Population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea

North Korea: Population using safely managed drinking-water services was 48.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
48.8%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
38th
of 85 countries
All-time high
54.8%
in 2000
All-time low
48.8%
in 2019
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea, 2000–2023

02040602000201120232000: 54.82001: 54.82002: 54.82003: 54.82004: 54.72005: 54.32006: 542007: 53.62008: 53.22009: 52.82010: 52.42011: 522012: 51.62013: 51.22014: 50.82015: 50.42016: 502017: 49.62018: 49.22019: 48.82020: 48.82021: 48.82022: 48.82023: 48.8

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea is 48.8%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea peaked at 54.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 48.8%, in 2019.

That places North Korea 38th out of 85 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.

Population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for Population using safely managed drinking-water services (%) in North Korea, 2000 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2000 54.8% —
2001 54.8% +0.0%
2002 54.8% +0.0%
2003 54.8% +0.0%
2004 54.7% -0.1%
2005 54.3% -0.7%
2006 54.0% -0.7%
2007 53.6% -0.7%
2008 53.2% -0.7%
2009 52.8% -0.7%
2010 52.4% -0.7%
2011 52.0% -0.8%
2012 51.6% -0.8%
2013 51.2% -0.8%
2014 50.8% -0.8%
2015 50.4% -0.8%
2016 50.0% -0.8%
2017 49.6% -0.8%
2018 49.2% -0.8%
2019 48.8% -0.8%
2020 48.8% +0.0%
2021 48.8% +0.0%
2022 48.8% +0.0%
2023 48.8% +0.0%

North Korea compared with similar countries

  • North Korea's 48.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 10.4%, 4.7× the median. (13 countries reporting)
  • North Korea's 48.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.2%, 1.9× the median. (15 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 54.2% 52.8% 54.8% 10
2010s 50.6% 48.8% 52.4% 10
2020s 48.8% 48.8% 48.8% 4

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 35 Myanmar 52.8% compare
  2. 36 South Africa 50.8% compare
  3. 37 Paraguay 50.7% compare
  4. 39 Iraq 47.6% compare
  5. 40 Vietnam 47.0% compare
  6. 41 Ecuador 46.7% compare

See the full ranking of 93 places →

More environment data for North Korea

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea?
Population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea was 48.8% in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest population using safely managed drinking-water services recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 54.8% in 2000.
What is the lowest population using safely managed drinking-water services recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 48.8% in 2019.
How does North Korea rank for population using safely managed drinking-water services?
North Korea ranks 38th out of 85 countries with data for 2023.
Is population using safely managed drinking-water services rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this North Korea data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Population using safely managed drinking-water services (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population using safely managed drinking-water services in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/population-using-safely-managed-drinking-water-services-percent/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Population using safely managed drinking-water services (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
93 places, 2,280 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed