Share of the population that is female in North Korea
North Korea: Share of the population that is female was 50.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
50.5%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
97th
of 215 countries
All-time high
54.8%
in 1960
All-time low
50.5%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Share of the population that is female in North Korea, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 50.5% for share of the population that is female in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population that is female in North Korea peaked at 54.8% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 50.5%, in 2025.
That places North Korea 97th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Share of the population that is female in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 54.8% | — |
| 1961 | 54.6% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 54.4% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 54.3% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 54.1% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 53.9% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 53.8% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 53.6% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 53.4% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 53.3% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 53.1% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 53.0% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 52.9% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 52.7% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 52.6% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 52.5% | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 52.5% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 52.2% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 52.2% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 52.1% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 51.6% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 51.6% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 51.3% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 51.2% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 51.1% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 51.1% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 51.1% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 51.1% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 51.1% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 51.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 51.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 50.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 50.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 50.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 50.8% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 50.7% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 50.7% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 50.7% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 50.7% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 50.6% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 50.6% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 50.5% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 50.5% | -0.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 50.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 50.2%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 50.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 49.8%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.0% | 53.3% | 54.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 52.6% | 52.2% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.9% | 51.6% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.3% | 51.2% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.2% | 51.1% | 51.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.9% | 50.7% | 51.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.6% | 50.5% | 50.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More gender data for North Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,948 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.7158 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 21,837 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 21,837 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.2686 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 162,142 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 171,689 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 163,466 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 172,928 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 164,613 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population that is female in North Korea?
- Share of the population that is female in North Korea was 50.5% in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population that is female recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 54.8% in 1960.
- What is the lowest share of the population that is female recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.5% in 2025.
- How does North Korea rank for share of the population that is female?
- North Korea ranks 97th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of the population that is female rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population that is female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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