Old-age dependency ratio in North Korea
North Korea: Old-age dependency ratio was 17.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
17.4%
Change on year
up 4.3%
World rank
92nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.4%
in 2023
All-time low
4.8%
in 1952
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Old-age dependency ratio in North Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in North Korea stood at 17.4%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.3% on the previous year and up 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in North Korea peaked at 17.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.8%, in 1952.
North Korea ranks 92nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Old-age dependency ratio in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.2% | — |
| 1951 | 4.9% | -5.2% |
| 1952 | 4.8% | -2.0% |
| 1953 | 4.8% | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 4.9% | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 5.0% | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 5.1% | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 5.3% | +2.1% |
| 1958 | 5.4% | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 5.5% | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 5.5% | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 5.6% | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 5.7% | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 5.7% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 5.8% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 5.8% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 5.9% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 6.0% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 6.1% | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 6.1% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 6.1% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 6.1% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 6.1% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 6.1% | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 6.0% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 6.0% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 6.0% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 6.0% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 6.0% | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 5.9% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 5.9% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 5.9% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 5.9% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 5.9% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 6.0% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 6.0% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 6.1% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 6.2% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 6.2% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 6.4% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 6.5% | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 6.7% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 6.9% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 7.1% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 7.4% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 7.7% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 7.9% | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 8.5% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 9.4% | +5.0% |
| 2001 | 9.9% | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 10.4% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 11.6% | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 12.2% | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 12.7% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 13.6% | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 13.9% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 14.3% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 14.7% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 15.0% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 15.5% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 15.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 15.6% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 15.5% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 15.9% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 16.2% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 17.4% | +4.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 17.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 5.3%, 3.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 17.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.6%, 1.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.8% | 5.5% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.0% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.1% | 5.9% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.6% | 6.5% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 9.4% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 14.3% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 15.9% | 17.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More reference data data for North Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 3.54 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Agricultural Soils 1,939 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.838 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Manure Management 325.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Manure Management 11.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural 1,939 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 24.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is old-age dependency ratio in North Korea?
- Old-age dependency ratio in North Korea was 17.4% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest old-age dependency ratio recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 17.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 1952.
- How does North Korea rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- North Korea ranks 92nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).