North Korea has a population of 26.5M (ranked 56/197), compared with 7.49M in Turkmenistan (ranked 104/197). North Korea's land area is 46,491 sq mi versus 181,441 sq mi for Turkmenistan (ranked 97th vs. 53rd).
By GDP, North Korea ranks 106/197 ($34.9B) and Turkmenistan ranks 88/197 ($64.2B). By GDP per capita, North Korea ranks 168/197 ($1,319), while Turkmenistan ranks 91/197 ($8,572).
Main facts and rankings
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population |
26621357
|
7713465
|
| Population rank | 56/197 | 104/197 |
| GDP |
$34.9B
2024 |
$64.2B
2024 |
| GDP rank | 106/197 | 88/197 |
| GDP per capita |
$1,319
2024 |
$8,572
2024 |
| GDP per capita rank | 168/197 | 91/197 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$1,700
2015 |
$20,408
2024 |
| Government debt | n/a |
$2.97B
2024 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio | n/a |
4.5%
2025 |
| Government debt per person | n/a |
$396
2024 |
| Government debt per person rank | n/a | 172/185 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$1,642
2025 |
$8,974
2025 |
| Land area |
46,491 sq mi
2025 |
181,441 sq mi
2025 |
| Population density |
570 ppl/mi²
2024 |
41.3 ppl/mi²
2024 |
| Fertility rate |
1.78
2023 |
2.69
2023 |
| Median age |
37.3 years
2024 |
27.5 years
2024 |
| Life expectancy |
73.9 years
2025 |
70.3 years
2025 |
North Korea and Turkmenistan: Comparison Charts
North Korea and Turkmenistan economies compared
GDP
North Korea
Turkmenistan
| Year | GDP | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
| 1987 | - | $2,331,358,820 |
| 1988 | - | $3,010,982,414 |
| 1989 | - | $3,006,988,217 |
| 1990 | - | $3,189,539,641 |
| 1991 | - | $3,208,098,919 |
| 1992 | - | $3,200,539,816 |
| 1993 | - | $3,179,225,949 |
| 1994 | - | $2,561,118,608 |
| 1995 | - | $2,482,228,440 |
| 1996 | - | $2,378,759,975 |
| 1997 | - | $2,450,350,625 |
| 1998 | - | $2,605,689,134 |
| 1999 | - | $2,450,564,100 |
| 2000 | - | $2,904,663,311 |
| 2001 | - | $3,534,772,732 |
| 2002 | - | $4,462,029,109 |
| 2003 | - | $5,977,440,583 |
| 2004 | - | $6,838,351,088 |
| 2005 | - | $8,103,901,996 |
| 2006 | - | $10,276,674,365 |
| 2007 | - | $12,664,165,103 |
| 2008 | - | $19,271,523,179 |
| 2009 | $23,356,470,000 | $20,214,385,965 |
| 2010 | $25,995,513,000 | $22,583,157,895 |
| 2011 | $29,005,020,000 | $29,233,333,333 |
| 2012 | $29,890,710,000 | $35,164,210,526 |
| 2013 | $30,588,922,000 | $39,197,543,860 |
| 2014 | $30,554,460,000 | $43,524,210,526 |
| 2015 | $30,723,030,000 | $35,799,714,286 |
| 2016 | $28,882,640,000 | $36,169,428,571 |
| 2017 | $29,105,440,000 | $37,926,285,714 |
| 2018 | $28,536,400,000 | $40,765,428,571 |
| 2019 | $28,222,880,000 | $45,232,857,143 |
| 2020 | $27,728,240,000 | $45,818,000,000 |
| 2021 | $32,301,720,000 | $50,007,428,571 |
| 2022 | $28,971,360,000 | $58,972,000,000 |
| 2023 | $32,155,360,000 | $60,628,857,143 |
| 2024 | $34,943,120,000 | $64,239,891,739 |
North Korea and Turkmenistan economies compared
GDP per capita
North Korea
Turkmenistan
| Year | GDP per capita | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
| 1987 | - | $675 |
| 1988 | - | $846 |
| 1989 | - | $821 |
| 1990 | - | $848 |
| 1991 | - | $832 |
| 1992 | - | $811 |
| 1993 | - | $788 |
| 1994 | - | $622 |
| 1995 | - | $592 |
| 1996 | - | $558 |
| 1997 | - | $565 |
| 1998 | - | $591 |
| 1999 | - | $546 |
| 2000 | - | $634 |
| 2001 | - | $756 |
| 2002 | - | $936 |
| 2003 | - | $1,229 |
| 2004 | - | $1,379 |
| 2005 | - | $1,604 |
| 2006 | - | $1,997 |
| 2007 | - | $2,415 |
| 2008 | - | $3,606 |
| 2009 | $939 | $3,708 |
| 2010 | $1,040 | $4,059 |
| 2011 | $1,156 | $5,144 |
| 2012 | $1,186 | $6,054 |
| 2013 | $1,208 | $6,600 |
| 2014 | $1,201 | $7,164 |
| 2015 | $1,201 | $5,759 |
| 2016 | $1,124 | $5,687 |
| 2017 | $1,127 | $5,828 |
| 2018 | $1,100 | $6,125 |
| 2019 | $1,084 | $6,648 |
| 2020 | $1,061 | $6,593 |
| 2021 | $1,231 | $7,051 |
| 2022 | $1,100 | $8,156 |
| 2023 | $1,217 | $8,233 |
| 2024 | $1,319 | $8,572 |
North Korea vs. Turkmenistan life expectancy calculator
Life expectancy
North Korea
Turkmenistan
| Year | Life expectancy, years | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
| 1950 | 14.2 | 48.1 |
| 1951 | 17.7 | 48.6 |
| 1952 | 32.8 | 49 |
| 1953 | 40.3 | 49.4 |
| 1954 | 50.6 | 49.8 |
| 1955 | 51.8 | 50.2 |
| 1956 | 52.8 | 50.6 |
| 1957 | 53.7 | 51 |
| 1958 | 54.5 | 51.4 |
| 1959 | 55.2 | 51.8 |
| 1960 | 55.8 | 52.1 |
| 1961 | 56.4 | 52.5 |
| 1962 | 57 | 52.9 |
| 1963 | 57.6 | 53.2 |
| 1964 | 58.2 | 53.6 |
| 1965 | 58.8 | 54 |
| 1966 | 59.4 | 54.4 |
| 1967 | 60.1 | 54.8 |
| 1968 | 60.8 | 55.3 |
| 1969 | 61.4 | 55.7 |
| 1970 | 62 | 56 |
| 1971 | 62.7 | 56.3 |
| 1972 | 63.3 | 56.6 |
