How does North Korea rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?

North Korea ranks 69th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.

Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in North Korea?

Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this North Korea data come from?

The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea

Name: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea
Creator: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

North Korea: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 3.21 million in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

3.21 million

Change on year

up 0.8%

World rank

69th

of 121 countries

All-time high

3.21 million

in 2025

All-time low

645,814

in 1960

Years of data

1960–2025

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea, 1960–2025

Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).

Analysis

The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea is 3.21 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea peaked at 3.21 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 645,814, in 1960.

North Korea ranks 69th of 121 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea, 1960 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1960	645,814	—
1961	665,055	+3.0%
1962	689,696	+3.7%
1963	715,249	+3.7%
1964	741,786	+3.7%
1965	769,231	+3.7%
1966	797,731	+3.7%
1967	827,287	+3.7%
1968	871,081	+5.3%
1969	927,094	+6.4%
1970	986,793	+6.4%
1971	1.05 million	+6.4%
1972	1.12 million	+6.4%
1973	1.19 million	+6.4%
1974	1.27 million	+6.4%
1975	1.35 million	+6.4%
1976	1.44 million	+6.4%
1977	1.53 million	+6.4%
1978	1.63 million	+6.4%
1979	1.73 million	+6.4%
1980	1.84 million	+6.4%
1981	1.91 million	+3.6%
1982	1.98 million	+3.6%
1983	2.05 million	+3.6%
1984	2.12 million	+3.6%
1985	2.20 million	+3.6%
1986	2.27 million	+3.6%
1987	2.35 million	+3.6%
1988	2.41 million	+2.4%
1989	2.47 million	+2.4%
1990	2.53 million	+2.4%
1991	2.59 million	+2.4%
1992	2.65 million	+2.4%
1993	2.71 million	+2.4%
1994	2.74 million	+1.3%
1995	2.75 million	+0.2%
1996	2.76 million	+0.2%
1997	2.76 million	+0.2%
1998	2.77 million	+0.2%
1999	2.77 million	+0.2%
2000	2.78 million	+0.2%
2001	2.78 million	+0.2%
2002	2.79 million	+0.2%
2003	2.79 million	+0.2%
2004	2.80 million	+0.2%
2005	2.81 million	+0.2%
2006	2.81 million	+0.2%
2007	2.82 million	+0.2%
2008	2.82 million	+0.2%
2009	2.84 million	+0.6%
2010	2.86 million	+0.8%
2011	2.88 million	+0.8%
2012	2.90 million	+0.8%
2013	2.93 million	+0.8%
2014	2.95 million	+0.8%
2015	2.97 million	+0.8%
2016	2.99 million	+0.8%
2017	3.02 million	+0.8%
2018	3.04 million	+0.8%
2019	3.06 million	+0.8%
2020	3.08 million	+0.8%
2021	3.11 million	+0.8%
2022	3.13 million	+0.8%
2023	3.16 million	+0.8%
2024	3.18 million	+0.8%
2025	3.21 million	+0.8%

North Korea compared with similar countries

North Korea's 3.21 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.21 million, 100% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
North Korea's 3.21 million is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 12.26 million, 26% of the median. (16 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	765,002	645,814	927,094	10
1970s	1.33 million	986,793	1.73 million	10
1980s	2.16 million	1.84 million	2.47 million	10
1990s	2.70 million	2.53 million	2.77 million	10
2000s	2.80 million	2.78 million	2.84 million	10
2010s	2.96 million	2.86 million	3.06 million	10
2020s	3.15 million	3.08 million	3.21 million	6

Countries ranked near North Korea

66 Kazakhstan 3.39 million compare
67 Guatemala 3.23 million compare
68 Mozambique 3.21 million compare
70 Belgium 3.21 million compare
71 Mali 3.18 million compare
72 Greece 3.16 million compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

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, 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 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)

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea?: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea was 3.21 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in North Korea?: The highest recorded value was 3.21 million in 2025.
What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in North Korea?: The lowest recorded value was 645,814 in 1960.
How does North Korea rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?: North Korea ranks 69th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in North Korea?: Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this North Korea data come from?: The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Retrieved 25 October 2026, from https://urban.statizoid.com/stat/population-in-urban-agglomerations-of-more-than-1-million/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 121 places, 7,986 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 15 October 2026

Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.