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.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 19.5% | — |
| 2003 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 19.1% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 18.8% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 18.4% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 18.1% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 17.3% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 17.0% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 15.5% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 15.1% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 14.7% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 14.7% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 14.6% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 14.5% | -0.4% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 14.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 42.2%, 34% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 14.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.4%, 5.9× the median. (37 countries reporting)
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
- 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 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.