Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — North Korea

Urban population share in North Korea in 2025 — 64.2%. Ranked 109 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 23.6 pp.

2025 64.2% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 109of 217
Period maximum 64.2%2025
Period minimum 40.6%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — North Korea, 1960–20254050607019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 40.6%1962: 43.7%1964: 46.2%1966: 49%1968: 52%1970: 54.2%1972: 55.6%1974: 56.5%1976: 56.8%1978: 56.8%1980: 56.9%1982: 57.1%1984: 57.4%1986: 57.7%1988: 58.1%1990: 58.4%1992: 58.7%1994: 59%1996: 59.2%1998: 59.3%2000: 59.4%2002: 59.5%2004: 59.7%2006: 59.8%2008: 60%2010: 60.3%2012: 60.7%2014: 61.1%2016: 61.6%2018: 62.1%2020: 62.6%2022: 63.2%2024: 63.9%2025: 64.2%
Change over the period: +23.6 pp Annual average: 0.36 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North Korea

North Korea 64.2%
World 57.8%
Eastern Asia computed 68.9%
Low-income countries computed 35.6%
Urban population share — North Korea, by year North Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 64.2 +0.3 pp
2024 63.9 +0.3 pp
2023 63.5 +0.3 pp
2022 63.2 +0.3 pp
2021 62.9 +0.3 pp
2020 62.6 +0.3 pp
2019 62.4 +0.3 pp
2018 62.1 +0.3 pp
2017 61.8 +0.3 pp
2016 61.6 +0.2 pp
2015 61.3 +0.2 pp
2014 61.1 +0.2 pp
2013 60.9 +0.2 pp
2012 60.7 +0.2 pp
2011 60.5 +0.2 pp
2010 60.3 +0.2 pp
2009 60.2 +0.1 pp
2008 60 +0.1 pp
2007 59.9 +0.1 pp
2006 59.8 +0.1 pp
2005 59.8 +0.1 pp
2004 59.7 +0.1 pp
2003 59.6 +0.1 pp
2002 59.5 +0.1 pp
2001 59.5 +0.1 pp
2000 59.4 +0.1 pp
1999 59.4 +0.1 pp
1998 59.3 +0.1 pp
1997 59.2 +0.1 pp
1996 59.2 +0.1 pp
1995 59.1 +0.1 pp
1994 59 +0.1 pp
1993 58.9 +0.1 pp
1992 58.7 +0.1 pp
1991 58.6 +0.2 pp
1990 58.4 +0.2 pp
1989 58.3 +0.2 pp
1988 58.1 +0.2 pp
1987 57.9 +0.2 pp
1986 57.7 +0.2 pp
1985 57.5 +0.2 pp
1984 57.4 +0.2 pp
1983 57.2 +0.1 pp
1982 57.1 +0.1 pp
1981 57 +0.1 pp
1980 56.9 +0 pp
1979 56.9 +0 pp
1978 56.8 +0 pp
1977 56.8 +0 pp
1976 56.8 +0.1 pp
1975 56.7 +0.2 pp
1974 56.5 +0.4 pp
1973 56.1 +0.5 pp
1972 55.6 +0.7 pp
1971 54.9 +0.7 pp
1970 54.2 +0.9 pp
1969 53.3 +1.3 pp
1968 52 +1.5 pp
1967 50.5 +1.5 pp
1966 49 +1.5 pp
1965 47.5 +1.3 pp
1964 46.2 +1.2 pp
1963 45 +1.3 pp
1962 43.7 +1.4 pp
1961 42.3 +1.7 pp
1960 40.6

Eastern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.