Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
North Korea: 120,540 km² (2023) · Taiwan: no data
How much coast is there?
North Korea’s coastline is 59% longer than Taiwan’s.
North Korea: 2,495 km (2026 edition) · Taiwan: 1,566 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Taiwan’s highest peak towers 1,208 m above North Korea’s.
North Korea: 2,744 m (2026 edition) · Taiwan: 3,952 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
North Korea: 26.6 million (2025) · Taiwan: no data
How crowded is it?
North Korea: 221 per km² (2025) · Taiwan: no data
How tall are the men?
Men in North Korea are 1.2 cm taller than in Taiwan.
North Korea: 174.7 cm (2019) · Taiwan: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
North Korea and Taiwan are practically level.
North Korea: 161.2 cm (2019) · Taiwan: 160.7 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Taiwan is 7.5 years older than in North Korea.
North Korea: 36 years (2023) · Taiwan: 43.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
North Korea: 1.78 children per woman (2024) · Taiwan: no data
How many people are 65 or older?
North Korea: 12.7% (2025) · Taiwan: no data
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
North Korea: 0 (2025) · Taiwan: no data
How many official languages?
North Korea and Taiwan are practically level.
North Korea: 1 (2026) · Taiwan: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How many people are looking for work?
North Korea: 3.5% (2025) · Taiwan: no data
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How long do people live?
North Korea: 73.7 years (2024) · Taiwan: no data
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
North Korea: 13.3 per 1,000 (2024) · Taiwan: no data
How many doctors are there?
North Korea: 3.6 per 1,000 (2017) · Taiwan: no data
How common is obesity?
North Korea: 12.1% (2024) · Taiwan: no data
How many adults smoke?
North Korea: 15.6% (2024) · Taiwan: no data
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
North Korea: no data · Taiwan: 6.71 (2025)
How much do people drink?
North Korea: 2.6 litres (2023) · Taiwan: no data
How much meat is on the menu?
Taiwan has 6.6 times as much meat per person as North Korea.
North Korea: 13.8 kg (2018) · Taiwan: 91.5 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Taiwan has 977 kcal more food per person per day than North Korea.
North Korea: 1,981 kcal (2018) · Taiwan: 2,958 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
North Korea: no data · Taiwan: 2,032 hours (2023)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
Who has electricity at home?
North Korea: 61.4% (2024) · Taiwan: no data
How many live in cities?
North Korea: 64% (2025) · Taiwan: no data
How many phones per person?
North Korea: 24 (2022) · Taiwan: no data
How much railway is there?
North Korea’s railway network is 4.6 times as long as Taiwan’s.
North Korea: 7,435 km (2014) · Taiwan: 1,613 km (2018)
How much do they fly?
North Korea: 0 (2023) · Taiwan: no data
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
North Korea: 49.6% (2023) · Taiwan: no data
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Taiwan emits 4.8 times as much CO₂ as someone in North Korea.
North Korea: 2.4 t (2024) · Taiwan: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
63% of North Korea’s electricity is renewable, versus 12% in Taiwan.
North Korea: 63.4% (2024) · Taiwan: 12.2% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in North Korea carries 28% more fine dust than in Taiwan.
North Korea: 21.2 µg/m³ (2024) · Taiwan: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
North Korea: 7.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · Taiwan: no data
How much rain falls?
North Korea: 1,172 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Taiwan: no data
Quick answers
Are people taller in North Korea or Taiwan?
Men in North Korea are 1.2 cm taller than in Taiwan (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
