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Maternal mortality ratio in North Korea

North Korea: Maternal mortality ratio was 66.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
66.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
81st
of 195 countries
All-time high
131.37 Deaths per 100 000 live births
in 2002
All-time low
36.88 Deaths per 100 000 live births
in 1992
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Maternal mortality ratio in North Korea, 1985–2023

4060801001201401985200420231985: 75.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births1986: 68.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births1987: 61.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births1988: 54.7 Deaths per 100 000 live births1989: 48.6 Deaths per 100 000 live births1990: 43.3 Deaths per 100 000 live births1991: 38.2 Deaths per 100 000 live births1992: 36.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births1993: 45.7 Deaths per 100 000 live births1994: 56.7 Deaths per 100 000 live births1995: 127.3 Deaths per 100 000 live births1996: 128.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births1997: 128.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births1998: 129 Deaths per 100 000 live births1999: 129.3 Deaths per 100 000 live births2000: 128.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births2001: 129.6 Deaths per 100 000 live births2002: 131.4 Deaths per 100 000 live births2003: 76.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births2004: 77.4 Deaths per 100 000 live births2005: 78.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births2006: 79.8 Deaths per 100 000 live births2007: 80.4 Deaths per 100 000 live births2008: 79.4 Deaths per 100 000 live births2009: 78.2 Deaths per 100 000 live births2010: 77.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births2011: 76.3 Deaths per 100 000 live births2012: 75.6 Deaths per 100 000 live births2013: 74.7 Deaths per 100 000 live births2014: 73 Deaths per 100 000 live births2015: 71.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births2016: 71.3 Deaths per 100 000 live births2017: 70.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births2018: 69 Deaths per 100 000 live births2019: 66.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births2020: 66.3 Deaths per 100 000 live births2021: 71.7 Deaths per 100 000 live births2022: 66.7 Deaths per 100 000 live births2023: 66.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Deaths per 100 000 live births.

Analysis

North Korea recorded 66.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births for maternal mortality ratio in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in North Korea peaked at 131.37 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2002 and was at its lowest, 36.88 Deaths per 100 000 live births, in 1992.

That places North Korea 81st out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Maternal mortality ratio in North Korea, year by year

Year Deaths per 100 000 live births Change
1985 75.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births —
1986 68.48 Deaths per 100 000 live births -9.3%
1987 61.53 Deaths per 100 000 live births -10.2%
1988 54.69 Deaths per 100 000 live births -11.1%
1989 48.59 Deaths per 100 000 live births -11.1%
1990 43.29 Deaths per 100 000 live births -10.9%
1991 38.2 Deaths per 100 000 live births -11.8%
1992 36.88 Deaths per 100 000 live births -3.4%
1993 45.69 Deaths per 100 000 live births +23.9%
1994 56.74 Deaths per 100 000 live births +24.2%
1995 127.34 Deaths per 100 000 live births +124.4%
1996 128.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.6%
1997 128.48 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.3%
1998 129.04 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.4%
1999 129.33 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.2%
2000 128.86 Deaths per 100 000 live births -0.4%
2001 129.63 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.6%
2002 131.37 Deaths per 100 000 live births +1.3%
2003 76.13 Deaths per 100 000 live births -42.0%
2004 77.44 Deaths per 100 000 live births +1.7%
2005 78.11 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.9%
2006 79.78 Deaths per 100 000 live births +2.1%
2007 80.36 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.7%
2008 79.44 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.1%
2009 78.24 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.5%
2010 77.14 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.4%
2011 76.34 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.0%
2012 75.64 Deaths per 100 000 live births -0.9%
2013 74.68 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.3%
2014 72.97 Deaths per 100 000 live births -2.3%
2015 71.85 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.5%
2016 71.31 Deaths per 100 000 live births -0.8%
2017 70.08 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.7%
2018 68.99 Deaths per 100 000 live births -1.6%
2019 66.46 Deaths per 100 000 live births -3.7%
2020 66.27 Deaths per 100 000 live births -0.3%
2021 71.72 Deaths per 100 000 live births +8.2%
2022 66.71 Deaths per 100 000 live births -7.0%
2023 66.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 61.76 Deaths per 100 000 live births 48.59 Deaths per 100 000 live births 75.5 Deaths per 100 000 live births 5
1990s 86.31 Deaths per 100 000 live births 36.88 Deaths per 100 000 live births 129.33 Deaths per 100 000 live births 10
2000s 93.94 Deaths per 100 000 live births 76.13 Deaths per 100 000 live births 131.37 Deaths per 100 000 live births 10
2010s 72.55 Deaths per 100 000 live births 66.46 Deaths per 100 000 live births 77.14 Deaths per 100 000 live births 10
2020s 67.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births 66.27 Deaths per 100 000 live births 71.72 Deaths per 100 000 live births 4

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 78 Saint Kitts and Nevis 73.52 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
  2. 79 Morocco 69.77 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
  3. 80 Brazil 66.91 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
  4. 82 Belize 66.8 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
  5. 83 Tonga 66.78 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
  6. 84 Iraq 65.99 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More health data for North Korea

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in North Korea?
Maternal mortality ratio in North Korea was 66.9 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 131.37 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2002.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 36.88 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 1992.
How does North Korea rank for maternal mortality ratio?
North Korea ranks 81st out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this North Korea data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Maternal mortality ratio in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/maternal-mortality-ratio-who-gho/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Maternal mortality ratio
Unit
Deaths per 100 000 live births
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
195 places, 7,605 data points, 1985–2023
Last refreshed

Estimated number of women who die from maternal conditions per 100,000 live births.