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Economy of North Korea vs Russia compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank

North Korea has a GDP of $34.9B compared to $2.56T for Russia, ranking 109/197 and 8/197 by economy size, respectively.

North Korea vs Russia GDP by year

North Korea
Russia
1x
Year GDP, current $
North Korea Russia
2025 - $2,561,310,169,359
2024 $34,943,120,000 $2,186,462,268,813
2023 $32,155,360,000 $2,046,284,838,151
2022 $28,971,360,000 $2,292,495,097,681
2021 $32,301,720,000 $1,829,186,719,575
2020 $27,728,240,000 $1,493,075,894,362
2019 $28,222,880,000 $1,693,115,002,708
2018 $28,536,400,000 $1,657,328,773,461
2017 $29,105,440,000 $1,574,199,360,089
2016 $28,882,640,000 $1,276,786,350,881
2015 $30,723,030,000 $1,363,482,182,198
2014 $30,554,460,000 $2,059,241,589,895
2013 $30,588,922,000 $2,292,470,078,346
2012 $29,890,710,000 $2,208,293,553,878
2011 $29,005,020,000 $2,045,922,753,398
2010 $25,995,513,000 $1,524,916,715,224
2009 $23,356,470,000 $1,222,645,900,056
2008 - $1,660,848,058,303
2007 - $1,299,703,478,482
2006 - $989,932,071,353
2005 - $764,015,973,481
2004 - $591,016,690,732
2003 - $430,347,420,185
2002 - $345,470,494,418
2001 - $306,602,070,621
2000 - $259,710,142,197
1999 - $195,907,128,351
1998 - $270,955,486,862
1997 - $404,928,954,192
1996 - $391,724,890,744
1995 - $395,537,185,735
1994 - $395,077,301,248
1993 - $435,083,713,851
1992 - $460,290,556,901
1991 - $517,962,962,963
1990 - $517,014,446,228
1989 - $506,631,299,735
1988 - $554,828,660,436

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1988–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

GDP per capita in North Korea vs Russia by year

North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Russia
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
North Korea Russia
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2025 - - $17,847 -
2024 $1,319 - $15,219 $47,362
2023 $1,217 - $14,227 $44,269
2022 $1,100 - $15,894 $40,939
2021 $1,231 - $12,637 $38,638
2020 $1,061 - $10,280 $31,491
2019 $1,084 - $11,640 $30,964
2018 $1,100 - $11,399 $28,629
2017 $1,127 - $10,835 $25,778
2016 $1,124 - $8,804 $24,012
2015 $1,201 $1,700 $9,427 $23,994
2014 $1,201 $1,800 $14,277 $25,688
2013 $1,208 - $15,941 $26,020
2012 $1,186 - $15,402 $24,274
2011 $1,156 $1,800 $14,305 $22,790
2010 $1,040 - $10,675 $20,490
2009 $939 $1,800 $8,563 $19,390
2008 - $1,800 $11,635 $20,164
2007 - $1,700 $9,101 $16,648
2006 - $1,800 $6,920 $14,912
2005 - $1,700 $5,323 $11,822
2004 - $1,700 $4,102 $10,227
2003 - $1,300 $2,975 $9,255
2002 - $1,000 $2,378 $8,037
2001 - - $2,100 $7,361
2000 - $1,000 $1,772 $6,825
1999 - $1,000 $1,331 $5,914
1998 - - $1,835 $5,465
1997 - - $2,738 $5,700
1996 - - $2,644 $5,518
1995 - - $2,666 $5,613
1994 - - $2,662 $5,734
1993 - - $2,931 $6,420
1992 - - $3,099 $6,862
1991 - - $3,490 $7,858
1990 - - $3,494 $8,028
1989 - - $3,430 -
1988 - - $3,778 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1988–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

North Korea's GDP per capita is $1,319, ranking 169/197, compared to $17,847 in Russia, ranking 68/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700, while Russia ranks 50th at $47,362.

