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Economy of Kazakhstan vs North Korea compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Kazakhstan has a GDP of $291B compared to $34.9B for North Korea, ranking 48/197 and 106/197 by economy size, respectively.

Kazakhstan vs North Korea GDP by year

Kazakhstan
North Korea
1x
Year GDP, current $
Kazakhstan North Korea
2024 $291,480,274,649 $34,943,120,000
2023 $261,840,101,060 $32,155,360,000
2022 $225,496,328,925 $28,971,360,000
2021 $197,112,255,361 $32,301,720,000
2020 $171,082,365,861 $27,728,240,000
2019 $181,667,184,855 $28,222,880,000
2018 $179,339,977,690 $28,536,400,000
2017 $166,805,788,827 $29,105,440,000
2016 $137,278,320,084 $28,882,640,000
2015 $184,388,404,706 $30,723,030,000
2014 $221,415,613,595 $30,554,460,000
2013 $236,634,603,409 $30,588,922,000
2012 $207,998,568,866 $29,890,710,000
2011 $192,626,464,617 $29,005,020,000
2010 $148,047,348,241 $25,995,513,000
2009 $115,308,686,941 $23,356,470,000
2008 $133,441,648,852 -
2007 $104,849,915,058 -
2006 $81,003,864,630 -
2005 $57,123,671,734 -
2004 $43,151,647,003 -
2003 $30,833,692,900 -
2002 $24,636,598,527 -
2001 $22,152,689,180 -
2000 $18,291,990,662 -
1999 $16,870,817,182 -
1998 $22,135,245,507 -
1997 $22,165,932,063 -
1996 $21,035,357,937 -
1995 $20,374,302,652 -
1994 $21,250,792,886 -
1993 $23,409,260,880 -
1992 $24,917,355,372 -
1991 $24,923,076,923 -
1990 $26,932,016,270 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1990–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

GDP per capita in Kazakhstan vs North Korea by year

Kazakhstan
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Kazakhstan North Korea
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $14,155 $40,891 $1,319 -
2023 $12,879 $38,515 $1,217 -
2022 $11,255 $35,895 $1,100 -
2021 $9,984 $32,946 $1,231 -
2020 $8,782 $29,040 $1,061 -
2019 $9,457 $28,689 $1,084 -
2018 $9,472 $25,096 $1,100 -
2017 $8,943 $23,973 $1,127 -
2016 $7,476 $23,023 $1,124 -
2015 $10,196 $22,484 $1,201 $1,700
2014 $12,428 $23,958 $1,201 $1,800
2013 $13,478 $23,754 $1,208 -
2012 $12,019 $21,367 $1,186 -
2011 $11,287 $20,160 $1,156 $1,800
2010 $8,793 $18,642 $1,040 -
2009 $6,938 $17,389 $939 $1,800
2008 $8,124 $17,278 - $1,800
2007 $6,449 $16,581 - $1,700
2006 $5,030 $14,966 - $1,800
2005 $3,577 $13,226 - $1,700
2004 $2,722 $11,777 - $1,700
2003 $1,958 $10,532 - $1,300
2002 $1,574 $9,504 - $1,000
2001 $1,422 $8,568 - -
2000 $1,180 $7,418 - $1,000
1999 $1,092 $6,626 - $1,000
1998 $1,415 $6,284 - -
1997 $1,382 $6,178 - -
1996 $1,281 $5,836 - -
1995 $1,218 $5,595 - -
1994 $1,247 $5,860 - -
1993 $1,355 $6,477 - -
1992 $1,438 $6,945 - -
1991 $1,442 $7,193 - -
1990 $1,570 $7,874 - -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1990–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20).

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

Kazakhstan's GDP per capita is $14,155, ranking 71/197, compared to $1,319 in North Korea, ranking 168/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Kazakhstan ranks 58th at $40,891, while North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700.