| 1973 | 63.8 | 56.8 |
| 1974 | 64.3 | 57 |
| 1975 | 64.8 | 57.2 |
| 1976 | 65.3 | 57.4 |
| 1977 | 65.8 | 57.7 |
| 1978 | 66.3 | 58.3 |
| 1979 | 66.7 | 59.1 |
| 1980 | 67.2 | 60.2 |
| 1981 | 67.7 | 61 |
| 1982 | 68.1 | 61.6 |
| 1983 | 68.5 | 62 |
| 1984 | 68.9 | 62.4 |
| 1985 | 69.2 | 62.8 |
| 1986 | 69.5 | 63.2 |
| 1987 | 69.8 | 63.5 |
| 1988 | 70.1 | 63.7 |
| 1989 | 70.3 | 63.8 |
| 1990 | 70.5 | 63.9 |
| 1991 | 70.7 | 63.8 |
| 1992 | 71 | 63.8 |
| 1993 | 70.8 | 63.6 |
| 1994 | 70.5 | 63.5 |
| 1995 | 60.8 | 63.5 |
| 1996 | 60.8 | 63.5 |
| 1997 | 60.9 | 63.7 |
| 1998 | 60.9 | 64 |
| 1999 | 60.9 | 64.5 |
| 2000 | 60.9 | 64.9 |
| 2001 | 60.9 | 65.3 |
| 2002 | 60.9 | 65.6 |
| 2003 | 69.4 | 65.9 |
| 2004 | 69.3 | 66.1 |
| 2005 | 69.2 | 66.3 |
| 2006 | 69.1 | 66.6 |
| 2007 | 69 | 67 |
| 2008 | 69.3 | 67.6 |
| 2009 | 69.7 | 68.2 |
| 2010 | 70.2 | 68.6 |
| 2011 | 70.8 | 68.9 |
| 2012 | 71.3 | 69 |
| 2013 | 71.9 | 69 |
| 2014 | 72.5 | 69 |
| 2015 | 72.8 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 73 | 69.1 |
| 2017 | 73 | 69.2 |
| 2018 | 73 | 69.3 |
| 2019 | 72.9 | 69.4 |
| 2020 | 72.8 | 68.8 |
| 2021 | 73.4 | 69.4 |
| 2022 | 73.6 | 69.9 |
| 2023 | 73.6 | 70.1 |
| 2024 | 73.7 | 70.2 |
| 2025 | 73.9 | 70.3 |
North Korea and Turkmenistan population clocks and comparison
Population
North Korea
Turkmenistan
| Year | Population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
| 1960 | 11,722,953 | 1,643,457 |
| 1961 | 11,990,713 | 1,695,400 |
| 1962 | 12,262,882 | 1,749,214 |
| 1963 | 12,567,057 | 1,804,272 |
| 1964 | 12,889,770 | 1,859,997 |
| 1965 | 13,219,369 | 1,915,916 |
| 1966 | 13,569,094 | 1,971,737 |
| 1967 | 13,958,350 | 2,027,403 |
| 1968 | 14,365,596 | 2,083,069 |
| 1969 | 14,767,615 | 2,139,024 |
| 1970 | 15,172,775 | 2,195,616 |
| 1971 | 15,572,457 | 2,253,119 |
| 1972 | 15,975,069 | 2,311,430 |
| 1973 | 16,350,367 | 2,370,919 |
| 1974 | 16,673,121 | 2,432,028 |
| 1975 | 16,971,055 | 2,494,570 |
| 1976 | 17,243,450 | 2,558,521 |
| 1977 | 17,492,798 | 2,623,948 |
| 1978 | 17,735,995 | 2,691,088 |
| 1979 | 17,983,470 | 2,760,358 |
| 1980 | 18,236,786 | 2,832,203 |
| 1981 | 18,501,295 | 2,907,187 |
| 1982 | 18,776,357 | 2,985,557 |
| 1983 | 19,054,034 | 3,067,534 |
| 1984 | 19,335,043 | 3,154,079 |
| 1985 | 19,620,388 | 3,247,534 |
| 1986 | 19,910,855 | 3,347,809 |
