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Economy of North Korea vs Slovakia compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

North Korea has a GDP of $34.9B compared to $141B for Slovakia, ranking 106/197 and 61/197 by economy size, respectively.

North Korea vs Slovakia GDP by year

North Korea
Slovakia
1x
Year GDP, current $
North Korea Slovakia
2024 $34,943,120,000 $140,934,076,532
2023 $32,155,360,000 $133,578,518,424
2022 $28,971,360,000 $115,792,972,358
2021 $32,301,720,000 $120,511,265,913
2020 $27,728,240,000 $107,732,602,896
2019 $28,222,880,000 $105,843,498,304
2018 $28,536,400,000 $106,611,673,365
2017 $29,105,440,000 $95,978,130,735
2016 $28,882,640,000 $90,347,173,229
2015 $30,723,030,000 $89,178,548,717
2014 $30,554,460,000 $101,713,075,599
2013 $30,588,922,000 $99,134,277,850
2012 $29,890,710,000 $94,724,394,278
2011 $29,005,020,000 $99,705,104,723
2010 $25,995,513,000 $91,112,160,801
2009 $23,356,470,000 $89,342,984,698
2008 - $100,830,060,553
2007 - $86,587,749,518
2006 - $70,751,813,443
2005 - $62,547,753,148
2004 - $57,215,475,076
2003 - $46,616,149,117
2002 - $35,243,658,399
2001 - $30,726,659,551
2000 - $29,215,726,005
1999 - $30,496,272,225
1998 - $29,976,207,629
1997 - $27,844,628,979
1996 - $28,197,790,875
1995 - $26,180,022,222
1994 - $20,428,139,756
1993 - $16,737,973,764
1992 - $15,699,327,209
1991 - $14,459,924,589
1990 - $12,915,046,978

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

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

GDP per capita in North Korea vs Slovakia by year

North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Slovakia
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
North Korea Slovakia
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $1,319 - $25,993 $48,132
2023 $1,217 - $24,615 $45,974
2022 $1,100 - $21,318 $41,562
2021 $1,231 - $22,123 $38,346
2020 $1,061 - $19,735 $35,328
2019 $1,084 - $19,406 $33,986
2018 $1,100 - $19,573 $31,510
2017 $1,127 - $17,646 $30,246
2016 $1,124 - $16,636 $29,868
2015 $1,201 $1,700 $16,442 $30,148
2014 $1,201 $1,800 $18,771 $29,108
2013 $1,208 - $18,313 $28,075
2012 $1,186 - $17,517 $27,023
2011 $1,156 $1,800 $18,469 $26,202
2010 $1,040 - $16,899 $25,382
2009 $939 $1,800 $16,587 $23,077
2008 - $1,800 $18,744 $23,714
2007 - $1,700 $16,110 $21,232
2006 - $1,800 $13,168 $18,906
2005 - $1,700 $11,642 $16,570
2004 - $1,700 $10,650 $15,166
2003 - $1,300 $8,675 $14,088
2002 - $1,000 $6,555 $13,292
2001 - - $5,712 $12,367
2000 - $1,000 $5,422 $11,370
1999 - $1,000 $5,652 $10,726
1998 - - $5,561 $10,666
1997 - - $5,172 $10,137
1996 - - $5,248 $9,500
1995 - - $4,883 $8,812
1994 - - $3,821 $8,178
1993 - - $3,143 $7,569
1992 - - $2,959 $7,270
1991 - - $2,727 $7,623
1990 - - $2,437 $8,638

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/north-korea/slovakia | CC BY

North Korea's GDP per capita is $1,319, ranking 168/197, compared to $25,993 in Slovakia, ranking 47/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700, while Slovakia ranks 49th at $48,132.

Economic indicators

North Korea Slovakia
Gross domestic product
$34.9B
2024
$141B
2024
GDP rank
106/197
2024
61/197
2024
GDP growth n/a
1.94%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$1,319
2024
$25,993
2024
GDP per capita rank
168/197
2024
47/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,700
2015
$48,132
2024
GDP per capita PPP rank
193/197
2015
49/197
2024
Government debt n/a
$80.7B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio n/a
57.2%
2024
Government debt per person n/a
$14,876
2024
Government debt per person rank n/a
40/185
2024
Average annual personal income after taxes
$1,426
2026
$17,983
2026
Market capitalization of domestic companies n/a
$5.38B
2014
Number of billionaires n/a
2
2025
Income share by richest 10% n/a
18.8%
2023
Income share by poorest 10% n/a
3.3%
2023
Government expenditure, % of GDP n/a
47.1%
2024
Consumer prices inflation n/a
2.76%
2023-2024
Unemployment rate
25.6%
2013
5.34%
2024
Population
26659144
5359438

Top exports between countries

North Korea
Export category Export value
Textiles & consumer goods $90K
Machinery & equipment $1K
Slovakia
Export category Export value

Balance of trade

North Korea Slovakia
Current account balance n/a
-$6.5B
2024
Current account balance ranking n/a
171/190
2024
Current account balance, % of GDP n/a
-4.61%
2024
Goods imports n/a
$107B
2024
Goods exports n/a
$106B
2024
Service imports n/a
$13.2B
2024
Service exports n/a
$13.9B
2024
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP n/a
85.7%
2024
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP n/a
85.5%
2024

Economic freedom indices

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

North Korea Slovakia
Economic freedom 3.1 67.7
Economic freedom ranking 197/197 54/197
Property rights 16.3 82.6
Government integrity 4.3 57.2
Judicial effectiveness 6.3 70.5
Tax burden 0 75.4
Government spending 0 36.4
Fiscal health 0 69.6
Business freedom 5 71.1
Labor freedom 5 55.1
Monetary freedom 0 69.7
Trade freedom 0 79.4
Investment freedom 0 75
Financial freedom 0 70

Economic freedom comparison by year

North Korea
Slovakia
1x
Year Economic freedom index
North Korea Slovakia
2026 3.1 67.7
2025 3 68.4
2024 2.9 68.1
2023 2.9 69
2022 3 69.7
2021 5.2 66.3
2020 4.2 66.8
2019 5.9 65
2018 5.8 65.3
2017 4.9 65.7
2016 2.3 66.6
2015 1.3 67.2
2014 1 66.4
2013 1.5 68.7
2012 1 67
2011 1 69.5
2010 1 69.7
2009 2 69.4
2008 3 70
2007 3 69.6
2006 4 69.8
2005 8 66.8
2004 8.9 64.6
2003 8.9 59
2002 8.9 59.8
2001 8.9 58.5
2000 8.9 53.8
1999 8.9 54.2
1998 8.9 57.5
1997 8.9 55.5
1996 8.9 57.6
1995 8.9 60.4

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

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

The Economic Freedom Index for North Korea is 3.1, ranking 197/197, compared to 67.7 for Slovakia, ranking 54/197. The chart above displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Other economic metrics

North Korea Slovakia
Services, % of GDP n/a
60%
2024
Industry, % of GDP n/a
28.9%
2024
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP n/a
1.58%
2024
GNI, Atlas method n/a
$128B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP n/a
$47,040
2024
Total reserves including gold n/a
$14.5B
2024
Total reserves ranking n/a
68/177
2024
Net foreign direct investment n/a
-$2.77B
2024
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$203K
1989
$5.01B
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$0
2024
$2.24B
2024
Poverty at national poverty lines n/a
13.7%
2021
Gross capital formation, % of GDP n/a
20.1%
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/north-korea/slovakia | 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. TradeMap (2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  7. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  8. 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.