 people per sq. km of land area | 196.54 people per sq. km of land area | 206.61 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 211.89 people per sq. km of land area | 207.52 people per sq. km of land area | 216.24 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 218.61 people per sq. km of land area | 217.06 people per sq. km of land area | 220.07 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 60 American Samoa 235 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 61 Malawi 229.69 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 62 Switzerland 227.93 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 64 Antigua and Barbuda 212.97 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 65 Marshall Islands 207.45 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 66 Nepal 206.84 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for North Korea
- Population in the largest city 18.8% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 21.78 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1208 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.21 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.8218 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 26.22 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 3.21 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 11.15 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 88.45 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in North Korea?
- Population density in North Korea was 220.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 220.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 99.58 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does North Korea rank for population density?
- North Korea ranks 63rd out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.