Share of workers employed in agriculture vs. GDP per capita in North Korea
North Korea: Share of workers employed in agriculture vs. GDP per capita was 54.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Share of workers employed in agriculture vs. GDP per capita in North Korea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita in North Korea stood at 54.1%.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita in North Korea peaked at 56.5% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 52.4%, in 2016.
North Korea ranks 20th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Share of workers employed in agriculture vs. GDP per capita in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 52.5% | — |
| 1992 | 53.4% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 54.0% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 54.5% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 56.3% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 56.5% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 55.9% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 55.8% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 55.3% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 55.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 54.8% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 54.5% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 54.0% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 54.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 54.1% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 53.7% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 53.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 53.7% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 53.6% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 53.4% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 53.1% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 52.9% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 52.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 52.4% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 52.7% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 53.1% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 52.9% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 54.5% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 55.1% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 55.0% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 54.5% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 54.3% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 54.1% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 54.9% | 52.5% | 56.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 54.5% | 53.7% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.1% | 52.4% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.6% | 54.1% | 55.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 17 Equatorial Guinea 55.3% compare
- 18 Zambia 54.5% compare
- 19 Zimbabwe 54.3% compare
- 21 Angola 51.9% compare
- 22 Burkina Faso 51.8% compare
- 23 Afghanistan 51.6% compare
More agriculture & rural data for North Korea
- Rural population 35.8% (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.6% (2025)
- Rural population 9.52 million (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6454 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3581 units per person (2025)
- Land under cereal production 1.35 million hectares (2024)
- Cereal production 4.89 million metric tons (2024)
- Cereal yield 3,610 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs. GDP per capita 3.61 kg per hectare (2024)
- Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture 685,700 metric tons (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita in North Korea?
- Share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita in North Korea was 54.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 1998.
- What is the lowest share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.4% in 2016.
- How does North Korea rank for share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita?
- North Korea ranks 20th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers employed in agriculture vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers employed in agriculture vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of working people employed in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.