| 1987 | 20,205,483 | 3,452,731 |
| 1988 | 20,503,161 | 3,559,363 |
| 1989 | 20,804,367 | 3,662,459 |
| 1990 | 21,112,137 | 3,760,562 |
| 1991 | 21,428,638 | 3,855,894 |
| 1992 | 21,750,911 | 3,944,689 |
| 1993 | 22,073,352 | 4,032,407 |
| 1994 | 22,393,975 | 4,116,662 |
| 1995 | 22,669,304 | 4,191,203 |
| 1996 | 22,895,746 | 4,263,819 |
| 1997 | 23,110,830 | 4,336,730 |
| 1998 | 23,311,564 | 4,410,507 |
| 1999 | 23,497,599 | 4,492,170 |
| 2000 | 23,665,910 | 4,582,677 |
| 2001 | 23,815,358 | 4,675,409 |
| 2002 | 23,943,973 | 4,769,465 |
| 2003 | 24,090,380 | 4,863,865 |
| 2004 | 24,254,943 | 4,958,093 |
| 2005 | 24,396,433 | 5,052,257 |
| 2006 | 24,524,507 | 5,147,105 |
| 2007 | 24,646,383 | 5,244,046 |
| 2008 | 24,764,618 | 5,345,029 |
| 2009 | 24,878,332 | 5,451,592 |
| 2010 | 24,987,258 | 5,564,356 |
| 2011 | 25,097,874 | 5,683,417 |
| 2012 | 25,211,728 | 5,808,546 |
| 2013 | 25,329,451 | 5,939,341 |
| 2014 | 25,451,262 | 6,075,283 |
| 2015 | 25,575,350 | 6,215,770 |
| 2016 | 25,698,326 | 6,360,041 |
| 2017 | 25,817,709 | 6,507,061 |
| 2018 | 25,931,147 | 6,655,524 |
| 2019 | 26,037,632 | 6,803,944 |
| 2020 | 26,136,312 | 6,949,912 |
| 2021 | 26,232,534 | 7,092,043 |
| 2022 | 26,328,845 | 7,230,193 |
| 2023 | 26,418,204 | 7,364,438 |
| 2024 | 26,498,823 | 7,494,498 |
Fertility rates in North Korea and Turkmenistan
Fertility rate
North Korea
Turkmenistan
| Year | Fertility rate | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
| 1960 | 3.57 | 6.59 |
| 1961 | 3.26 | 6.69 |
| 1962 | 3.41 | 6.76 |
| 1963 | 3.63 | 6.79 |
| 1964 | 3.55 | 6.79 |
| 1965 | 3.56 | 6.76 |
| 1966 | 3.71 | 6.7 |
| 1967 | 4.05 | 6.64 |
| 1968 | 3.87 | 6.56 |
| 1969 | 3.86 | 6.48 |
| 1970 | 3.85 | 6.4 |
| 1971 | 3.74 | 6.32 |
| 1972 | 3.89 | 6.2 |
| 1973 | 3.35 | 6.15 |
| 1974 | 3.14 | 6.09 |
| 1975 | 3.05 | 6 |
| 1976 | 2.84 | 5.9 |
| 1977 | 2.77 | 5.77 |
| 1978 | 2.79 | 5.61 |
| 1979 | 2.85 | 5.46 |
| 1980 | 2.84 | 5.3 |
| 1981 | 2.92 | 5.16 |
| 1982 | 2.85 | 5.04 |
| 1983 | 2.78 | 4.97 |
| 1984 | 2.71 | 4.96 |
| 1985 | 2.65 | 4.97 |
| 1986 | 2.59 | 4.94 |
| 1987 | 2.53 | 4.84 |
| 1988 | 2.47 | 4.68 |
| 1989 | 2.41 | 4.46 |
| 1990 | 2.39 | 4.29 |
| 1991 | 2.35 | 4.14 |
| 1992 | 2.29 | 3.96 |
| 1993 | 2.22 | 3.78 |
| 1994 | 2.18 | 3.62 |
| 1995 | 2.15 | 3.49 |
| 1996 | 2.09 | 3.29 |
| 1997 | 2.03 | 3.18 |
| 1998 | 1.99 | 3.08 |
