Mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea
North Korea: Mens life expectancy at birth was 71.46 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea is 71.46, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea peaked at 71.46 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 11.36, in 1950.
That places North Korea 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.36 | — |
| 1951 | 13.67 | +20.4% |
| 1952 | 26.34 | +92.6% |
| 1953 | 34.49 | +30.9% |
| 1954 | 48.49 | +40.6% |
| 1955 | 49.63 | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 50.65 | +2.0% |
| 1957 | 51.54 | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 52.34 | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 53.02 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 53.64 | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 54.19 | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 54.76 | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 55.31 | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 55.88 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 56.48 | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 57.1 | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 57.75 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 58.4 | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 59.03 | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 59.63 | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 60.21 | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 60.77 | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 61.3 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 61.77 | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 62.22 | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 62.66 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 63.12 | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 63.56 | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 63.99 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 64.41 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 64.83 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 65.23 | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 65.61 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 65.95 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 66.27 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 66.55 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 66.74 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 67 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 67.19 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 67.37 | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 67.57 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 67.51 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 67.03 | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 66.45 | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 57.45 | -13.6% |
| 1996 | 57.49 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 57.54 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 57.55 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 57.58 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 57.59 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 57.58 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 57.58 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 65.49 | +13.7% |
| 2004 | 65.39 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 65.27 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 65.18 | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 65.22 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 65.63 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 66.24 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 67.01 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 67.74 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 68.47 | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 69.19 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 69.98 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 70.44 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 70.54 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 70.44 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 70.28 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 69.94 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 69.85 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 71.28 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 71.46 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 71.46 | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 71.46 is above the median for low income countries, which is 61.66, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 71.46 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 69.86, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mens life expectancy at birth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | +92.6% | 13.67 | 26.34 |
| 1954 | +40.6% | 34.49 | 48.49 |
| 1953 | +30.9% | 26.34 | 34.49 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39.15 | 11.36 | 53.02 | 10 |
| 1960s | 56.25 | 53.64 | 59.03 | 10 |
| 1970s | 61.92 | 59.63 | 63.99 | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.98 | 64.41 | 67.19 | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.35 | 57.45 | 67.57 | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.12 | 57.58 | 66.24 | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.4 | 67.01 | 70.54 | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.01 | 69.85 | 71.46 | 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 767 (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)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate -0.1528 % change on previous year (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2022)
- 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)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.015 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea?
- Mens life expectancy at birth in North Korea was 71.46 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mens life expectancy at birth recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 71.46 in 2022.
- What is the lowest mens life expectancy at birth recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.36 in 1950.
- How does North Korea rank for mens life expectancy at birth?
- North Korea ranks 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mens life expectancy at birth rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Mens life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).