Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea
North Korea: Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people was 4.48 per 100 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea, 1983–2022
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea is 4.48 per 100 people, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea peaked at 4.79 per 100 people in 2007 and was at its lowest, 2.11 per 100 people, in 2000.
That places North Korea 132nd out of 212 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 2.66 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 2.63 per 100 people | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 2.59 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 2.55 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 2.51 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 2.48 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 2.44 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 2.37 per 100 people | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 2.33 per 100 people | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 2.3 per 100 people | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.27 per 100 people | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 2.23 per 100 people | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 2.21 per 100 people | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 2.18 per 100 people | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 2.16 per 100 people | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 2.14 per 100 people | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.13 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 2.11 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 3.61 per 100 people | +70.9% |
| 2002 | 3.83 per 100 people | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 4.07 per 100 people | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 4.12 per 100 people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 4.1 per 100 people | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 4.08 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 4.79 per 100 people | +17.4% |
| 2008 | 4.76 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 4.74 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 4.72 per 100 people | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 4.7 per 100 people | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 4.68 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 4.66 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 4.64 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 4.61 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 4.59 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 4.57 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 4.53 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 4.51 per 100 people | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 4.5 per 100 people | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 4.48 per 100 people | -0.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 4.48 per 100 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.2996 per 100 people, 15.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 4.48 per 100 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.82 per 100 people, 41% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +70.9% | 2.11 per 100 people | 3.61 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.55 per 100 people | 2.44 per 100 people | 2.66 per 100 people | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.23 per 100 people | 2.13 per 100 people | 2.37 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.02 per 100 people | 2.11 per 100 people | 4.79 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.63 per 100 people | 4.53 per 100 people | 4.72 per 100 people | 9 |
| 2020s | 4.5 per 100 people | 4.48 per 100 people | 4.51 per 100 people | 3 |
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 - 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) - IPCC Agriculture 6,873 (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 adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea?
- Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in North Korea was 4.48 per 100 people in 2022, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest adoption of communication technologies per 100 people recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.79 per 100 people in 2007.
- What is the lowest adoption of communication technologies per 100 people recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.11 per 100 people in 2000.
- How does North Korea rank for adoption of communication technologies per 100 people?
- North Korea ranks 132nd out of 212 countries with data for 2022.
- Is adoption of communication technologies per 100 people rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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