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Economy of Israel vs North Korea compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Israel has a GDP of $540B compared to $34.9B for North Korea, ranking 29/197 and 106/197 by economy size, respectively.

Israel vs North Korea GDP by year

Israel
North Korea
1x
Year GDP, current $
Israel North Korea
2024 $540,379,921,262 $34,943,120,000
2023 $512,184,638,999 $32,155,360,000
2022 $525,181,008,026 $28,971,360,000
2021 $489,851,549,972 $32,301,720,000
2020 $410,768,352,658 $27,728,240,000
2019 $400,645,216,359 $28,222,880,000
2018 $376,299,083,108 $28,536,400,000
2017 $358,451,839,053 $29,105,440,000
2016 $321,940,971,558 $28,882,640,000
2015 $303,469,434,072 $30,723,030,000
2014 $315,017,088,117 $30,554,460,000
2013 $298,478,070,673 $30,588,922,000
2012 $263,589,172,712 $29,890,710,000
2011 $268,094,998,225 $29,005,020,000
2010 $239,679,036,634 $25,995,513,000
2009 $213,403,181,853 $23,356,470,000
2008 $221,231,658,863 -
2007 $184,681,214,673 -
2006 $158,900,547,825 -
2005 $147,519,922,009 -
2004 $140,047,984,605 -
2003 $131,408,914,824 -
2002 $125,332,331,884 -
2001 $135,002,039,613 -
2000 $136,512,300,542 -
1999 $121,417,185,062 -
1998 $120,547,409,279 -
1997 $119,459,826,347 -
1996 $115,116,595,545 -
1995 $105,497,418,059 -
1994 $90,740,103,829 -
1993 $79,855,877,174 -
1992 $79,457,685,757 -
1991 $70,998,755,007 -
1990 $62,016,729,541 -
1989 $52,443,479,454 -
1988 $52,650,948,910 -
1987 $43,049,543,635 -
1986 $35,834,154,874 -
1985 $28,905,736,367 -
1984 $30,645,607,293 -
1983 $32,675,755,462 -
1982 $29,255,285,401 -
1981 $26,882,009,819 -
1980 $25,395,256,478 -
1979 $22,609,741,060 -
1978 $17,701,286,907 -
1977 $18,257,113,904 -
1976 $15,956,349,550 -
1975 $16,141,767,373 -
1974 $17,172,607,138 -
1973 $11,902,574,259 -
1972 $9,222,557,539 -
1971 $7,052,544,000 -
1970 $7,406,712,876 -
1969 $6,297,852,761 -
1968 $5,458,427,928 -
1967 $4,762,386,783 -
1966 $4,703,300,098 -
1965 $4,329,084,429 -
1964 $4,024,344,853 -
1963 $3,535,949,089 -
1962 $2,966,154,031 -
1961 $3,708,586,471 -
1960 $3,070,585,807 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/israel/north-korea | CC BY

GDP per capita in Israel vs North Korea by year

Israel
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Israel North Korea
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $54,177 $57,236 $1,319 -
2023 $52,004 $55,171 $1,217 -
2022 $54,950 $53,619 $1,100 -
2021 $52,271 $46,162 $1,231 -
2020 $44,576 $40,955 $1,061 -
2019 $44,251 $41,325 $1,084 -
2018 $42,363 $40,190 $1,100 -
2017 $41,138 $39,471 $1,127 -
2016 $37,672 $38,189 $1,124 -
2015 $36,213 $35,871 $1,201 $1,700
2014 $38,343 $34,816 $1,201 $1,800
2013 $37,034 $34,827 $1,208 -
2012 $33,321 $32,484 $1,186 -
2011 $34,523 $31,314 $1,156 $1,800
2010 $31,439 $29,456 $1,040 -
2009 $28,508 $28,087 $939 $1,800
2008 $30,269 $28,084 - $1,800
2007 $25,721 $28,307 - $1,700
2006 $22,527 $26,385 - $1,800
2005 $21,287 $25,701 - $1,700
2004 $20,568 $26,078 - $1,700
2003 $19,643 $24,702 - $1,300
2002 $19,076 $26,101 - $1,000
2001 $20,966 $25,806 - -
2000 $21,707 $25,766 - $1,000
1999 $19,823 $23,415 - $1,000
1998 $20,189 $22,927 - -
1997 $20,469 $22,279 - -
1996 $20,224 $21,672 - -
1995 $19,026 $20,642 - -
1994 $16,807 $19,478 - -
1993 $15,179 $18,218 - -
1992 $15,510 $17,553 - -
1991 $14,346 $16,486 - -
1990 $13,308 $15,721 - -
1989 $11,608 - - -
1988 $11,853 - - -
1987 $9,853 - - -
1986 $8,335 - - -
1985 $6,829 - - -
1984 $7,369 - - -
1983 $7,960 - - -
1982 $7,258 - - -
1981 $6,795 - - -
1980 $6,549 - - -
1979 $5,972 - - -
1978 $4,797 - - -
1977 $5,053 - - -
1976 $4,516 - - -
1975 $4,672 - - -
1974 $5,085 - - -
1973 $3,631 - - -
1972 $2,930 - - -
1971 $2,298 - - -
1970 $2,490 - - -
1969 $2,189 - - -
1968 $1,947 - - -
1967 $1,735 - - -
1966 $1,789 - - -
1965 $1,689 - - -
1964 $1,626 - - -
1963 $1,486 - - -
1962 $1,294 - - -
1961 $1,697 - - -
1960 $1,452 - - -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/economy/israel/north-korea | CC BY

Israel's GDP per capita is $54,177, ranking 21/197, compared to $1,319 in North Korea, ranking 168/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Israel ranks 36th at $57,236, while North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700.

Economic indicators

Israel North Korea
Gross domestic product
$540B
2024
$34.9B
2024
GDP rank
29/197
2024
106/197
2024
GDP growth
0.87%
2023-2024
n/a
GDP per capita
$54,177
2024
$1,319
2024
GDP per capita rank
21/197
2024
168/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$57,236
2024
$1,700
2015
GDP per capita PPP rank
36/197
2024
193/197
2015
Government debt
$366B
2024
n/a
Debt-to-GDP ratio
67.6%
2024
n/a
Government debt per person
$36,645
2024
n/a
Government debt per person rank
18/185
2024
n/a
Average annual personal income after taxes
$43,003
2026
$1,426
2026
Market capitalization of domestic companies
$331B
2024
n/a
Number of millionaires
179,905
2025
n/a
Number of billionaires
41
2025
n/a
Income share by richest 10%
26.6%
2021
n/a
Income share by poorest 10%
2%
2021
n/a
Government expenditure, % of GDP
43.8%
2024
n/a
Consumer prices inflation
3.07%
2023-2024
n/a
Central bank interest rate
4.5%
2024
n/a
Unemployment rate
2.9%
2024
25.6%
2013
Population
10290887
26659144

Balance of trade

Israel North Korea
Current account balance
$15.5B
2024
n/a
Current account balance ranking
21/190
2024
n/a
Current account balance, % of GDP
+2.86%
2024
n/a
Goods imports
$96.3B
2024
n/a
Goods exports
$70B
2024
n/a
Service imports
$44.4B
2024
n/a
Service exports
$83.7B
2024
n/a
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
26%
2024
n/a
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
28.4%
2024
n/a

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Israel North Korea
Economic freedom 68.4 3.1
Economic freedom ranking 47/197 197/197
Property rights 73.1 16.3
Government integrity 66.2 4.3
Judicial effectiveness 68.1 6.3
Tax burden 60.2 0
Government spending 52 0
Fiscal health 60.8 0
Business freedom 72.4 5
Labor freedom 56.8 5
Monetary freedom 78.2 0
Trade freedom 82.8 0
Investment freedom 70 0
Financial freedom 80 0

Economic freedom comparison by year

Israel
North Korea
1x
Year Economic freedom index
Israel North Korea
2026 68.4 3.1
2025 69.9 3
2024 70.1 2.9
2023 68.9 2.9
2022 68 3
2021 73.8 5.2
2020 74 4.2
2019 72.8 5.9
2018 72.2 5.8
2017 69.7 4.9
2016 70.7 2.3
2015 70.5 1.3
2014 68.4 1
2013 66.9 1.5
2012 67.8 1
2011 68.5 1
2010 67.7 1
2009 67.6 2
2008 66.3 3
2007 64.8 3
2006 64.4 4
2005 62.6 8
2004 61.4 8.9
2003 62.7 8.9
2002 66.9 8.9
2001 66.1 8.9
2000 65.5 8.9
1999 68.3 8.9
1998 68 8.9
1997 62.7 8.9
1996 62 8.9
1995 61.5 8.9

Data sources: The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09).

GeoRank.org/economy/israel/north-korea | CC BY

The Economic Freedom Index for Israel is 68.4, ranking 47/197, compared to 3.1 for North Korea, ranking 197/197. The chart above displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Other economic metrics

Israel North Korea
Services, % of GDP
72.5%
2024
n/a
Industry, % of GDP
17.3%
2024
n/a
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
1.28%
2024
n/a
GNI, Atlas method
$528B
2024
n/a
GNI per capita, PPP
$56,790
2024
n/a
Total reserves including gold
$215B
2024
n/a
Total reserves ranking
18/177
2024
n/a
Net foreign direct investment
-$4.86B
2024
n/a
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$14.8B
2024
$203K
1989
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$9.92B
2024
$0
2024
Poverty at national poverty lines
22%
2020
n/a
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
23.4%
2024
n/a

GDP per capita map

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08).

GeoRank.org/economy/israel/north-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2020, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. International Monetary Fund (IMF) | Fiscal Monitor (2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  6. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  7. LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2025-10-14)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.

The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.