| 1999 | 1.97 | 2.98 |
| 2000 | 1.94 | 2.9 |
| 2001 | 1.94 | 2.81 |
| 2002 | 1.92 | 2.71 |
| 2003 | 1.91 | 2.67 |
| 2004 | 1.9 | 2.67 |
| 2005 | 1.87 | 2.71 |
| 2006 | 1.94 | 2.72 |
| 2007 | 1.94 | 2.73 |
| 2008 | 1.97 | 2.75 |
| 2009 | 1.91 | 2.79 |
| 2010 | 1.89 | 2.85 |
| 2011 | 1.88 | 2.9 |
| 2012 | 1.88 | 2.96 |
| 2013 | 1.88 | 3.01 |
| 2014 | 1.87 | 3.02 |
| 2015 | 1.86 | 3.03 |
| 2016 | 1.86 | 2.99 |
| 2017 | 1.85 | 2.93 |
| 2018 | 1.83 | 2.88 |
| 2019 | 1.83 | 2.83 |
| 2020 | 1.82 | 2.79 |
| 2021 | 1.81 | 2.75 |
| 2022 | 1.8 | 2.73 |
| 2023 | 1.78 | 2.69 |
North Korea and Turkmenistan demographics compared
Median age
North Korea
Turkmenistan
| Year | Median age, years | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
| 1960 | 19.9 | 21.3 |
| 1961 | 20.2 | 20.9 |
| 1962 | 20.6 | 20.4 |
| 1963 | 20.8 | 19.7 |
| 1964 | 21 | 19 |
| 1965 | 21.2 | 18.4 |
| 1966 | 21.3 | 18 |
| 1967 | 21.4 | 17.7 |
| 1968 | 21.4 | 17.5 |
| 1969 | 21.4 | 17.4 |
| 1970 | 21.4 | 17.4 |
| 1971 | 21.2 | 17.4 |
| 1972 | 20.9 | 17.5 |
| 1973 | 20.7 | 17.6 |
| 1974 | 20.7 | 17.7 |
| 1975 | 20.9 | 17.9 |
| 1976 | 21.1 | 18 |
| 1977 | 21.4 | 18.2 |
| 1978 | 21.8 | 18.3 |
| 1979 | 22.2 | 18.5 |
| 1980 | 22.5 | 18.7 |
| 1981 | 22.8 | 18.8 |
| 1982 | 23.1 | 19 |
| 1983 | 23.5 | 19.1 |
| 1984 | 23.9 | 19.2 |
| 1985 | 24.2 | 19.3 |
| 1986 | 24.5 | 19.3 |
| 1987 | 24.8 | 19.3 |
| 1988 | 25.1 | 19.3 |
| 1989 | 25.6 | 19.3 |
| 1990 | 26 | 19.3 |
| 1991 | 26.4 | 19.4 |
| 1992 | 26.8 | 19.4 |
| 1993 | 27.2 | 19.5 |
| 1994 | 27.6 | 19.6 |
| 1995 | 28 | 19.7 |
| 1996 | 28.3 | 19.9 |
| 1997 | 28.8 | 20.1 |
| 1998 | 29.2 | 20.3 |
| 1999 | 29.6 | 20.6 |
| 2000 | 30.1 | 20.9 |
| 2001 | 30.5 | 21.2 |
| 2002 | 31 | 21.5 |
| 2003 | 31.4 | 21.8 |
| 2004 | 31.8 | 22.1 |
| 2005 | 32.1 | 22.4 |
| 2006 | 32.5 | 22.8 |
| 2007 | 32.9 | 23.1 |
| 2008 | 33.3 | 23.4 |
| 2009 | 33.7 | 23.7 |
| 2010 | 34 | 24 |
| 2011 | 34.3 | 24.3 |
| 2012 | 34.5 | 24.5 |
| 2013 | 34.7 | 24.8 |
| 2014 | 35 | 25 |
| 2015 | 35.2 | 25.3 |
| 2016 | 35.4 | 25.5 |
| 2017 | 35.7 | 25.7 |
| 2018 | 35.9 | 25.9 |
| 2019 | 36.2 | 26.2 |
| 2020 | 36.4 | 26.4 |
| 2021 | 36.6 | 26.7 |
| 2022 | 36.8 | 26.9 |
| 2023 | 37.1 | 27.2 |
| 2024 | 37.3 | 27.5 |
Interactive Maps
Use the buttons below to switch between world maps comparing statistics for North Korea and Turkmenistan.
