Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in North Korea
North Korea: Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) was 15.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use in North Korea, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 15.6% for prevalence of current tobacco use in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 21.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use in North Korea peaked at 30.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2024.
North Korea ranks 102nd of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 30.6% | — |
| 2005 | 26.8% | -12.4% |
| 2007 | 25.2% | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 23.0% | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 19.9% | -13.5% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | -12.6% |
| 2022 | 16.4% | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 16.0% | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 15.6% | -2.5% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 15.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 10.1%, 1.5× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 15.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.1%, 68% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.5% | 25.2% | 30.6% | 3 |
| 2010s | 21.4% | 19.9% | 23.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 16.3% | 15.6% | 17.4% | 4 |
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)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate -0.1835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 0.1729 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.3398 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate -0.123 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.3438 units per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of current tobacco use in North Korea?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use in North Korea was 15.6% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 30.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for prevalence of current tobacco use?
- North Korea ranks 102nd out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.6%. 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 (% of 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 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.