Korea, North (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)

North Korea Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	165th best
Capital	Pyongyang
Land Area	120 410km21
Location	Asia
Population	25.5m2
Life Expectancy	73.28yrs (2017)3
GNI
ISO3166-1 Codes	KP, PRK, 4084
Internet Domain	.kp5
Currency	Won (KPW)6
Telephone	+8507

1. Overview
2. North Korea National and Social Development
3. North Korea's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. North Korea's Health
6. North Korea's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. North Korea's Modernity and Learning
8. Religion and Beliefs
9. Links

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1. Overview

“An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in September 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in December 2011, the regime began to take actions to transfer power to KIM Jong Un and KIM has now assumed many his father's former titles and duties. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. The DPRK began to ease restrictions to allow semi-private markets, starting in 2002, but then sought to roll back the scale of economic reforms in 2005 and 2009. North Korea's history of regional military provocations; proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, and 2013; and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₈

“Most people form their opinions of North Korea from news reports and James Bond movies, but there´s more to the Democratic People´s Republic than military parades and stand-offs with the UN. No country in the world provokes a similar reaction to North Korea. Now on its third hereditary ruler, this nominally communist state and by-product of the Cold War has defied all expectation and survived a quarter of a century since perestroika dismantled the rest of the once-vast Soviet empire.

Most people don´t even know that it´s possible to travel here, and indeed the compromises required to do so are significant. You´ll be accompanied by two government minders at all times and only hear a one-sided account of history. Those who can´t accept this might be better off staying away - but those who can will have a fascinating trip into another, unsettling world.

With your official minders, you can roam mountain resorts and ancient capitals, though the main attractions remain the bombastic iconography of the North Korean regime and the surreal existence of ordinary people in this troubled, autocratic state.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₉

2. North Korea National and Social Development

#human_development

Social & Moral Development Index10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Denmark	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
162	Sierra Leone	115.9
163	Ivory Coast	116.2
164	Myanmar (Burma)	116.3
165	N. Korea	117.1
166	Djibouti	117.2
167	Laos	117.2
168	Nauru	117.5
169	Swaziland	117.8
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	88.6
q=199.

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. North Korea's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

North Korea's population is predicted to rise to 26.18 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.79. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₁

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
49	Yemen	28.5m
50	Nepal	28.1m
51	Madagascar	26.3m
52	N. Korea	25.5m
53	Cameroon	25.2m
54	Ivory Coast	25.1m
55	Australia	24.9m
56	Niger	22.4m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
79	Latvia	73.6
80	Mauritius	73.6
81	Palestine	73.5
82	N. Korea	73.3
83	Trinidad & Tobago	73.0
84	Colombia	72.8
85	Dominica	72.8
86	Samoa	72.8
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best13
Pos.		202213
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
28=	Moldova	1.80
29	Bahrain	1.80
30	France	1.79
31	N. Korea	1.79
32	Malaysia	1.79
33	El Salvador	1.79
34	Qatar	1.78
35	Bulgaria	1.78
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better14
Pos.		2016 Per 10014
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
107	Brunei	16.2
108	El Salvador	17.3
109	Panama	17.7
110	N. Korea	17.8
111	Turkey	18.0
112	Vietnam	18.3
113	Tunisia	18.6
114	Azerbaijan	18.7
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants15
Pos.		2017 %15
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
185	Colombia	0.3%
186	Morocco	0.3%
187	Philippines	0.2%
188	N. Korea	0.2%
189	Sri Lanka	0.2%
190	Myanmar (Burma)	0.1%
191	Madagascar	0.1%
192	Indonesia	0.1%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants16
Pos.		2010 %16
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
166	Cameroon	1.4%
167	Malawi	1.4%
168	Congo, DR	1.3%
169	N. Korea	1.3%
170	Thailand	1.2%
171	UAE	1.2%
172	Mongolia	1.2%
173	Kenya	1.1%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #morals #north_korea #north_korea_homosexuality #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)17
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank17
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
194	Equatorial Guinea	146.0
195	Sudan	150.2
196	Eritrea	153.3
197	Afghanistan	155.8
198	N. Korea	162.3
199	Somalia	165.8
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