GDP per capita
GDP
Life expectancy
Population
Population density
Fertility rate
Median age
Land area
National statistics comparison
Finance
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| GNI, Atlas method | n/a |
$62.9B
2024 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP | n/a |
11.1%
2025 |
| Education expenditure, % of GDP | n/a |
2.71%
2023 |
| Military expenditure, % of GDP | n/a |
2.9%
1999 |
| Armed forces personnel |
1,469,000
2020 |
57,000
2020 |
| Deficit/surplus, % of GDP | n/a |
+0.17%
2025 |
| Unemployment rate |
25.6%
2013 |
4%
2010 |
| Services, % of GDP | n/a |
49.4%
2023 |
| Industry, % of GDP | n/a |
39.3%
2023 |
| Economic freedom index |
3
2025 |
47.1
2025 |
| Income share by richest 10% | n/a |
31.5%
1998 |
| Income share by poorest 10% | n/a |
2.4%
1998 |
| Total reserves including gold | n/a |
$1.51B
1999 |
| Personal remittances received | n/a |
$0
2023 |
| International tourist arrivals | n/a |
380,000
1998 |
| Banked people share | n/a |
40.6%
2017 |
Energy
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Energy use, kg of oil equivalent per capita |
641 kg
2022 |
5,626 kg
2022 |
| GDP PPP per kg equivalent of energy use | n/a |
$3.26
2022 |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions |
64.3 megatons
2023 |
66 megatons
2023 |
| CO2 emissions per capita |
2.43 tons
2023 |
8.96 tons
2023 |
| Fossil fuel energy use share |
85.1%
2022 |
100%
2022 |
| Renewable energy use share |
14.7%
2021 |
0.1%
2021 |
| Alternative and nuclear energy use share |
8.5%
2022 |
0%
2022 |
| Net energy imports use share |
4.9%
2022 |
-109.8%
2022 |
| Electric power consumption per capita |
830 kWh
2022 |
2,829 kWh
2022 |
| Renewable electricity output share |
63.2%
2021 |
0.01%
2021 |
| Hydroelectric share |
62.7%
2022 |
0.02%
2022 |
| Nuclear share |
0%
2021 |
0%
2021 |
| Electricity access |
57.5%
2023 |
100%
2023 |
Society
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| % of world population |
0.33%
2024 |
0.09%
2024 |
| Annual migration change |
-2,473
2024 |
+14,646
2024 |
| Urban population |
63.5%
2024 |
54.5%
2024 |
| Male:Female ratio |
50:50
2024 |
50:50
2024 |
| Average male height |
5.73 ft
2025 |
5.72 ft
2025 |
| Average female height |
5.29 ft
2025 |
5.34 ft
2025 |
| Quality of life index |
11.8
2025 |
33.8
2025 |
| Corruption Perceptions Index |
15
2024 |
17
2024 |
| Higher education index |
12
2025 |
n/a |
| Homicides per 100K people |
4.4
2015 |
1.09
2015 |
| Road traffic mortality per 100K people |
24.2
2019 |
13.5
2019 |
| Visa free countries |
51
2025 |
65
2025 |
| Adult literacy rate |
100%
2018 |
99.9%
2022 |
| English speaking |
0%
2025 |
2%
2025 |
| People using the Internet |
0%
2012 |
21.3%
2017 |
Health
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Government health expenditure per capita | n/a |
$579
2022 |
| Out-of-pocket health expenditure per capita | n/a |
$459
2022 |
| Life expectancy |
73.9 years
2025 |
70.3 years
2025 |
| Foreign aid share of health expenditure | n/a |
0.63%
2022 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people |
3.67
2017 |
2.14
2021 |
| Age at first childbirth | n/a |
24.1 years
2021 |
| Maternal mortality per 100K births |
67
2023 |
5
2023 |
| Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births |
18
2023 |
40
2023 |
| Obesity rate |
11.1%
2022 |
22.2%
2022 |
| Diabetes prevalence |
9.9%
2024 |
7.1%
2024 |
| Air quality index |
42
2025 |
26
2025 |
| Tobacco use prevalence |
16.5%
2022 |
5.6%
2022 |
| Pure alcohol consumption per capita |
3.87 liters
2020 |
2.62 liters
2020 |
Territory
|
North Korea
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| % of world land |
0.08%
2025 |
0.32%
2025 |
| Land area per capita |
1,754 sq mi
2024 |
24,210 sq mi
2024 |
| Agricultural land area |
10,021 sq mi
2025 |
152,812 sq mi
2025 |
| Forest area |
23,036 sq mi
2025 |
15,934 sq mi
2025 |
| Roads length |
15,879 mi
2006 |
n/a |
In-depth comparisons
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Facts comparisons