Economic indicators

North Korea Russia
Gross domestic product
$34.9B
2024
$2.56T
2025
GDP rank
109/197
2024
8/197
2025
GDP growth n/a
1%
2024-2025
GDP per capita
$1,319
2024
$17,847
2025
GDP per capita rank
169/197
2024
68/197
2025
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,700
2015
$47,362
2024
GDP per capita PPP rank
193/197
2015
50/197
2024
Government debt n/a
$440B
2025
Debt-to-GDP ratio n/a
17.2%
2025
Government debt per person n/a
$3,068
2025
Government debt per person rank n/a
105/185
2025
Average annual personal income after taxes
$1,707
2026
$11,183
2026
Market capitalization of domestic companies n/a
$650B
2023
Number of millionaires n/a
447,000
2026
Number of billionaires n/a
147
2026
Income share by richest 10% n/a
25.1%
2023
Income share by poorest 10% n/a
3.1%
2023
Government expenditure, % of GDP n/a
39.1%
2025
Consumer prices inflation n/a
8.7%
2024-2025
Central bank interest rate n/a
14.5%
2026
Unemployment rate
25.6%
2013
2.13%
2025
Population
26668308
142643173

Top exports between countries

North Korea
Export category Export value
Chemicals & pharma $39K
Machinery & equipment $1K
Raw materials & minerals $1K
Russia
Export category Export value
Raw agricultural goods $17.5M
Raw materials & minerals $11M
Processed food, beverages & tobacco $7.18M
Chemicals & pharma $4.02M
Transport & tourism services $3.7M
Machinery & equipment $969K
Miscellaneous $966K
Manufacturing & construction services $540K
Business & finance services $507K
Animal & marine products $187K

Balance of trade

North Korea Russia
Current account balance n/a
$43.1B
2025
Current account balance ranking n/a
14/190
2025
Current account balance, % of GDP n/a
+1.68%
2025
Goods imports n/a
$305B
2025
Goods exports n/a
$422B
2025
Service imports n/a
$94.8B
2025
Service exports n/a
$46.3B
2025
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP n/a
15.5%
2025
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP n/a
18.2%
2025

Economic freedom indices

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

North Korea Russia
Economic freedom 3.1 50.3
Economic freedom ranking 197/197 161/197
Property rights 16.3 18.6
Government integrity 4.3 22.8
Judicial effectiveness 6.3 22.8
Tax burden 0 81.9
Government spending 0 61.3
Fiscal health 0 94.4
Business freedom 5 51.4
Labor freedom 5 59.1
Monetary freedom 0 61.8
Trade freedom 0 69.4
Investment freedom 0 30
Financial freedom 0 30

Economic freedom comparison by year

North Korea
Russia
1x
Year Economic freedom index
North Korea Russia
2026 3.1 50.3
2025 3 51.6
2024 2.9 52
2023 2.9 53.8
2022 3 56.1
2021 5.2 61.5
2020 4.2 61
2019 5.9 58.9
2018 5.8 58.2
2017 4.9 57.1
2016 2.3 50.6
2015 1.3 52.1
2014 1 51.9
2013 1.5 51.1
2012 1 50.5
2011 1 50.5
2010 1 50.3
2009 2 50.8
2008 3 49.8
2007 3 52.2
2006 4 52.4
2005 8 51.3
2004 8.9 52.8
2003 8.9 50.8
2002 8.9 48.7
2001 8.9 49.8
2000 8.9 51.8
1999 8.9 54.5
1998 8.9 52.8
1997 8.9 48.6
1996 8.9 51.6
1995 8.9 51.1

Data sources: The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

The Economic Freedom Index for North Korea is 3.1, ranking 197/197, compared to 50.3 for Russia, ranking 161/197. The chart above displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Other economic metrics

North Korea Russia
Services, % of GDP n/a
58.9%
2025
Industry, % of GDP n/a
29.7%
2025
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP n/a
3.06%
2025
GNI, Atlas method n/a
$2.33T
2025
GNI per capita, PPP n/a
$49,220
2025
Total reserves including gold n/a
$608B
2024
Total reserves ranking n/a
6/177
2024
Net foreign direct investment n/a
-$12.4B
2025
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$203K
1989
-$9.35B
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$0
2024
-$170M
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI n/a
2.63%
2024
Poverty at national poverty lines n/a
7.2%
2024
Gross capital formation, % of GDP n/a
25.9%
2025

GDP per capita map

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. TradeMap (2020–2021, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  6. International Monetary Fund (IMF) | Fiscal Monitor (2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  7. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  8. LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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.