People not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea
North Korea: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 3.84 million people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.84 million people
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
43rd
of 232 countries
All-time high
4.78 million people
in 2006
All-time low
3.84 million people
in 2019
Years of data
22
2002–2023
People not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea, 2002–2023
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, people not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea stood at 3.84 million people.
That represents a change of down 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea peaked at 4.78 million people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 3.84 million people, in 2019.
North Korea ranks 43rd of 232 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 4.68 million people | — |
| 2003 | 4.70 million people | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 4.73 million people | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 4.76 million people | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 4.78 million people | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 4.72 million people | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 4.65 million people | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 4.59 million people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 4.52 million people | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 4.45 million people | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.37 million people | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 4.30 million people | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 4.23 million people | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 4.16 million people | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.08 million people | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 4.00 million people | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 3.92 million people | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 3.84 million people | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 3.84 million people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3.84 million people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.84 million people | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.84 million people | -0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 3.84 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.92 million people, 49% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 3.84 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10,588 people, 362.9× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.70 million people | 4.59 million people | 4.78 million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 4.19 million people | 3.84 million people | 4.52 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.84 million people | 3.84 million people | 3.84 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 40 Philippines 4.59 million people compare
- 41 Morocco 4.06 million people compare
- 42 Peru 3.89 million people compare
- 44 Senegal 3.74 million people compare
- 45 Central African Republic 3.70 million people compare
- 46 Sierra Leone 3.50 million people compare
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 people not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea was 3.84 million people in 2023, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.78 million people in 2006.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.84 million people in 2019.
- How does North Korea rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- North Korea ranks 43rd out of 232 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.