Infant mortality (Our World) in North Korea
North Korea: Infant mortality (Our World) was 1.33 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.33
Change on year
down 8.4%
World rank
95th
of 199 countries
All-time high
24.12
in 1950
All-time low
1.33
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality in North Korea, 1950–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, infant mortality in North Korea stood at 1.33. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is down 8.4% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality in North Korea peaked at 24.12 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.33, in 2024.
North Korea ranks 95th of 199 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.
Infant mortality (Our World) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.12 | — |
| 1951 | 21.31 | -11.7% |
| 1952 | 15.24 | -28.5% |
| 1953 | 13.2 | -13.4% |
| 1954 | 11.13 | -15.7% |
| 1955 | 10.42 | -6.4% |
| 1956 | 9.79 | -6.0% |
| 1957 | 9.26 | -5.4% |
| 1958 | 8.82 | -4.7% |
| 1959 | 8.47 | -4.0% |
| 1960 | 8.18 | -3.4% |
| 1961 | 7.93 | -3.1% |
| 1962 | 7.69 | -3.0% |
| 1963 | 7.44 | -3.3% |
| 1964 | 7.17 | -3.6% |
| 1965 | 6.87 | -4.1% |
| 1966 | 6.56 | -4.6% |
| 1967 | 6.23 | -5.0% |
| 1968 | 5.89 | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 5.57 | -5.5% |
| 1970 | 5.26 | -5.5% |
| 1971 | 4.98 | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 4.72 | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 4.48 | -5.0% |
| 1974 | 4.27 | -4.8% |
| 1975 | 4.07 | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 3.89 | -4.4% |
| 1977 | 3.73 | -4.2% |
| 1978 | 3.57 | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 3.43 | -4.0% |
| 1980 | 3.3 | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 3.18 | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 3.07 | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 2.99 | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 2.93 | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 2.9 | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.9 | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 2.96 | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 3.02 | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 3.1 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 3.2 | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 3.27 | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 3.32 | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 3.34 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 3.33 | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 6.43 | +93.3% |
| 1996 | 6.34 | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 6.23 | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 6.14 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 6.04 | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 5.94 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 5.86 | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 5.77 | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 2.73 | -52.7% |
| 2004 | 2.68 | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 2.63 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 2.59 | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 2.56 | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 2.47 | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 2.39 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 2.29 | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 2.17 | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 2.06 | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 1.93 | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 1.82 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 1.72 | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 1.65 | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 1.54 | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 1.48 | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 1.43 | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 1.41 | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 1.41 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.43 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 1.45 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 1.33 | -8.4% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.33 is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.3, 31% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.33 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.39, 96% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant mortality (Our World) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +93.3% | 3.33 | 6.43 |
| 2003 | -52.7% | 5.77 | 2.73 |
| 1952 | -28.5% | 21.31 | 15.24 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.17 | 8.47 | 24.12 | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.95 | 5.57 | 8.18 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.24 | 3.43 | 5.26 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.04 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.76 | 3.2 | 6.43 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.56 | 2.39 | 5.94 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.81 | 1.43 | 2.29 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.41 | 1.33 | 1.45 | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 92 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.39 compare
- 93 Mauritius 1.38 compare
- 94 Bhutan 1.37 compare
- 96 Seychelles 1.29 compare
- 97 Uzbekistan 1.28 compare
- 98 Honduras 1.28 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 infant mortality in North Korea?
- Infant mortality in North Korea was 1.33 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 24.12 in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.33 in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for infant mortality?
- North Korea ranks 95th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).