The population of Dem. People's Republic of Korea is expected to grow by 94,000 in 2025 and reach 26,440,000 in 2026. Migration (including immigration and emigration) decreases population by 2,031 people yearly. On average there are 347,464 births and 253,892 deaths in North Korea per year. Rate of natural increase is approximately 0.36 percent per year. The population density of North Korea has changed from 145.1 in 1980 to 217.2 in 2023.
| Current population | 26,398,060 people at present (Saturday 12th of July 2025) | |
| Median Age | 37.2 years |
| Life expectancy | 73.3 years | |
| Population density | 218.8 per km2 |
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26,351,000 | 94,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 37.2 | 1.84 | 219 | 16,649,000 (63.2%) |
| 2024 | 26,257,000 | 98,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 37.0 | 218 | 16,515,000 (62.9%) | |
| 2023 | 26,159,000 | 102,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 36.8 | 217 | 16,381,000 (62.6%) | |
| 2022 | 26,057,000 | 106,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 36.6 | 216 | 16,249,000 (62.4%) | |
| 2021 | 25,951,000 | 110,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 36.3 | 216 | 16,118,000 (62.1%) | |
| 2020 | 25,841,000 | 114,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 36.1 | 1.87 | 215 | 15,988,000 (61.9%) |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,031 | 35.9 | 1.88 | 214 | 15,860,000 (61.6%) |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,031 | 35.7 | 1.89 | 213 | 15,734,000 (61.4%) |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,031 | 35.4 | 1.90 | 212 | 15,609,000 (61.2%) |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,031 | 35.2 | 1.91 | 211 | 15,487,035 (61.0%) |
| 2015 | 25,243,917 | 127,554 (0.5%) | -2,031 | 35.0 | 1.92 | 210 | 15,367,234 (60.9%) |
| 2010 | 24,591,599 | 128,578 (0.5%) | -5,403 | 33.6 | 1.98 | 204 | 14,806,602 (60.2%) |
| 2005 | 23,904,167 | 174,669 (0.7%) | -4,936 | 32.3 | 2.00 | 199 | 14,295,887 (59.8%) |
| 2000 | 22,929,075 | 197,090 (0.9%) | -3,438 | 31.1 | 1.99 | 190 | 13,622,622 (59.4%) |
| 1995 | 21,862,299 | 284,317 (1.3%) | -2,786 | 30.0 | 2.12 | 182 | 12,902,692 (59.0%) |
| 1990 | 20,293,054 | 299,299 (1.5%) | 28.6 | 2.29 | 169 | 11,847,897 (58.4%) | |
| 1985 | 18,877,238 | 287,100 (1.5%) | 27.2 | 2.58 | 157 | 10,881,595 (57.6%) | |
| 1980 | 17,472,140 | 236,474 (1.4%) | 25.9 | 2.77 | 145 | 9,941,648 (56.9%) | |
| 1975 | 16,274,740 | 322,662 (2.0%) | 24.2 | 3.40 | 135 | 9,227,778 (56.7%) | |
| 1970 | 14,410,400 | 400,061 (2.8%) | 23.8 | 4.32 | 120 | 7,810,437 (54.2%) | |
| 1965 | 12,547,525 | 265,106 (2.1%) | 24.1 | 4.06 | 104 | 5,657,804 (45.1%) | |
| 1960 | 11,424,176 | 241,419 (2.1%) | 23.6 | 4.58 | 95 | 4,591,948 (40.2%) |
In 2024 the population of North Korea was 26,257,000 and the average age increased from 23.6 in 1960 to 37.0. Urban population has increased from 13,622,622 (59.4%) in 2000 to 16,649,000 (63.2%) in the current year. The population density of North Korea has changed from 145.1 in 1980 to 217.2 in 2023.
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,031 | 36.1 | 1.87 | 215 | 15,988,000 (61.9%) |
| 2025 | 26,351,000 | 94,000 (0.4%) | -2,031 | 37.2 | 1.84 | 219 | 16,649,000 (63.2%) |
| 2030 | 26,744,000 | 67,000 (0.3%) | -2,031 | 38.2 | 1.82 | 222 | 17,325,000 (64.8%) |
| 2035 | 26,972,000 | 32,000 (0.1%) | -2,031 | 39.2 | 1.80 | 224 | 17,966,000 (66.6%) |
| 2040 | 27,035,000 | 1,000 (0.0%) | -2,031 | 40.3 | 1.79 | 225 | 18,513,000 (68.5%) |
| 2045 | 26,967,000 | -22,000 (-0.1%) | -2,031 | 41.2 | 1.78 | 224 | 18,956,000 (70.3%) |
| 2050 | 26,809,000 | -37,000 (-0.1%) | -2,031 | 41.9 | 1.78 | 223 | 19,315,000 (72.0%) |
The life expectancy at birth should reach 77.8 (74.7 years for male and 81.0 years for females). Population density will go up to 222.6 people per square kilometer.
The demographics of North Korea constitutes of 13,464,000 women and 12,887,000 men, which means there are 957 men per 1000 women. As far as age distribution goes, 26.1% of population (6,880,246) is 19 or younger, 62.6% of population (16,487,821) is between age 20 and 64 and 11.3% of population (2,980,298) is over 65.