Prevalence of current tobacco use, males (% of male adults) in North Korea
North Korea: Prevalence of current tobacco use, males (% of male adults) was 31.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use, males in North Korea, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of male adults.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of current tobacco use, males in North Korea stood at 31.1%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.8% on the previous year and down 22.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use, males in North Korea peaked at 61.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.1%, in 2024.
That places North Korea 72nd out of 166 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use, males (% of male adults) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 61.3% | — |
| 2005 | 53.5% | -12.7% |
| 2007 | 50.4% | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 46.0% | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 39.9% | -13.3% |
| 2020 | 34.7% | -13.0% |
| 2022 | 32.9% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 32.0% | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 31.1% | -2.8% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 31.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 15.6%, 2.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 31.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39.1%, 80% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 55.1% | 50.4% | 61.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 43.0% | 39.9% | 46.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 32.7% | 31.1% | 34.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 69 Uzbekistan 31.6% compare
- 70 South Korea 31.5% compare
- 71 Bahamas 31.3% compare
- 73 Estonia 30.9% compare
- 74 Seychelles 30.4% compare
- 75 Congo 30.0% compare
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 06, male, interpolated 175,499 (2025)
- Vaccination coverage by income in 99 (2025)
- Age population, age 06, female, interpolated 166,257 (2025)
- Population, male 49.5% (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 prevalence of current tobacco use, males in North Korea?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use, males in North Korea was 31.1% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use, males recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 61.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use, males recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.1% in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for prevalence of current tobacco use, males?
- North Korea ranks 72nd out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use, males rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of current tobacco use, males (% of male adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of the male population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.