Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea
North Korea: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 64.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 64.2% for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea peaked at 64.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 1950.
North Korea ranks 123rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.0% | — |
| 1951 | 6.0% | +52.4% |
| 1952 | 8.9% | +46.6% |
| 1953 | 12.4% | +39.9% |
| 1954 | 18.8% | +51.6% |
| 1955 | 24.5% | +30.1% |
| 1956 | 29.0% | +18.6% |
| 1957 | 32.6% | +12.5% |
| 1958 | 35.8% | +9.7% |
| 1959 | 38.4% | +7.4% |
| 1960 | 40.6% | +5.6% |
| 1961 | 42.3% | +4.2% |
| 1962 | 43.7% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 45.0% | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 46.2% | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 47.5% | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 49.0% | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 50.5% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 52.0% | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 53.3% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 54.9% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 55.6% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 56.1% | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 56.8% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 57.0% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 57.1% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 57.2% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 57.4% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 57.5% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 57.7% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 58.3% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 58.6% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 58.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 59.0% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 59.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 59.2% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 59.4% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 59.5% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 60.0% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 60.3% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 61.6% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 61.8% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 62.6% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 63.5% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 63.9% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 64.2% | +0.5% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 64.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 64.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 98% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +52.4% | 4.0% | 6.0% |
| 1954 | +51.6% | 12.4% | 18.8% |
| 1952 | +46.6% | 6.0% | 8.9% |
| 1953 | +39.9% | 8.9% | 12.4% |
| 1955 | +30.1% | 18.8% | 24.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.0% | 4.0% | 38.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 47.0% | 40.6% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.1% | 54.2% | 56.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 57.5% | 56.9% | 58.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 59.0% | 58.4% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.7% | 59.4% | 60.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.3% | 60.3% | 62.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.4% | 62.6% | 64.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More work & labour data for North Korea
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 82.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 17,790 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,871 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 3.56 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.555 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.3313 % change on previous year (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 3,086 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.2604 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 79.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 931.04 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in North Korea was 64.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 64.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 1950.
- How does North Korea rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- North Korea ranks 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.