350px|thumb|right|Population of Korea 1910-2015
The demographics of North Korea are determined through national censuses and international estimates. The Central Bureau of Statistics of North Korea conducted the most recent census in 2008, where the population reached 24 million inhabitants. The population density is 199.54 inhabitants per square kilometre, and the 2014 estimated life expectancy is 69.81 years. In 1980, the population rose at a near consistent, but low, rate (0.84% from the two censuses). Since 2000, North Korea's birth rate has exceeded its death rate; the natural growth is positive. In terms of age structure, the population is dominated by the 15–64-year-old segment (68.09%). The median age of the population is 32.9 years, and the gender ratio is 0.95 males to 1.00 female. Since the early 1990s, the birth rate has been fairly stable, with an average of 2 children per woman, down from an average of 3 in the early 1980s.
According to The World Factbook, North Korea is racially homogeneous and contains a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese. The 2008 census listed two ethnicities: Korean (%) and Other (%). Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1910, in which the Korean Peninsula was occupied by Japanese. In 1945, when Japan was defeated in World War II, Korea was divided into two occupied zones: north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south by the United States. Negotiations on unification failed, and in 1948 two separate countries were formed: North and South Korea.
Korean is the official language of North Korea. The World Factbook states "traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo" in regards to religion, but also states "autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom". A 2011 U.S. Census Bureau report put the likely number of excess deaths during 1993 to 2000 at from 500,000 to 600,000.
History of reporting demographics
thumb|right|upright|Pyongyang apartment blocks in September 2008.
Until the release of official data in 1989, the 1963 edition of the North Korea Central Yearbook was the last official publication to disclose population figures. After 1963, demographers used varying methods to estimate the population. During the 1980s, health statistics, including life expectancy and causes of mortality, were gradually made available to the outside world.
Size and growth rate
In their 1992 monograph, The Population of North Korea, Eberstadt and Banister use the data given to the UNFPA and make their own assessments. Korean Review, a book by Pang Hwan-ju published by the Foreign Languages Publishing House in 1987, gives a figure of 19.1 million persons for 1986.
Male-female ratio
thumb|Korean woman walking in Pyongyang
The figures disclosed by the government reveal an unusually low proportion of males to females: in 1980 and 1987, the male-to-female ratios were 86.2 to 100, and 84.2 to 100, respectively. If their estimates are correct, 6.1 percent of North Korea's total population was in the military,
A survey in 2017 found that the famine had skewed North Korea's demography, impacting particularly on male infants. Women aged 20–24 made up 4% of the population, while men in the same age group made up only 2.5%.
Growth rate
The annual population growth rate in 1960 was 2.7 percent, rising to a high of 3.6 percent in 1970, and falling to 1.9 percent in 1975. North Korea does not entirely fit this pattern; data reveal a "bulge" in the lower ranges of adulthood. In 1991, life expectancy at birth was approximately 66 years for males, almost 73 for females.
Settlement patterns and urbanization
thumb|Population density of North Korea (2022)
North Korea's population is concentrated in the plains and lowlands.
{| class="wikitable sortable sort-under sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 25pt;" | Year
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 70pt;" data-sort-type="number" |Population (in thousands)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 70pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Live births (in thousands)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 70pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Deaths (in thousands)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 70pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Natural change (in thousands)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 60pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Crude birth rate<br />(per 1000)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 60pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Crude death rate<br />(per 1000)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 60pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Natural change<br />(per 1000)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 60pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Total Fertility rate
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 60pt;" data-sort-type="number" | Infant mortality (per 1000)
! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 35pt;" data-sort-type="number" |Life expectancy
|-
|1950
|11,103
|451
|style="color: red" |843
| align="right" style="color: red" | -391
| 40.3
|style="color: red" |75.2
| align="right" style="color: red" | -34.9
| style="color: blue" |4.99
|242.2
|13.82
|-
|1951
|10,558
|style="color: red" |244
|589
| align="right" style="color: red" | -345
|23.0
|55.6
| align="right" style="color: red" | -32.5
|2.60
|211.5
|17.67
|-
|1952
|10,228
|245
|267
| align="right" style="color: red" | -21
|23.8
|25.9
| align="right" style="color: red" | -2.1
|2.61
|147.3
|32.66
|-
|1953
|10,148
|289
|202
|87
|28.3
|19.8
|8.5
|3.08
|124.9
|39.52
|-
|1954
|10,206
|331
|140
|190
|32.3
|13.7
|18.6
|3.50
|102.6
|49.07
|-
|1955
|10,360
|355
|138
|217
|34.2
|13.3
|20.9
|3.67
|94.4
|50.31
|-
|1956
|10,552
|352
|136
|216
|33.3
|12.8
|20.5
|3.51
|87.7
|51.37
|-
|1957
|10,802
|438
|138
|299
|40.5
|12.8
|27.7
|4.28
|82.7
|52.26
|-
|1958
|11,107
|453
|141
|312
|style="color: blue" |40.8
|12.7
|28.1
|4.27
|79.3
|52.95
|-
|1959
|11,391
|396
|139
|257
|34.8
|12.2
|22.6
|3.56
|77.1
|53.52
|-
|1960
|11,656
|410
|139
|271
|35.2
|11.9
|23.3
|3.57
|75.8
|54.05
|-
|1961
|11,917
|389
|139
|250
|32.7
|11.6
|21.0
|3.26
|74.9
|54.50
|-
|1962
|12,181
|418
|140
|278
|34.3
|11.5
|22.8
|3.41
|73.9
|55.00
|-
|1963
|12,475
|453
|142
|312
|36.3
|11.4
|25.0
|3.63
|72.3
|55.56
|-
|1964
|12,788
|455
|142
|313
|35.6
|11.1
|24.5
|3.55
|69.9
|56.16
|-
|1965
|13,106
|465
|141
|324
|35.5
|10.8
|24.7
|3.56
|66.8
|56.83
|-
|1966
|13,444
|493
|140
|352
|36.6
|10.4
|26.2
|3.71
|63.0
|57.60
|-
|1967
|13,821
|style="color: blue" |543
|140
|style="color: blue" |403
|39.2
|10.1
|style="color: blue" |29.1
|4.05
|59.1
|58.41
|-
|1968
|14,216
|525
|138
|387
|37.0
|9.7
|27.3
|3.87
|55.4
|59.18
|-
|1969
|14,605
|526
|135
|391
|36.0
|9.3
|26.8
|3.86
|52.0
|59.93
|-
|1970
|14,997
|525
|134
|392
|35.0
|8.9
|26.1
|3.85
|49.1
|60.57
|-
|1971
|15,382
|509
|132
|378
|33.1
|8.6
|24.6
|3.74
|46.6
|61.18
|-
|1972
|15,768
|526
|130
|396
|33.4
|8.3
|25.1
|3.89
|44.4
|61.81
|-
|1973
|16,128
|450
|127
|324
|28.0
|7.9
|20.1
|3.35
|42.3
|62.39
|-
|1974
|16,437
|417
|123
|294
|25.4
|7.5
|17.9
|3.14
|40.5
|62.96
|-
|1975
|16,723
|400
|121
|279
|23.9
|7.2
|16.7
|3.05
|38.7
|63.53
|-
|1976
|16,987
|367
|118
|249
|21.6
|7.0
|14.7
|2.84
|37.0
|64.14
|-
|1977
|17,231
|356
|116
|239
|20.6
|6.8
|13.9
|2.77
|35.6
|64.66
|-
|1978
|17,472
|357
|115
|242
|20.4
|6.6
|13.9
|2.79
|34.2
|65.19
|-
|1979
|17,719
|366
|114
|252
|20.7
|6.5
|14.2
|2.85
|33.0
|65.67
|-
|1980
|17,974
|371
|114
|257
|20.6
|6.3
|14.3
|2.84
|31.9
|66.16
|-
|1981
|18,235
|379
|113
|266
|20.8
|6.2
|14.6
|2.84
|30.8
|66.66
|-
|1982
|18,502
|380
|112
|268
|20.5
|6.1
|14.5
|2.76
|29.6
|67.17
|-
|1983
|18,771
|382
|112
|271
|20.4
|5.9
|14.4
|2.69
|28.4
|67.68
|-
|1984
|19,045
|388
|style="color: blue" |111
|277
|20.4
|5.8
|14.5
|2.63
|27.3
|68.19
|-
|1985
|19,325
|395
|111
|284
|20.4
|5.7
|14.7
|2.58
|26.5
|68.68
|-
|1986
|19,613
|402
|111
|291
|20.5
|5.6
|14.8
|2.54
|26.2
|69.15
|-
|1987
|19,904
|402
|112
|291
|20.2
|5.6
|14.6
|2.46
|26.7
|69.44
|-
|1988
|20,197
|409
|113
|297
|20.3
|5.6
|14.7
|2.41
|27.6
|69.80
|-
|1989
|20,495
|412
|114
|298
|20.1
|5.6
|14.6
|2.35
|29.5
|70.04
|-
|1990
|20,800
|427
|116
|311
|20.5
|5.6
|14.9
|2.35
|32.1
|70.21
|-
|1991
|21,116
|440
|119
|321
|20.8
|5.6
|15.2
|2.34
|35.5
|70.31
|-
|1992
|21,440
|447
|119
|328
|20.8
|5.6
|15.3
|2.29
|34.6
|70.82
|-
|1993
|21,773
|453
|115
|338
|20.8
|style="color: blue" |5.3
|15.5
|2.25
|33.7
|71.87
|-
|1994
|22,105
|457
|130
|327
|20.7
|5.9
|14.8
|2.20
|32.8
|70.72
|-
|1995
|22,386
|458
|221
|238
|20.5
|9.9
|10.6
|2.16
|64.4
|60.89
|-
|1996
|22,614
|452
|226
|227
|20.0
|10.0
|10.0
|2.11
|63.2
|60.96
|-
|1997
|22,827
|438
|231
|207
|19.2
|10.1
|9.1
|2.03
|62.3
|60.97
|-
|1998
|23,024
|431
|238
|193
|18.7
|10.3
|8.4
|2.01
|61.6
|60.91
|-
|1999
|23,204
|421
|245
|176
|18.1
|10.6
|7.6
|1.99
|60.9
|60.80
|-
|2000
|23,367
|407
|251
|156
|17.4
|10.8
|6.7
|1.97
|60.1
|60.76
|-
|2001
|23,513
|399
|258
|141
|17.0
|11.0
|6.0
|1.98
|59.2
|60.75
|-
|2002
|23,638
|380
|263
|116
|16.1
|11.1
|4.9
|1.94
|58.0
|60.79
|-
|2003
|23,782
|363
|188
|176
|15.3
|7.9
|7.4
|1.91
|26.9
|69.55
|-
|2004
|23,949
|360
|196
|164
|15.1
|8.2
|6.9
|1.96
|26.2
|69.44
|-
|2005
|24,101
|350
|205
|145
|14.5
|8.5
|6.0
|1.96
|25.6
|69.29
|-
|2006
|24,236
|344
|214
|130
|14.2
|8.8
|5.4
|1.96
|25.2
|69.09
|-
|2007
|24,357
|340
|223
|117
|14.0
|9.1
|4.8
|1.96
|25.2
|68.91
|-
|2008
|24,469
|342
|229
|114
|14.0
|9.3
|4.6
|1.98
|24.7
|68.96
|-
|2009
|24,582
|337
|220
|117
|13.7
|9.0
|4.8
|1.95
|24.1
|69.73
|-
|2010
|24,686
|314
|215
|99
|style="color: red" |12.7
|8.7
|4.0
|1.81
|23.1
|70.42
|-
|2011
|24,784
|315
|213
|102
|12.7
|8.6
|4.1
|1.81
|21.8
|70.98
|-
|2012
|24,888
|323
|211
|112
|13.0
|8.5
|4.5
|1.84
|20.3
|71.63
|-
|2013
|25,002
|330
|208
|122
|13.2
|8.3
|4.9
|1.86
|19.0
|72.32
|-
|2014
|25,126
|338
|206
|132
|13.5
|8.2
|5.3
|1.89
|17.8
|72.94
|-
|2015
|25,258
|342
|204
|138
|13.4
|8.4
|5.0
|1.86
|16.8
|72.78
|-
|2016
|25,390
|343
|211
|132
|13.5
|8.6
|4.9
|1.86
|16.2
|72.81
|-
|2017
|25,516
|345
|217
|128
|13.5
|8.8
|4.7
|1.85
|15.3
|72.98
|-
|2018
|25,638
|346
|224
|122
|13.4
|9.1
|4.4
|1.83
|14.6
|73.03
|-
|2019
|25,755
|347
|229
|119
|13.4
|9.3
|4.1
|1.83
|13.9
|73.20
|-
|2020
|25,867
|345
|235
|110
|13.4
|9.7
|3.7
|1.82
|13.3
|73.27
|-
|2021
|25,972
|344
|242
|102
|13.3
|9.5
|3.8
|1.81
|12.7
|73.28
|-
|2022
|26,300
|334
|242
|92
|13.1
|9.5
|3.7
|1.80
|
|
|-
|2023
|26,400
|335
|240
|95
|12.9
|9.7
|3.3
|1.78
|
|
|-
|2024
|26,500
|336
|250
|86
|12.9
|9.9
|3.0
|1.78
|
|
|-
|2025
|
|
|
|
|12.6
|10.0
|2.6
|style="color: red" |1.77
|
|
|}
Total and percent distribution of population by single year of age (census 2008)
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics People from Korea's northern provinces went primarily to Manchuria, China, and Siberia; many of those from the southern provinces went to Japan. According to a defector, himself a former returnee, many petitioned to be returned to Japan and in response were sent to political prison camps. Japanese research puts the number of Zainichi Korean returnees condemned to prison camps at around 10,000. In 2026, four people who had repatriated to Korea, been mistreated and subsequently escaped back to Japan won a verdict in a Japanese court ordering the North Korean government to pay them compensation of a minimum of ¥20 million each.
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
thumb|350px|Population, [[fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates]]
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated: