Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea
North Korea: Female and male life expectancy at birth in years was 71.46 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea stood at 71.46. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea peaked at 71.46 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 11.36, in 1950.
That places North Korea 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.36 | — |
| 1951 | 13.67 | +20.4% |
| 1952 | 26.34 | +92.6% |
| 1953 | 34.49 | +30.9% |
| 1954 | 48.49 | +40.6% |
| 1955 | 49.63 | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 50.65 | +2.0% |
| 1957 | 51.54 | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 52.34 | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 53.02 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 53.64 | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 54.19 | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 54.76 | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 55.31 | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 55.88 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 56.48 | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 57.1 | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 57.75 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 58.4 | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 59.03 | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 59.63 | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 60.21 | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 60.77 | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 61.3 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 61.77 | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 62.22 | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 62.66 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 63.12 | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 63.56 | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 63.99 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 64.41 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 64.83 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 65.23 | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 65.61 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 65.95 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 66.27 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 66.55 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 66.74 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 67 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 67.19 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 67.37 | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 67.57 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 67.51 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 67.03 | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 66.45 | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 57.45 | -13.6% |
| 1996 | 57.49 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 57.54 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 57.55 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 57.58 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 57.59 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 57.58 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 57.58 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 65.49 | +13.7% |
| 2004 | 65.39 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 65.27 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 65.18 | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 65.22 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 65.63 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 66.24 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 67.01 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 67.74 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 68.47 | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 69.19 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 69.98 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 70.44 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 70.54 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 70.44 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 70.28 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 69.94 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 69.85 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 71.28 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 71.46 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 71.46 | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 71.46 is above the median for low income countries, which is 61.66, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 71.46 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 69.86, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | +92.6% | 13.67 | 26.34 |
| 1954 | +40.6% | 34.49 | 48.49 |
| 1953 | +30.9% | 26.34 | 34.49 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39.15 | 11.36 | 53.02 | 10 |
| 1960s | 56.25 | 53.64 | 59.03 | 10 |
| 1970s | 61.92 | 59.63 | 63.99 | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.98 | 64.41 | 67.19 | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.35 | 57.45 | 67.57 | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.12 | 57.58 | 66.24 | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.4 | 67.01 | 70.54 | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.01 | 69.85 | 71.46 | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More health data for North Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 767 (2100)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2022)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2022)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate -0.1528 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.6836 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.073 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea?
- Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in North Korea was 71.46 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female and male life expectancy at birth in years recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 71.46 in 2022.
- What is the lowest female and male life expectancy at birth in years recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.36 in 1950.
- How does North Korea rank for female and male life expectancy at birth in years?
- North Korea ranks 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female and male life expectancy at birth in years rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female and male life expectancy at birth in years. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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