Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea
North Korea: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 14.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of population 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 %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea is 14.5%, 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 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea peaked at 19.5% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 14.5%, in 2023.
That places North Korea 54th out of 232 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 | 19.2% | 18.4% | 19.5% | 8 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 14.8% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.6% | 14.5% | 14.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
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 share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea was 14.5% 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 share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 19.5% in 2002.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.5% in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- North Korea ranks 54th out of 232 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. 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 Share of population 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.