Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million … square in North Korea
North Korea: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million … square was 26.22 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in North Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in North Korea is 26.22 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in North Korea peaked at 26.22 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.52 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
North Korea ranks 42nd of 121 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million … square in North Korea, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.52 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 5.73 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 5.94 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1964 | 6.16 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1965 | 6.39 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1966 | 6.63 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 6.87 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1968 | 7.23 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1969 | 7.7 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1970 | 8.2 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1971 | 8.72 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1972 | 9.29 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1973 | 9.88 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1974 | 10.52 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 11.2 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1976 | 11.92 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1977 | 12.68 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1978 | 13.5 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1979 | 14.37 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1980 | 15.3 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1981 | 15.84 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 16.41 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 17 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 17.6 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 18.23 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 18.88 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 19.56 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 20.02 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 20.49 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 20.98 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 21.47 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 21.98 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 22.5 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 22.79 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 22.83 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 22.88 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 22.93 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 22.97 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 23.02 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 23.06 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 23.11 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 23.16 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 23.2 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 23.25 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 23.3 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 23.34 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 23.39 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 23.44 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 23.58 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 23.76 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 23.94 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 24.12 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 24.3 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 24.48 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 24.67 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 24.85 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 25.04 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 25.23 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 25.42 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 25.61 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 25.81 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 26.02 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 26.22 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 26.22 units per square kilometre is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.04 units per square kilometre, 3.7× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 26.22 units per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 27.9 units per square kilometre, 94% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.46 units per square kilometre | 5.52 units per square kilometre | 7.7 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 11.03 units per square kilometre | 8.2 units per square kilometre | 14.37 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.93 units per square kilometre | 15.3 units per square kilometre | 20.49 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.44 units per square kilometre | 20.98 units per square kilometre | 23.02 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.28 units per square kilometre | 23.06 units per square kilometre | 23.58 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.58 units per square kilometre | 23.76 units per square kilometre | 25.42 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.92 units per square kilometre | 25.61 units per square kilometre | 26.22 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 39 Egypt 27.9 units per square kilometre compare
- 40 Panama 26.65 units per square kilometre compare
- 41 Malaysia 26.24 units per square kilometre compare
- 43 Iraq 25.23 units per square kilometre compare
- 44 Jordan 25.14 units per square kilometre compare
- 45 Spain 24.89 units per square kilometre compare
More urban development data for North Korea
- Population in the largest city 18.8% (2025)
- Population density 220.07 people per sq. km of land area (2024)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 21.78 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.21 million (2025)
- 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, annual 0.8218 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in North Korea?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in North Korea was 26.22 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 26.22 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.52 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does North Korea rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square?
- North Korea ranks 42nd out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.