People in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Korea
North Korea: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 1.06 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Korea, 2000–2023
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 1.06 million people for people in rural areas not using an improved water source in 2023.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 62.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Korea peaked at 1.07 million people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2000.
North Korea ranks 49th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 112,957 people | 0 people | 366,684 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 757,249 people | 437,763 people | 1.07 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.06 million people | 1.06 million people | 1.07 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More environment data for North Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 91.25 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 3.44 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 3.43 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 1.16 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 10.95 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0937 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 20.12 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.003 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.014 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 4.46 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Korea?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Korea was 1.06 million people in 2023, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.07 million people in 2019.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2000.
- How does North Korea rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- North Korea ranks 49th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People in rural areas not using an improved water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.