Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea
North Korea: Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate was 0.518 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.518 % change on previous year
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
77th
of 234 countries
All-time high
52.39 % change on previous year
in 1951
All-time low
0.0484 % change on previous year
in 1978
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea stood at 0.518 % change on previous year.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 37.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea peaked at 52.39 % change on previous year in 1951 and was at its lowest, 0.0484 % change on previous year, in 1978.
That places North Korea 77th out of 234 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 52.39 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 46.63 % change on previous year | -11.0% |
| 1953 | 39.95 % change on previous year | -14.3% |
| 1954 | 51.65 % change on previous year | +29.3% |
| 1955 | 30.06 % change on previous year | -41.8% |
| 1956 | 18.56 % change on previous year | -38.3% |
| 1957 | 12.52 % change on previous year | -32.6% |
| 1958 | 9.67 % change on previous year | -22.8% |
| 1959 | 7.44 % change on previous year | -23.0% |
| 1960 | 5.6 % change on previous year | -24.7% |
| 1961 | 4.22 % change on previous year | -24.7% |
| 1962 | 3.38 % change on previous year | -20.0% |
| 1963 | 2.88 % change on previous year | -14.5% |
| 1964 | 2.7 % change on previous year | -6.5% |
| 1965 | 2.78 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 3.05 % change on previous year | +9.8% |
| 1967 | 3.14 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 2.93 % change on previous year | -6.5% |
| 1969 | 2.47 % change on previous year | -15.8% |
| 1970 | 1.77 % change on previous year | -28.2% |
| 1971 | 1.32 % change on previous year | -25.7% |
| 1972 | 1.19 % change on previous year | -9.5% |
| 1973 | 0.9851 % change on previous year | -17.4% |
| 1974 | 0.7002 % change on previous year | -28.9% |
| 1975 | 0.3378 % change on previous year | -51.8% |
| 1976 | 0.1039 % change on previous year | -69.3% |
| 1977 | 0.0652 % change on previous year | -37.2% |
| 1978 | 0.0484 % change on previous year | -25.7% |
| 1979 | 0.0537 % change on previous year | +10.9% |
| 1980 | 0.0811 % change on previous year | +51.1% |
| 1981 | 0.1311 % change on previous year | +61.7% |
| 1982 | 0.1832 % change on previous year | +39.8% |
| 1983 | 0.2274 % change on previous year | +24.1% |
| 1984 | 0.2629 % change on previous year | +15.6% |
| 1985 | 0.2903 % change on previous year | +10.4% |
| 1986 | 0.3091 % change on previous year | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 0.3197 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 0.3223 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 0.317 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 0.3036 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 0.2824 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 1992 | 0.2536 % change on previous year | -10.2% |
| 1993 | 0.2141 % change on previous year | -15.6% |
| 1994 | 0.1792 % change on previous year | -16.3% |
| 1995 | 0.1541 % change on previous year | -14.0% |
| 1996 | 0.1378 % change on previous year | -10.6% |
| 1997 | 0.1249 % change on previous year | -9.3% |
| 1998 | 0.1146 % change on previous year | -8.2% |
| 1999 | 0.1074 % change on previous year | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 0.1033 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 0.1022 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 0.1036 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 0.1083 % change on previous year | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 0.1158 % change on previous year | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 0.126 % change on previous year | +8.9% |
| 2006 | 0.1394 % change on previous year | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 0.1554 % change on previous year | +11.5% |
| 2008 | 0.1739 % change on previous year | +11.9% |
| 2009 | 0.2054 % change on previous year | +18.1% |
| 2010 | 0.2537 % change on previous year | +23.5% |
| 2011 | 0.2928 % change on previous year | +15.4% |
| 2012 | 0.3216 % change on previous year | +9.8% |
| 2013 | 0.3398 % change on previous year | +5.7% |
| 2014 | 0.3446 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 0.3776 % change on previous year | +9.6% |
| 2016 | 0.3967 % change on previous year | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 0.4101 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 0.4238 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 0.4375 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4511 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 0.4648 % change on previous year | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 0.478 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 0.4916 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 0.5049 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 0.518 % change on previous year | +2.6% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.518 % change on previous year is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.24 % change on previous year, 42% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.518 % change on previous year is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2657 % change on previous year, 1.9× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 29.87 % change on previous year | 7.44 % change on previous year | 52.39 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 3.32 % change on previous year | 2.47 % change on previous year | 5.6 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6579 % change on previous year | 0.0484 % change on previous year | 1.77 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2444 % change on previous year | 0.0811 % change on previous year | 0.3223 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1872 % change on previous year | 0.1074 % change on previous year | 0.3036 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1333 % change on previous year | 0.1022 % change on previous year | 0.2054 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3598 % change on previous year | 0.2537 % change on previous year | 0.4375 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4847 % change on previous year | 0.4511 % change on previous year | 0.518 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 74 Morocco 0.5225 % change on previous year compare
- 75 North Macedonia 0.5219 % change on previous year compare
- 76 Croatia 0.5192 % change on previous year compare
- 78 Kazakhstan 0.5044 % change on previous year compare
- 79 Moldova 0.4989 % change on previous year compare
- 80 Tunisia 0.4895 % change on previous year compare
More reference data data for North Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9593 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3562 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.75 (2050)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3103 °C (2026)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.7425 °C (2026)
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.29 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.22 °C (2026)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 6,873 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 656.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure applied to Soils 316.45 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea?
- Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in North Korea was 0.518 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 52.39 % change on previous year in 1951.
- What is the lowest urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0484 % change on previous year in 1978.
- How does North Korea rank for urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate?
- North Korea ranks 77th out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.