Population, male (% of total population) in North Korea
North Korea: Population, male (% of total population) was 49.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population, male in North Korea, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, population, male in North Korea stood at 49.5%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, male in North Korea peaked at 49.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 45.2%, in 1960.
That places North Korea 119th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, male (% of total population) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 45.2% | — |
| 1961 | 45.4% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 45.6% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 45.7% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 45.9% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 46.1% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 46.2% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 46.4% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 46.6% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 46.7% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 46.9% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 47.0% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 47.1% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 47.3% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 47.4% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 47.5% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 47.5% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 47.6% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 47.7% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 47.8% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 47.8% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 47.9% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 48.0% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 48.0% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 48.1% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 48.2% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 48.2% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 48.3% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 48.4% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 48.4% | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 48.6% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 48.6% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 48.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 48.7% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 48.7% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 48.7% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 48.9% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 48.9% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 49.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 49.2% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 49.3% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 49.3% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 49.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 49.4% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 49.4% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 49.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 49.8%, 99% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 49.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 50.2%, 99% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 46.0% | 45.2% | 46.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 47.4% | 46.9% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.1% | 47.8% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.7% | 48.5% | 48.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.8% | 48.8% | 48.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.1% | 48.9% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.3% | 49.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More health data for North Korea
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 767 (2100)
- Age population, age 07, female, interpolated 165,782 (2025)
- Vaccination coverage by income in 99 (2025)
- Age population, age 06, male, interpolated 175,499 (2025)
- Age population, age 06, female, interpolated 166,257 (2025)
- Population, female 50.5% (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above 12.7% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male 9.14 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, male in North Korea?
- Population, male in North Korea was 49.5% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population, male recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, male recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.2% in 1960.
- How does North Korea rank for population, male?
- North Korea ranks 119th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, male rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population, male (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Male population is the percentage of the population that is male. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.