Urban population — all countries

Urban population — North Korea

Urban population in North Korea in 2025 — 17,055,891 people. Ranked 51 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 258.4%.

2025 17.06M people +0.79% vs 2024
World rank 51of 217
Period maximum 17.06M people2025
Period minimum 4.76M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Urban population — North Korea, 1960–202505M10M15M20M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 4,759,519 people1962: 5,363,954 people1964: 5,957,252 people1966: 6,642,334 people1968: 7,465,873 people1970: 8,223,644 people1972: 8,877,148 people1974: 9,421,832 people1976: 9,787,196 people1978: 10,078,189 people1980: 10,376,732 people1982: 10,717,365 people1984: 11,090,435 people1986: 11,489,257 people1988: 11,907,136 people1990: 12,336,999 people1992: 12,778,483 people1994: 13,208,076 people1996: 13,543,482 people1998: 13,822,493 people2000: 14,062,199 people2002: 14,256,706 people2004: 14,474,232 people2006: 14,673,970 people2008: 14,866,465 people2010: 15,069,068 people2012: 15,298,001 people2014: 15,549,218 people2016: 15,821,980 people2018: 16,098,733 people2020: 16,370,613 people2022: 16,647,054 people2024: 16,921,877 people2025: 17,055,891 people
Change over the period: +12.3M (+258.35%) Average annual rate: 1.98 %

Comparison, 2025

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

North Korea 17.06M people
World 4.75B people
East Asia & Pacific 1.55B people
Eastern Asia computed 1.12B people
Low-income countries computed 280M people
Urban population — North Korea, by year North Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 17.06M +134,014 +0.79%
2024 16.92M +136,221 +0.81%
2023 16.79M +138,602 +0.83%
2022 16.65M +139,823 +0.85%
2021 16.51M +136,618 +0.83%
2020 16.37M +135,050 +0.83%
2019 16.24M +136,830 +0.85%
2018 16.1M +138,068 +0.87%
2017 15.96M +138,685 +0.88%
2016 15.82M +137,959 +0.88%
2015 15.68M +134,803 +0.87%
2014 15.55M +127,557 +0.83%
2013 15.42M +123,660 +0.81%
2012 15.3M +117,897 +0.78%
2011 15.18M +111,036 +0.74%
2010 15.07M +103,646 +0.69%
2009 14.97M +98,957 +0.67%
2008 14.87M +96,650 +0.65%
2007 14.77M +95,845 +0.65%
2006 14.67M +96,944 +0.67%
2005 14.58M +102,794 +0.71%
2004 14.47M +114,823 +0.8%
2003 14.36M +102,703 +0.72%
2002 14.26M +91,267 +0.64%
2001 14.17M +103,240 +0.73%
2000 14.06M +114,418 +0.82%
1999 13.95M +125,288 +0.91%
1998 13.82M +134,721 +0.98%
1997 13.69M +144,290 +1.07%
1996 13.54M +152,417 +1.14%
1995 13.39M +182,989 +1.39%
1994 13.21M +212,393 +1.63%
1993 13M +217,200 +1.7%
1992 12.78M +221,169 +1.76%
1991 12.56M +220,315 +1.79%
1990 12.34M +216,645 +1.79%
1989 12.12M +213,218 +1.79%
1988 11.91M +210,583 +1.8%
1987 11.7M +207,296 +1.8%
1986 11.49M +202,496 +1.79%
1985 11.29M +196,326 +1.77%
1984 11.09M +189,847 +1.74%
1983 10.9M +183,223 +1.71%
1982 10.72M +176,334 +1.67%
1981 10.54M +164,299 +1.58%
1980 10.38M +152,427 +1.49%
1979 10.22M +146,116 +1.45%
1978 10.08M +143,002 +1.44%
1977 9.94M +147,991 +1.51%
1976 9.79M +164,608 +1.71%
1975 9.62M +200,756 +2.13%
1974 9.42M +246,626 +2.69%
1973 9.18M +298,058 +3.36%
1972 8.88M +325,657 +3.81%
1971 8.55M +327,847 +3.99%
1970 8.22M +359,171 +4.57%
1969 7.86M +398,600 +5.34%
1968 7.47M +418,458 +5.94%
1967 7.05M +405,081 +6.1%
1966 6.64M +362,920 +5.78%
1965 6.28M +322,162 +5.41%
1964 5.96M +301,694 +5.33%
1963 5.66M +291,604 +5.44%
1962 5.36M +290,293 +5.72%
1961 5.07M +314,142 +6.6%
1960 4.76M

Eastern Asia, 2025

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

About the indicator

The population living in urban settlements, by national definitions of urban areas. The indicator complements the urban population share: a country with a modest urbanization percentage can hold one of the largest urban populations in the world simply because of its overall size.

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