Health system composite index in North Korea
North Korea: Health system composite index was 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Health system composite index in North Korea, 1980–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in standard deviations from the yearly mean.
Analysis
In 2024, health system composite index in North Korea stood at 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean.
The figure is down 7.6% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health system composite index in North Korea peaked at 1.01 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1989 and was at its lowest, -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean, in 1997.
North Korea ranks 69th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Health system composite index in North Korea, year by year
| Year | standard deviations from the yearly mean | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.2085 standard deviations from the yearly mean | — |
| 1981 | 0.2053 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 0.4573 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +122.7% |
| 1983 | 0.3279 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -28.3% |
| 1984 | -0.0005 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -100.2% |
| 1985 | 0.0167 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -3455.1% |
| 1986 | 0.0332 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +98.4% |
| 1987 | -0.2832 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -952.6% |
| 1988 | 0.0885 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -131.2% |
| 1989 | 1.01 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +1046.9% |
| 1990 | 0.9623 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 0.9395 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 0.9615 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 0.9204 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4388 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -52.3% |
| 1995 | -0.051 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -111.6% |
| 1996 | -1.07 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +1996.7% |
| 1997 | -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +38.5% |
| 1998 | -1.08 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -27.3% |
| 1999 | -0.7387 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -31.4% |
| 2000 | -0.3776 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -48.9% |
| 2001 | -0.0414 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -89.0% |
| 2002 | 0.114 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -375.2% |
| 2003 | 0.5709 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +400.8% |
| 2004 | 0.4164 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -27.1% |
| 2005 | 0.4192 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 0.3774 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -10.0% |
| 2007 | 0.4553 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +20.7% |
| 2008 | 0.6007 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +31.9% |
| 2009 | 0.4271 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -28.9% |
| 2010 | 0.4617 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +8.1% |
| 2011 | 0.481 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 0.5891 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +22.5% |
| 2013 | 0.4916 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -16.6% |
| 2014 | 0.602 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +22.5% |
| 2015 | 0.4999 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -17.0% |
| 2016 | 0.6622 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +32.5% |
| 2017 | 0.6551 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 0.4599 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -29.8% |
| 2019 | 0.4751 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 0.5719 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +20.4% |
| 2021 | 0.6693 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +17.0% |
| 2022 | 0.5775 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -13.7% |
| 2023 | 0.5525 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -7.6% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean is above the median for low income countries, which is -1.05 standard deviations from the yearly mean. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0246 standard deviations from the yearly mean, 20.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Health system composite index 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +3455.1% | -0.0005 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.0167 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1996 | -1996.7% | -0.051 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.07 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1989 | +1046.9% | 0.0885 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 1.01 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1987 | -952.6% | 0.0332 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.2832 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 2003 | +400.8% | 0.114 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.5709 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 2002 | +375.2% | -0.0414 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.114 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.2068 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.2832 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 1.01 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.0195 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.9623 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2962 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.3776 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.6007 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5377 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.4599 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.6622 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5764 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.6693 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 66 Cape Verde 0.5406 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 67 Algeria 0.5214 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 68 Belarus 0.5183 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 70 Thailand 0.4904 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 71 Bangladesh 0.4843 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 72 Mauritius 0.4765 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
More health data for North Korea
- 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)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 767 deaths (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,462 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.6995 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.031 units per person (2025)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2022)
- Age population, age 17, male, interpolated 168,398 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health system composite index in North Korea?
- Health system composite index in North Korea was 0.5106 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest health system composite index recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.01 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1989.
- What is the lowest health system composite index recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1997.
- How does North Korea rank for health system composite index?
- North Korea ranks 69th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is health system composite index rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. 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 Health system composite index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Life expectancy at birth, total; Physicians per 1000 people; Hospital beds per 1000 people; Immunization, measles. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.
Equal-weighted mean of the standardised inputs below.
Computed from
- Life expectancy at birth, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Hospital beds per 1,000 people World Health Organization (WHO) data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Immunization, measles World Health Organization (WHO)
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
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Life expectancy at birth, total; Physicians per 1000 people; Hospital beds per 1000 people; Immunization, measles. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.