World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
North Korea is 8% bigger than the median country.
North Korea: 120,540 km² (2023) · World median: 111,370 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
North Korea’s coastline is 5.7 times as long as the median country’s.
North Korea: 2,495 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
North Korea’s highest peak towers 409 m above the median country’s.
North Korea: 2,744 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
North Korea has 3.6 times as many people as the median country.
North Korea: 26.6 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
North Korea is 2.2 times as densely populated as the median country.
North Korea: 221 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in North Korea are 1.2 cm taller than in the median country.
North Korea: 174.7 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
North Korea and the median country are practically level.
North Korea: 161.2 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in North Korea is 4.9 years older than in the median country.
North Korea: 36 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the median country have 0.1 more children on average than in North Korea.
North Korea: 1.78 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
13% of people in North Korea are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country.
North Korea: 12.7% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
North Korea and the median country are practically level.
North Korea: 0 (2025) · World median: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
North Korea and the median country are practically level.
North Korea: 1 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
North Korea: no data · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
North Korea: no data · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
North Korea: no data · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.1% in the median country, versus 3.5% in North Korea.
North Korea: 3.5% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
North Korea: no data · World median: 1.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
North Korea: no data · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
North Korea: no data · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the median country live 0.87 years longer than in North Korea.
North Korea: 73.7 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in North Korea is 5% more likely to die before turning one than in the median country.
North Korea: 13.3 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
North Korea has 2.2 times as many doctors per person as the median country.
North Korea: 3.6 per 1,000 (2017) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 12% in North Korea.
North Korea: 12.1% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
19% of adults in the median country smoke, versus 16% in North Korea.
North Korea: 15.6% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
North Korea: no data · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the median country drink 65% more alcohol than in North Korea.
North Korea: 2.6 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The median country has 4.1 times as much meat per person as North Korea.
North Korea: 13.8 kg (2018) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The median country has 957 kcal more food per person per day than North Korea.
North Korea: 1,981 kcal (2018) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
North Korea: no data · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
North Korea: no data · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
North Korea: no data · World median: 0.34 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
North Korea: no data · World median: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in the median country have electricity, versus 61% in North Korea.
North Korea: 61.4% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
North Korea and the median country are practically level.
North Korea: 64% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The median country has 115 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, North Korea 24.
North Korea: 24 (2022) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
North Korea’s railway network is 3.5 times as long as the median country’s.
North Korea: 7,435 km (2014) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the median country fly 1,719 times as many passengers per resident as those from North Korea.
North Korea: 0 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 50% of North Korea, but only 31% of the median country.
North Korea: 49.6% (2023) · World median: 31.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the median country emits 27% more CO₂ than someone in North Korea.
North Korea: 2.4 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
63% of North Korea’s electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country.
North Korea: 63.4% (2024) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in North Korea carries 28% more fine dust than in the median country.
North Korea: 21.2 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
North Korea: no data · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
North Korea: no data · World median: 12.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The median country is on average 15.0 °C warmer than North Korea.
North Korea: 7.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
North Korea gets 16% more rain than the median country.
North Korea: 1,172 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is North Korea bigger than the median country?
North Korea is larger. North Korea is 8% bigger than the median country.
Which has more people, North Korea or the median country?
North Korea has 3.6 times as many people as the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, North Korea or the median country?
People in the median country live 0.87 years longer than in North Korea. Life expectancy at birth is 73.7 years in North Korea and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in North Korea or the median country?
Men in North Korea are 1.2 cm taller than in the median country (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
