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Economy of Nauru vs North Korea compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Nauru has a GDP of $163M compared to $34.9B for North Korea, ranking 195/197 and 106/197 by economy size, respectively.

Nauru vs North Korea GDP by year

Nauru
North Korea
1x
Year GDP, current $
Nauru North Korea
2024 $162,588,621 $34,943,120,000
2023 $151,435,610 $32,155,360,000
2022 $152,373,434 $28,971,360,000
2021 $175,390,281 $32,301,720,000
2020 $124,685,688 $27,728,240,000
2019 $125,160,116 $28,222,880,000
2018 $130,995,566 $28,536,400,000
2017 $109,355,639 $29,105,440,000
2016 $97,541,943 $28,882,640,000
2015 $84,863,441 $30,723,030,000
2014 $99,149,244 $30,554,460,000
2013 $94,385,015 $30,588,922,000
2012 $101,055,723 $29,890,710,000
2011 $65,071,880 $29,005,020,000
2010 $47,562,845 $25,995,513,000
2009 $44,176,246 $23,356,470,000
2008 $37,602,265 -
2007 $22,766,972 -
2006 $29,200,359 -
2005 $30,070,666 -
2004 $30,587,566 -
2003 $24,778,160 -
2002 $21,017,424 -
2001 $22,613,288 -
2000 $26,930,980 -
1999 $27,328,613 -
1998 $29,664,451 -
1997 $37,331,507 -
1996 $37,458,801 -
1995 $39,969,706 -
1994 $39,742,511 -
1993 $43,542,088 -
1992 $51,133,123 -
1991 $52,533,789 -
1990 $55,572,376 -
1989 $53,736,786 -
1988 $45,931,134 -
1987 $40,118,410 -
1986 $39,939,391 -
1985 $41,548,741 -
1984 $47,363,231 -
1983 $48,439,093 -
1982 $52,877,742 -
1981 $51,689,637 -
1980 $46,947,124 -
1979 $44,431,330 -
1978 $41,754,147 -
1977 $40,444,702 -
1976 $40,287,427 -
1975 $40,106,776 -
1974 $35,994,511 -
1973 $26,529,817 -
1972 $21,734,269 -
1971 $19,009,433 -
1970 $17,570,366 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1970–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

GDP per capita in Nauru vs North Korea by year

Nauru
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Nauru North Korea
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $13,609 $14,173 $1,319 -
2023 $12,752 $13,732 $1,217 -
2022 $12,912 $13,245 $1,100 -
2021 $14,979 $12,112 $1,231 -
2020 $10,709 $10,811 $1,061 -
2019 $10,802 $10,555 $1,084 -
2018 $11,414 $9,657 $1,100 -
2017 $9,657 $9,650 $1,127 -
2016 $8,748 $10,281 $1,124 -
2015 $7,747 $9,955 $1,201 $1,700
2014 $9,230 $9,726 $1,201 $1,800
2013 $8,975 $8,429 $1,208 -
2012 $9,843 $8,153 $1,186 -
2011 $6,444 $6,544 $1,156 $1,800
2010 $4,736 $5,620 $1,040 -
2009 $4,411 $5,568 $939 $1,800
2008 $3,757 $5,863 - $1,800
2007 $2,272 $4,789 - $1,700
2006 $2,910 $5,975 - $1,800
2005 $2,992 $5,336 - $1,700
2004 $3,041 $5,169 - $1,700
2003 $2,463 $5,261 - $1,300
2002 $2,085 $5,132 - $1,000
2001 $2,232 $5,587 - -
2000 $2,649 $5,838 - $1,000
1999 $2,683 $6,118 - $1,000
1998 $2,909 $6,450 - -
1997 $3,661 $7,231 - -
1996 $3,679 $7,818 - -
1995 $3,932 $8,726 - -
1994 $3,921 $9,308 - -
1993 $4,310 $9,513 - -
1992 $5,103 $11,167 - -
1991 $5,333 $13,265 - -
1990 $5,776 $16,215 - -
1989 $5,723 - - -
1988 $5,012 - - -
1987 $4,485 - - -
1986 $4,569 - - -
1985 $4,859 - - -
1984 $5,654 - - -
1983 $5,896 - - -
1982 $6,577 - - -
1981 $6,594 - - -
1980 $6,138 - - -
1979 $5,950 - - -
1978 $5,721 - - -
1977 $5,646 - - -
1976 $5,703 - - -
1975 $5,740 - - -
1974 $5,199 - - -
1973 $3,864 - - -
1972 $3,191 - - -
1971 $2,811 - - -
1970 $2,619 - - -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1970–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20).

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

Nauru's GDP per capita is $13,609, ranking 74/197, compared to $1,319 in North Korea, ranking 168/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Nauru ranks 119th at $14,173, while North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700.

Economic indicators

Nauru North Korea
Gross domestic product
$163M
2024
$34.9B
2024
GDP rank
195/197
2024
106/197
2024
GDP growth
1.39%
2023-2024
n/a
GDP per capita
$13,609
2024
$1,319
2024
GDP per capita rank
74/197
2024
168/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$14,173
2024
$1,700
2015
GDP per capita PPP rank
119/197
2024
193/197
2015
Government debt
$28.3M
2024
n/a
Debt-to-GDP ratio
17.4%
2024
n/a
Government debt per person
$2,367
2024
n/a
Government debt per person rank
113/185
2024
n/a
Average annual personal income after taxes
$8,783
2026
$1,426
2026
Income share by richest 10%
25.3%
2012
n/a
Income share by poorest 10%
3.4%
2012
n/a
Government expenditure, % of GDP
122.1%
2024
n/a
Consumer prices inflation
9.3%
2023-2024
n/a
Unemployment rate
5.06%
2021
25.6%
2013
Population
12125
26659144

Balance of trade

Nauru North Korea
Current account balance
$9.73M
2024
n/a
Current account balance ranking
75/190
2024
n/a
Current account balance, % of GDP
+5.98%
2024
n/a
Goods imports
$92.7M
2024
n/a
Goods exports
$25.5M
2024
n/a
Service imports
$88.2M
2024
n/a
Service exports
$64.6M
2024
n/a
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
110.5%
2024
n/a
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
55.3%
2024
n/a

Economic freedom indices

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

Nauru North Korea
Economic freedom 60 3.1
Economic freedom ranking 97/197 197/197
Property rights n/a 16.3
Government integrity n/a 4.3
Judicial effectiveness n/a 6.3
Tax burden n/a 0
Government spending n/a 0
Fiscal health n/a 0
Business freedom n/a 5
Labor freedom n/a 5
Monetary freedom n/a 0
Trade freedom n/a 0
Investment freedom n/a 0
Financial freedom n/a 0

Other economic metrics

Nauru North Korea
GNI, Atlas method
$244M
2024
n/a
GNI per capita, PPP
$21,970
2024
n/a
Net foreign direct investment
$4.51M
2024
n/a
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
-$5.85M
2024
$203K
1989
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
-$1.34M
2024
$0
2024

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/nauru/north-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1970–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  3. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  4. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
  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.