Population in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: Population in the largest city was 18.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
18.8%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
117th
of 153 countries
All-time high
20.8%
in 1993
All-time low
11.7%
in 1968
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of stood at 18.8%.
That represents a change of down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of peaked at 20.8% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 11.7%, in 1968.
That places Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 117th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.6% | — |
| 1961 | 13.1% | -3.4% |
| 1962 | 12.9% | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 12.6% | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 12.5% | -1.5% |
| 1965 | 12.2% | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 12.0% | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 11.7% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 11.7% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 11.8% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 12.0% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 12.3% | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 12.6% | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 13.0% | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 13.4% | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 14.0% | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 14.7% | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 15.4% | +4.8% |
| 1978 | 16.1% | +4.9% |
| 1979 | 16.9% | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 17.8% | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 18.1% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 18.4% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 18.8% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 19.1% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 19.8% | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 20.1% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 20.2% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 20.4% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 20.5% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 20.6% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 20.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 20.8% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 20.8% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 20.5% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 20.3% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 20.2% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 20.0% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 19.9% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 19.7% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 19.6% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 19.6% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 19.5% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 19.3% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 19.2% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 19.2% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 19.1% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 19.0% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 19.0% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 19.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 19.0% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 19.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 19.0% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 18.8% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 18.8% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 18.8% | +0.0% |
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of compared with similar countries
- Korea, Democratic People's Republic of's 18.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.3%, 55% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Korea, Democratic People's Republic of's 18.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.4%, 74% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.4% | 11.7% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.0% | 12.0% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.2% | 17.8% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.4% | 19.9% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.3% | 19.0% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.9% | 18.9% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.8% | 18.8% | 18.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
More urban development data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
- Population density 219.4 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- 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 in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Population in the largest city in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of was 18.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 1993.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.7% in 1968.
- How does Korea, Democratic People's Republic of rank for population in the largest city?
- Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 117th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea, Democratic People's Republic of data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.