Land use in North Korea
North Korea: Land use was 2.55 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.55 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
82nd
of 224 countries
All-time high
2.62 million hectares
in 2010
All-time low
2.18 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in North Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, land use in North Korea stood at 2.55 million hectares.
The figure is down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in North Korea peaked at 2.62 million hectares in 2010 and was at its lowest, 2.18 million hectares, in 1961.
North Korea ranks 82nd of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in North Korea, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.18 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.18 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 2.20 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 2.20 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 2.25 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 2.26 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 2.27 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 2.28 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 2.28 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 2.28 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 2.29 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 2.39 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 2.40 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 2.41 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 2.42 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 2.43 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 2.47 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 2.58 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 2.57 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 2.47 million hectares | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 2.47 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.48 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.49 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 2.54 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 2.54 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 2.55 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.61 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 2.62 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 2.62 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 2.58 million hectares | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 2.58 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.58 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.58 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 2.58 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 2.55 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 2.55 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 2.55 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2.54 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 2.55 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 2.55 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.55 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.55 million hectares | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 2.55 million hectares is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 71% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 2.55 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 141,800 hectares, 17.9× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.18 million hectares | 2.18 million hectares | 2.18 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.25 million hectares | 2.18 million hectares | 2.29 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.43 million hectares | 2.39 million hectares | 2.45 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.49 million hectares | 2.45 million hectares | 2.58 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.53 million hectares | 2.48 million hectares | 2.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.57 million hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 2.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.55 million hectares | 2.55 million hectares | 2.55 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More environment data for North Korea
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 1.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) 0.8843 % change on previous year (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt) 0.9455 % change on previous year (2024)
- Heating Degree Days 6,917 (2024)
- Cooling Degree Days 854.46 (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual -0.97 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in North Korea?
- Land use in North Korea was 2.55 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.62 million hectares in 2010.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.18 million hectares in 1961.
- How does North Korea rank for land use?
- North Korea ranks 82nd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).