North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 1,373 people in South Korea. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and South Korea are ranked 52nd and 18th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. North Korea has 0.33% of the world's population and 0.08% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, hence the population density in North Korea is 58.5% lower than in South Korea.
Population density comparison
North Korea
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 1,373 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 18/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
51700480
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 37,684 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 20,300 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 18.5% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 81.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 52% |
North Korea vs South Korea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 6.77% growth in South Korea.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. South Korea was 13th in 2004 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 570 | 1,373 |
| 2023 | 568 | 1,372 |
| 2022 | 566 | 1,371 |
| 2021 | 564 | 1,374 |
| 2020 | 562 | 1,376 |
| 2019 | 560 | 1,374 |
| 2018 | 558 | 1,370 |
| 2017 | 555 | 1,364 |
| 2016 | 553 | 1,361 |
| 2015 | 550 | 1,356 |
| 2014 | 547 | 1,349 |
| 2013 | 545 | 1,341 |
| 2012 | 542 | 1,336 |
| 2011 | 540 | 1,331 |
| 2010 | 537 | 1,320 |
| 2009 | 535 | 1,316 |
| 2008 | 533 | 1,310 |
| 2007 | 530 | 1,301 |
| 2006 | 528 | 1,295 |
| 2005 | 525 | 1,289 |
| 2004 | 522 | 1,286 |
| 2003 | 518 | 1,281 |
| 2002 | 515 | 1,275 |
| 2001 | 512 | 1,268 |
| 2000 | 509 | 1,262 |
| 1999 | 505 | 1,252 |
| 1998 | 501 | 1,243 |
| 1997 | 497 | 1,234 |
| 1996 | 492 | 1,222 |
| 1995 | 488 | 1,211 |
| 1994 | 482 | 1,199 |
| 1993 | 475 | 1,187 |
| 1992 | 468 | 1,175 |
| 1991 | 461 | 1,163 |
| 1990 | 454 | 1,151 |
| 1989 | 447 | 1,140 |
| 1988 | 441 | 1,129 |
| 1987 | 435 | 1,118 |
| 1986 | 428 | 1,107 |
| 1985 | 422 | 1,096 |
| 1984 | 416 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 410 | 1,072 |
| 1982 | 404 | 1,056 |
| 1981 | 398 | 1,040 |
| 1980 | 392 | 1,024 |
| 1979 | 387 | 1,008 |
| 1978 | 381 | 993 |
| 1977 | 376 | 978 |
| 1976 | 371 | 963 |
| 1975 | 365 | 947 |
| 1974 | 359 | 932 |
| 1973 | 352 | 916 |
| 1972 | 344 | 900 |
| 1971 | 335 | 883 |
| 1970 | 326 | 866 |
| 1969 | 318 | 847 |
| 1968 | 309 | 828 |
| 1967 | 300 | 809 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 790 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 771 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 751 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 732 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 712 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 692 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 81.5% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 81.5% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 81.4% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 81.4% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 81.4% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 81.4% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 81.5% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 81.5% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 81.6% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 81.6% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 81.7% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 81.8% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 81.9% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 81.9% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 81.9% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 81.8% |
| 2008 | 60% | 81.7% |
| 2007 | 60% | 81.6% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 81.5% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 81.3% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 81% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 80.7% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 79.9% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 79.6% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 79.4% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 79.1% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 78.9% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 78.7% |
| 1995 | 59% | 78.2% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 77.5% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 76.6% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 75.8% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 75% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 73.8% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 72.1% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 70.4% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 68.6% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 66.7% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 64.9% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 63.3% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 61.7% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 60.1% |
| 1981 | 57% | 58.4% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 56.7% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 55% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 53.2% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 51.5% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 49.7% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 48% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 46.6% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 45.1% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 43.7% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 42.3% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 40.7% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 38.8% |
| 1968 | 49% | 36.8% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 35% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 33.3% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 32.4% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 31.4% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 30.4% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 29.5% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 28.5% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 27.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 81% to 81.5% in South Korea.
Densely populated cities
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