Rural population growth (annual %) in North Korea
North Korea: Rural population growth (annual %) was -0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in North Korea, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in North Korea is -0.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.8% on the previous year and down 498.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in North Korea peaked at 1.5% in 1976 and was at its lowest, -0.7%, in 1961.
North Korea ranks 148th of 210 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -0.7% | — |
| 1962 | -0.3% | -60.7% |
| 1963 | 0.2% | -169.4% |
| 1964 | 0.3% | +66.8% |
| 1965 | 0.1% | -64.7% |
| 1966 | -0.2% | -277.5% |
| 1967 | -0.2% | +20.2% |
| 1968 | -0.2% | -29.0% |
| 1969 | 0.0% | -130.5% |
| 1970 | 0.7% | +1240.3% |
| 1971 | 1.0% | +54.9% |
| 1972 | 1.1% | +6.0% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | +26.1% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | +9.4% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -7.3% |
| 1978 | 1.3% | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 1.3% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | -5.5% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | -4.6% |
| 1985 | 1.1% | -3.4% |
| 1986 | 1.1% | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -15.6% |
| 1996 | 0.8% | -20.6% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -8.6% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -11.8% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -14.7% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -19.5% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | +16.5% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | +13.3% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -22.6% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -19.8% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | -16.6% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -17.3% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -31.8% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -64.3% |
| 2011 | -0.0% | -108.0% |
| 2012 | -0.0% | +862.8% |
| 2013 | -0.1% | +46.9% |
| 2014 | -0.1% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | -0.1% | +86.6% |
| 2016 | -0.2% | +40.0% |
| 2017 | -0.2% | +29.0% |
| 2018 | -0.3% | +27.9% |
| 2019 | -0.3% | +23.5% |
| 2020 | -0.4% | +20.3% |
| 2021 | -0.4% | +11.5% |
| 2022 | -0.4% | +8.2% |
| 2023 | -0.5% | +13.7% |
| 2024 | -0.6% | +13.5% |
| 2025 | -0.6% | +11.8% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's -0.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.9%. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's -0.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0%. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +1240.3% | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| 2012 | -862.8% | -0.0% | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -277.5% | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | +169.4% | -0.3% | 0.2% |
| 1969 | +130.5% | -0.2% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | -108.0% | 0.1% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.1% | -0.7% | 0.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.2% | 0.7% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1% | -0.3% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5% | -0.6% | -0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More agriculture & rural data for North Korea
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0256 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population 9.52 million (2025)
- Rural population 35.8% (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3581 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6454 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.0976 hectares per person (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0957 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0251 % change on previous year (2025)
- Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture 685,700 metric tons (2024)
- Milk per animal 2,342 kilograms per animal (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in North Korea?
- Rural population growth in North Korea was -0.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 1976.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.7% in 1961.
- How does North Korea rank for rural population growth?
- North Korea ranks 148th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 498.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.