Healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea
North Korea: Healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending was 77 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea, 2000–2023
Source: Universal Health Coverage Dataset, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea stood at 77.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea peaked at 80 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 70, in 2000.
That places North Korea 70th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 70 | — |
| 2001 | 70 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 71 | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 71 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 72 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 72 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 72 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 73 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 74 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 74 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 75 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 73 | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 76 | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 77 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 78 | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 79 | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 80 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 80 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 79 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 80 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 80 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 80 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 76 | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 77 | +1.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 77 is above the median for low income countries, which is 43, 1.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 77 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 69, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 71.9 | 70 | 74 | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.7 | 73 | 80 | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.25 | 76 | 80 | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More health data for North Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 767 deaths (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0972 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.1893 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0921 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 0.1729 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate -0.1835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, male, per capita 0.4951 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.1972 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea?
- Healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending in North Korea was 77 in 2023, according to Universal Health Coverage Dataset, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 80 in 2016.
- What is the lowest healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 70 in 2000.
- How does North Korea rank for healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending?
- North Korea ranks 70th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Universal Health Coverage Dataset, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Healthcare coverage by level of healthcare spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Universal healthcare coverage (UHC) service coverage is measured on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) based on the average coverage of essential healthcare services.