This is a fully totalitarian dictatorship with no pretence to embrace any modern concept of human rights nor personal freedom_18,19. N. Korea does worse than average when it comes to LGBT equality₂₀. It sits amongst the bottom 20 in commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₁ (one of the lowest in Asia), its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₂, its average Freedom in the World rating (one of the highest in Asia) and in freethought₂₃ (amongst the worst in Asia). It is second-from-the-bottom for supporting press freedom₂₄. And finally, it is the worst in eliminating modern slavery₂₅. Of the millions of North Koreans subject to slavery, the "clear majority" are being held in forced labour by the state itself₂₆. The Lonely Planet guide for traveller says that visiting North Korea is "a fascinating trip into another, unsettling world... with your official minders, you can roam mountain resorts and ancient capitals, though the main attractions remain the bombastic iconography of the North Korean regime and the surreal existence of ordinary people in this troubled, autocratic state"₉.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Korea, North

5. North Korea's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #japan #life_expectancy #longevity #north_korea #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)27
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank27
1=	Japan	44.1
2	Hong Kong	48.2
3	Singapore	49.5
4	N. Korea	52.9
5	Sri Lanka	54.3
6	S. Korea	55.4
7	Malaysia	58.6
8	Brunei	61.4
9	Cyprus	63.1
10=	Kuwait	66.8
10=	China	66.8
12	Bahrain	69.3
13	Israel	70.2
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)27
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank27
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
21	Belgium	50.7
22	New Zealand	51.2
23	US Virgin Islands	51.9
24	N. Korea	52.9
25	Ireland	53.2
26	UK	54.0
27	Sri Lanka	54.3
28	Luxembourg	54.6
	World Avg	96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₂₈. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₂₈.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₂₈, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₂₈.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

North Korea does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. N. Korea comes in the best 20 in its adolescent birth rate₂₉ (amongst the lowest in Asia). It does better than average for its fertility rate₁₃, its alcohol consumption rate₃₀ (but bad for Asia), its average life expectancy₁₂ and in its immunizations take-up₃₁ (but low for Asia). N. Korea does not succeed in everything, however. N. Korea does worse than average when it comes to its smoking rate₃₂ (still low for Asia). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. Life expectancy in North Korea improved by just +3yrs in the 30 years from 1990, significantly less than almost everywhere else in the world. North Korea's peak fertility rate was 4.05 in 1967.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
79	Latvia	73.6
80	Mauritius	73.6
81	Palestine	73.5
82	N. Korea	73.3
83	Trinidad & Tobago	73.0
84	Colombia	72.8
85	Dominica	72.8
86	Samoa	72.8
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better30
Pos.		2016 Per Capita30
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
65=	Gambia	3.8
65=	Israel	3.8
65=	UAE	3.8
68	N. Korea	3.9
69	Honduras	4.0
70	Jamaica	4.2
71	Sri Lanka	4.3
72=	Bahamas	4.4
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best13
Pos.		202213
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
28=	Moldova	1.80
29	Bahrain	1.80
30	France	1.79
31	N. Korea	1.79
32	Malaysia	1.79
33	El Salvador	1.79
34	Qatar	1.78
35	Bulgaria	1.78
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better32
Pos.		201432
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
94	Malaysia	584
95	Seychelles	590
96	Jamaica	593
97	N. Korea	610
98	Fiji	618
99	Cambodia	645
100	Equatorial Guinea	649
101	Singapore	652
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Overweight Adults Lower is better33
Pos.		2016 %33
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
52	Ghana	32.0
53=	China	32.3
53=	Mauritius	32.3
55	N. Korea	32.4
56	Thailand	32.6
57	Cameroon	33.6
58	Mauritania	34.4
59	Cape Verde	34.8
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better29
Pos.		2022 Per 100029
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
4	Norway	2.2
5	Switzerland	2.2
6	N. Korea	2.4
7	Singapore	2.5
8	Netherlands	2.7
9	Japan	2.8
10	UAE	2.8
11	Liechtenstein	3.0
12	Sweden	3.3
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better31
Pos.		2015 Avg %31
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
82=	Germany	94.0
83	Lithuania	93.9
84	Estonia	93.9
85	N. Korea	93.8
86	Italy	93.8
87	Austria	93.8
88	Argentina	93.7
89	Bulgaria	93.7
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

In the 1990s, North Korea had the 3rd-lowest adolescent birth rate in the world (on just after Japan), and in the 2000s and 2010s, it had the lowest rate in the world, giving families a great chance to plan, educate and preserve resources for the future.

