Prevalence of hypertension in North Korea

North Korea: Prevalence of hypertension was 26.5% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
26.5%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
185th
of 192 countries
All-time high
26.9%
in 2009
All-time low
24.5%
in 1990
Years of data
30
1990–2019

Prevalence of hypertension in North Korea, 1990–2019

01020301990200420191990: 24.5 % of adults ages 30-791991: 24.7 % of adults ages 30-791992: 24.9 % of adults ages 30-791993: 25.1 % of adults ages 30-791994: 25.3 % of adults ages 30-791995: 25.4 % of adults ages 30-791996: 25.5 % of adults ages 30-791997: 25.6 % of adults ages 30-791998: 25.6 % of adults ages 30-791999: 25.7 % of adults ages 30-792000: 25.8 % of adults ages 30-792001: 26 % of adults ages 30-792002: 26.1 % of adults ages 30-792003: 26.2 % of adults ages 30-792004: 26.4 % of adults ages 30-792005: 26.5 % of adults ages 30-792006: 26.6 % of adults ages 30-792007: 26.7 % of adults ages 30-792008: 26.8 % of adults ages 30-792009: 26.9 % of adults ages 30-792010: 26.9 % of adults ages 30-792011: 26.9 % of adults ages 30-792012: 26.8 % of adults ages 30-792013: 26.7 % of adults ages 30-792014: 26.7 % of adults ages 30-792015: 26.6 % of adults ages 30-792016: 26.6 % of adults ages 30-792017: 26.6 % of adults ages 30-792018: 26.5 % of adults ages 30-792019: 26.5 % of adults ages 30-79

Source: World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of adults ages 30-79.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of hypertension in North Korea is 26.5%, measured in 2019.

That represents a change of down 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of hypertension in North Korea peaked at 26.9% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 24.5%, in 1990.

That places North Korea 185th out of 192 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Prevalence of hypertension in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of hypertension (% of adults ages 30-79) in North Korea, 1990 to 2019.
Year % of adults ages 30-79 Change
1990 24.5%
1991 24.7% +0.8%
1992 24.9% +0.8%
1993 25.1% +0.8%
1994 25.3% +0.8%
1995 25.4% +0.4%
1996 25.5% +0.4%
1997 25.6% +0.4%
1998 25.6% +0.0%
1999 25.7% +0.4%
2000 25.8% +0.4%
2001 26.0% +0.8%
2002 26.1% +0.4%
2003 26.2% +0.4%
2004 26.4% +0.8%
2005 26.5% +0.4%
2006 26.6% +0.4%
2007 26.7% +0.4%
2008 26.8% +0.4%
2009 26.9% +0.4%
2010 26.9% +0.0%
2011 26.9% +0.0%
2012 26.8% -0.4%
2013 26.7% -0.4%
2014 26.7% +0.0%
2015 26.6% -0.4%
2016 26.6% +0.0%
2017 26.6% +0.0%
2018 26.5% -0.4%
2019 26.5% +0.0%

North Korea compared with similar countries

  • North Korea's 26.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 36.1%, 73% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • North Korea's 26.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 33.3%, 79% of the median. (30 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 25.2% 24.5% 25.7% 10
2000s 26.4% 25.8% 26.9% 10
2010s 26.7% 26.5% 26.9% 10

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 182 Ecuador 27.2% compare
  2. 182 Spain 27.2% compare
  3. 184 South Korea 26.7% compare
  4. 186 United Kingdom 26.4% compare
  5. 187 Iran 26.2% compare
  6. 188 Cambodia 25.7% compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More health data for North Korea

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of hypertension in North Korea?
Prevalence of hypertension in North Korea was 26.5% in 2019, according to World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
What is the highest prevalence of hypertension recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 26.9% in 2009.
What is the lowest prevalence of hypertension recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 24.5% in 1990.
How does North Korea rank for prevalence of hypertension?
North Korea ranks 185th out of 192 countries with data for 2019.
Is prevalence of hypertension rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this North Korea data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository, published as part of Prevalence of hypertension (% of adults ages 30-79). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of hypertension in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-hypertension-percent-of-adults-ages-30-79/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of hypertension (% of adults ages 30-79)
Unit
% of adults ages 30-79
Source
World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
235 places, 7,050 data points, 1990–2019
Last refreshed

Prevalence of hypertension is the percentage of adults ages 30-79 with hypertension (defined as having systolic blood pressure =140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure =90 mmHg, or taking medication for hypertension). The data is age-standardized.