People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea
North Korea: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 2.62 million people in 2023. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas 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
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea is 2.62 million people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea peaked at 2.92 million people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 2.62 million people, in 2023.
North Korea ranks 44th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.90 million people | 2.88 million people | 2.92 million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 2.76 million people | 2.66 million people | 2.86 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.63 million people | 2.62 million people | 2.65 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 41 Philippines 3.13 million people compare
- 42 Sierra Leone 2.87 million people compare
- 43 Haiti 2.78 million people compare
- 45 Central African Republic 2.61 million people compare
- 46 Vietnam 2.47 million people compare
- 47 Guatemala 2.44 million people compare
More reference data data for North Korea
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.22 °C (2026)
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.29 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3103 °C (2026)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 0 (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9637 °C (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2 °C (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Democracy 1 (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies 127.56 millimeters (2025)
- Free country 0 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea was 2.62 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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.92 million people in 2006.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.62 million people in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- North Korea ranks 44th out of 175 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.2%. 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 in rural areas 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.