6. North Korea's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)34
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank34
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
43	Kyrgyzstan	108.7
44	Kazakhstan	109.8
45	Bhutan	115.3
46	Uzbekistan	116.1
47	Tajikistan	128.6
48	Brunei	130.2
49	N. Korea	132.3
50	Turkmenistan	134.1
51	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	137.5
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)34
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank34
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
189	Niue	129.5
190	Brunei	130.2
191	Somalia	131.0
192	N. Korea	132.3
193	Turkmenistan	134.1
194	Nauru	134.4
195	San Marino	134.9
196	Andorra	136.3
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

N. Korea ranks 8th-worst in the world with regard to its responsibility towards the environment (one of the worst in Asia). This rank is calculated from 4 data sets. N. Korea does better than average for reducing annual meat consumption per person₃₅. However N. Korea performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average for its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₃₆. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to energy to GDP efficiency₃₇ (amongst the highest in Asia).

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better36
Pos.		Total36
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
180	Venezuela	-6.0%
181	Honduras	-6.3%
182	Equatorial Guinea	-6.5%
183	N. Korea	-6.7%
184	Mauritius	-7.5%
185	Liberia	-7.5%
186	Bolivia	-7.9%
187	Singapore	-7.9%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better37
Pos.		2022 Avg37
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
156	Canada	2.29
157	Malta	2.36
158	Mozambique	2.38
159	N. Korea	2.46
160	Laos	2.75
161	Iceland	4.01
162	Venezuela	4.18
163	Bahrain	4.19
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165.

From the 2000s to the 2010s, North Korea improved its energy-to-GDP efficiency more than any other country in the world.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
167	Bosnia & Herzegovina	45%
168	Laos	44%
169	Myanmar (Burma)	44%
170	N. Korea	44%
171	Sierra Leone	43%
172	Eritrea	43%
173	Somalia	43%
174	Tonga	43%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Meat Consumption Lower is better35
Pos.		2021 kg35
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
18	Tanzania	12.1
19	Ivory Coast	12.6
20	Cambodia	12.6
21	N. Korea	12.8
22	Bhutan	13.6
23	Cameroon	14.6
24	Guinea-Bissau	14.7
25	Djibouti	14.8
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. North Korea's Modernity and Learning

#corruption #education #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #north_korea #peace #politics #somalia

Modernity and Education:

Length of Schooling Higher is better38
Pos.		2021 Years38
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
149	Rwanda	11.2
150	Zambia	10.9
151	Myanmar (Burma)	10.9
152	N. Korea	10.8
153	Benin	10.8
154	Burundi	10.7
155	Kenya	10.7
156	Ivory Coast	10.7
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

National Culture:

Corruption Higher is better39
Pos.		2022 Points39
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
169	Turkmenistan	19.0
170=	Chad	19.0
171	Equatorial Guinea	17.0
172=	N. Korea	17.0
172=	Libya	17.0
172=	Haiti	17.0
172=	Burundi	17.0
176	Yemen	16.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

On average through the 2010s, North Korea scored the second-worst on the Corruption Perception Index (after Somalia).

Peace Versus Instability:

Global Peace Index Lower is better40
Pos.		2023 Score40
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
146	Pakistan	2.75
147=	Iran	2.80
147=	Turkey	2.80
149	N. Korea	2.85
150	Burkina Faso	2.87
151	Ethiopia	2.87
152	Central African Rep.	2.93
153	Mali	2.96
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better41
Pos.		201941
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
90	Kyrgyzstan	11.30
91=	St Vincent & Grenadines	11.30
92	Ecuador	11.50
93=	N. Korea	11.50
94	Egypt	11.60
95=	Panama	12.00
95=	Palestine	12.00
97	Solomon Islands	12.10
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

8. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₄₂:

Christian	2%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	1.5%
Folk Religion	12.3%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	71.3%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way). note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom₄₃.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems