Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea
North Korea: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 340,445 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
340,445
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
69th
of 222 countries
All-time high
504,548
in 1979
All-time low
322,104
in 2018
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea stood at 340,445.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea peaked at 504,548 in 1979 and was at its lowest, 322,104, in 2018.
North Korea ranks 69th of 222 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 406,877 | — |
| 1971 | 411,141 | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 424,110 | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 452,617 | +6.7% |
| 1974 | 502,908 | +11.1% |
| 1975 | 490,503 | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 495,353 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 497,945 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 485,981 | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 504,548 | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 433,538 | -14.1% |
| 1981 | 402,279 | -7.2% |
| 1982 | 384,641 | -4.4% |
| 1983 | 352,033 | -8.5% |
| 1984 | 338,984 | -3.7% |
| 1985 | 339,365 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 347,078 | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 350,799 | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 369,170 | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 371,888 | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 374,866 | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 379,219 | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 384,424 | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 390,556 | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 394,416 | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 398,286 | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 401,559 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 410,101 | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 408,602 | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 415,513 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 416,872 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 413,872 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 411,590 | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 407,816 | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 407,094 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 399,984 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 394,544 | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 387,416 | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 377,414 | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 371,503 | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 362,406 | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 355,229 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 341,112 | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 326,964 | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 331,772 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 329,822 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 333,458 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 322,865 | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 322,104 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 323,487 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 326,473 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 329,471 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 332,883 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 335,234 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 338,075 | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 340,445 | +0.7% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 340,445 is below the median for low income countries, which is 621,871, 55% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 340,445 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39,484, 8.6× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 467,198 | 406,877 | 504,548 | 10 |
| 1980s | 368,978 | 338,984 | 433,538 | 10 |
| 1990s | 395,754 | 374,866 | 415,513 | 10 |
| 2000s | 398,810 | 371,503 | 416,872 | 10 |
| 2010s | 334,922 | 322,104 | 362,406 | 10 |
| 2020s | 333,764 | 326,473 | 340,445 | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More education data for North Korea
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in North Korea was 340,445 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 504,548 in 1979.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 322,104 in 2018.
- How does North Korea rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- North Korea ranks 69th out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release