Economic indicators

Kazakhstan North Korea
Gross domestic product
$291B
2024
$34.9B
2024
GDP rank
48/197
2024
106/197
2024
GDP growth
5%
2023-2024
n/a
GDP per capita
$14,155
2024
$1,319
2024
GDP per capita rank
71/197
2024
168/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$40,891
2024
$1,700
2015
GDP per capita PPP rank
58/197
2024
193/197
2015
Government debt
$71.1B
2024
n/a
Debt-to-GDP ratio
24.4%
2024
n/a
Government debt per person
$3,450
2024
n/a
Government debt per person rank
95/185
2024
n/a
Average annual personal income after taxes
$7,486
2026
$1,426
2026
Market capitalization of domestic companies
$62.8B
2024
n/a
Number of millionaires
44,307
2025
n/a
Number of billionaires
6
2025
n/a
Income share by richest 10%
24.8%
2021
n/a
Income share by poorest 10%
4.3%
2021
n/a
Government expenditure, % of GDP
20.7%
2024
n/a
Consumer prices inflation
8.7%
2023-2024
n/a
Central bank interest rate
18%
2025
n/a
Unemployment rate
4.86%
2022
25.6%
2013
Population
21161809
26659144

Balance of trade

Kazakhstan North Korea
Current account balance
-$7.94B
2024
n/a
Current account balance ranking
173/190
2024
n/a
Current account balance, % of GDP
-2.72%
2024
n/a
Goods imports
$61.8B
2024
n/a
Goods exports
$79B
2024
n/a
Service imports
$13B
2024
n/a
Service exports
$11.8B
2024
n/a
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
25.6%
2024
n/a
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
31.6%
2024
n/a

Economic freedom indices

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

Kazakhstan North Korea
Economic freedom 64.2 3.1
Economic freedom ranking 75/197 197/197
Property rights 54.9 16.3
Government integrity 40.7 4.3
Judicial effectiveness 33.8 6.3
Tax burden 91.2 0
Government spending 85.6 0
Fiscal health 97.2 0
Business freedom 64.9 5
Labor freedom 63.5 5
Monetary freedom 64.3 0
Trade freedom 74.4 0
Investment freedom 50 0
Financial freedom 50 0

Economic freedom comparison by year

Kazakhstan
North Korea
1x
Year Economic freedom index
Kazakhstan North Korea
2026 64.2 3.1
2025 63.8 3
2024 62 2.9
2023 62.1 2.9
2022 64.4 3
2021 71.1 5.2
2020 69.6 4.2
2019 65.4 5.9
2018 69.1 5.8
2017 69 4.9
2016 63.6 2.3
2015 63.3 1.3
2014 63.7 1
2013 63 1.5
2012 63.6 1
2011 62.1 1
2010 61 1
2009 60.1 2
2008 61.1 3
2007 59.6 3
2006 60.2 4
2005 53.9 8
2004 49.7 8.9
2003 52.3 8.9
2002 52.4 8.9
2001 51.8 8.9
2000 50.4 8.9
1999 47.3 8.9
1998 41.7 8.9
1997 - 8.9
1996 - 8.9
1995 - 8.9

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

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

The Economic Freedom Index for Kazakhstan is 64.2, ranking 75/197, 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

Kazakhstan North Korea
Services, % of GDP
57.9%
2024
n/a
Industry, % of GDP
32.1%
2024
n/a
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
3.88%
2024
n/a
GNI, Atlas method
$249B
2024
n/a
GNI per capita, PPP
$37,590
2024
n/a
Total reserves including gold
$45.8B
2024
n/a
Total reserves ranking
43/177
2024
n/a
Net foreign direct investment
-$3.9B
2024
n/a
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$1.98B
2024
$203K
1989
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
-$1.92B
2024
$0
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
17.3%
2024
n/a
Poverty at national poverty lines
5%
2024
n/a
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
27.2%
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/kazakhstan/north-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, 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) (1999–2015, 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.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

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.