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North Korea counts 26,633,691 residents as of 2026. That is a 2.4-fold increase on the 11,116,736 recorded in 1950. It is growing modestly, at +0.22% a year, adding about 57.8K people a year. Settlement is fairly dense, at 221 people/km². Half the population is younger than 36.8 years, and the age structure is steadily tilting older: the median is projected to reach 42.9 by 2050. The sexes are close to evenly balanced, at 98 males per 100 females. By 2100, UN projections see it falling to 19,512,149 (-27% from 2026).
Total population
26,633,691
Density
221 people/km²
Median age
36.8 years
Growth rate
+0.22%
North Korea's population continues to grow, though at a moderate pace. The population is aging rapidly; median age will rise from 37 in 2026 to 43 by 2050. UN projections show a decline to 19.5M by 2100.