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North Korea Demographics

Population of North Korea (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of North Korea

DPRK Population
26,633,691
see live
Yearly Change
+0.24%
Global Share
0.32%
Global Rank
56

Median Age

The median age in North Korea is 36.8 years (2026).

Fertility in North Korea

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility: the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
1.8
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in North Korea

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
74.0
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
76.2
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
71.8
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in North Korea


Infant Mortality
12.8
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
16.1
(per 1,000 live births)


North Korea Urban Population

Currently, 63.7% of the population of North Korea is urban (16,958,464 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in North Korea is 221 people per Km2 (573 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 120,410 Km2 (46,491 sq. miles).

Largest cities by Population in North Korea

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 P'yŏngyang (Pyongyang) 2,901,588
2 Chŏngjin 690,409
3 Hamhung 412,277
4 Sariwon 404,672
5 Wonsan 373,596
6 Jakdo-dong 363,071
7 Pyŏngsŏng 340,370
8 Kanggye 310,432
9 Kaesong 285,008
10 Songnim 280,489
11 Hyesan 271,116
12 Sinuiju 267,218
13 Haeju 266,200
14 Kaechon 209,508
15 Kimch'aek 202,236
16 Jongju 197,651
17 Tokchon 181,386
18 Nampo 170,683
19 강서구역 147,052
20 Huichon 144,421
21 천리마구역 143,455
22 Sonchon 137,480
23 Rason 133,197
24 Sunchon 132,411
25 길주읍 131,040
26 Sinchon 129,486
27 Ryongchon 128,745
28 해안2동 127,810
29 Sukchon 127,177
30 Kusong 120,447
More info

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.