Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in North Korea
North Korea: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) was 1.78 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate, total in North Korea, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, fertility rate, total in North Korea stood at 1.78 births per woman.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in North Korea peaked at 4.05 births per woman in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1.78 births per woman, in 2023.
North Korea ranks 120th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.57 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 3.26 births per woman | -8.6% |
| 1962 | 3.41 births per woman | +4.6% |
| 1963 | 3.63 births per woman | +6.3% |
| 1964 | 3.55 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1965 | 3.56 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 3.71 births per woman | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 4.05 births per woman | +9.2% |
| 1968 | 3.87 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 3.86 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 3.85 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 3.74 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 3.89 births per woman | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 3.35 births per woman | -13.8% |
| 1974 | 3.14 births per woman | -6.3% |
| 1975 | 3.05 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 2.84 births per woman | -6.9% |
| 1977 | 2.77 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 2.79 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 2.85 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 2.84 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 2.92 births per woman | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 2.85 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 2.78 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 2.71 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 2.65 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 2.59 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 2.53 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 2.47 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 2.41 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 2.39 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 2.35 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 2.29 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.22 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 2.18 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 2.15 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 2.09 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 2.03 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 1.99 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 1.97 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 1.94 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.94 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 1.92 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.91 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.9 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 1.87 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.94 births per woman | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 1.94 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.97 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.91 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 1.89 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.88 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 1.88 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.88 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.87 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 1.85 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 1.83 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 1.82 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 1.82 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.81 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.8 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 1.78 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 1.78 births per woman | +0.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.78 births per woman is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.11 births per woman, 43% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.78 births per woman is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12 births per woman, 84% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.65 births per woman | 3.26 births per woman | 4.05 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.23 births per woman | 2.77 births per woman | 3.89 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.67 births per woman | 2.41 births per woman | 2.92 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.17 births per woman | 1.97 births per woman | 2.39 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.92 births per woman | 1.87 births per woman | 1.97 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.86 births per woman | 1.82 births per woman | 1.89 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8 births per woman | 1.78 births per woman | 1.82 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 117 Bahrain 1.8 births per woman compare
- 118 Georgia 1.8 births per woman compare
- 119 Montenegro 1.8 births per woman compare
- 121 El Salvador 1.77 births per woman compare
- 122 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.76 births per woman compare
- 123 Brunei 1.73 births per woman compare
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 fertility rate, total in North Korea?
- Fertility rate, total in North Korea was 1.78 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.05 births per woman in 1967.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.78 births per woman in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for fertility rate, total?
- North Korea ranks 120th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.