North Korea: Death rate, per 1000 people: The latest value from 2023 is 9.68 deaths per 1000 people, an increase from 9.48 deaths per 1000 people in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 7.70 deaths per 1000 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from 1960 to 2023 is 8.27 deaths per 1000 people. The minimum value, 5.63 deaths per 1000 people, was reached in 1992 while the maximum of 11.15 deaths per 1000 people was recorded in 1960.

The statistic shows the adult mortality rate in North Korea from 2013 to 2023, by gender. According to the source, the adult mortality rate is the probability of dying between the ages of ** and ** - that is, the probability of a 15-year-old dying before reaching age **, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year between those ages. In 2023, the mortality rate for women was at ****** per 1,000 female adults, while the mortality rate for men was at ****** per 1,000 male adults in North Korea.

North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 15.700 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17.400 Ratio for 2015. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 25.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.000 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 15.700 Ratio in 2017. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

UNICEF's country profile for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (SPDYNIMRTINPRK) from 1960 to 2023 about North Korea, mortality, infant, and rate.

In 2022, the mortality rate of children under five years old in South Korea amounted to ***** per *** thousand live births. The under-five mortality rate in North Korea was ** per *** thousand live births in the same year. Although the under-five mortality rate in North Korea has declined in recent years, it is still much higher compared to South Korea.

North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 17.200 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 19.000 Ratio for 2015. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 26.900 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 55.800 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 17.200 Ratio in 2017. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, female is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn female baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to female age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

In 1900, the child mortality rate in the area of present-day North Korea was estimated to be almost five hundred deaths per thousand live births, meaning that approximately half of all children born at this time were not expected to survive past their fifth birthday. This rate would increase to 524 deaths per thousand births in the 1910s, before rapidly falling from the 1910s until the middle of the century (following the Japanese annexation of the peninsula in 1910). There was a slight increase in child mortality rates in the late 1940s, as the Korean peninsula was divided into two states; although it continued upon its rapid decline in the 1950s, with the decrease slowing in the next three decades.

This decline would continue steadily until the 1990s, when the collapse of the Soviet Union and the resulting cut-off of economic aid would cause child mortality to rise for a decade, and this was exacerbated by the flooding, drought, famine and economic mismanagement of the late 1990s. The past two decades, however, have seen child mortality fall once more, and in 2020, it is estimated that for every thousand children born in North Korea, over 98 percent will make it past the age of five.

Mortality rate, adult, female (per 1,000 female adults) in North Korea was reported at 103 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Mortality rate, adult, female (per 1,000 female adults) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Historical dataset showing North Korea infant mortality rate by year from 1960 to 2023.

Actual value and historical data chart for North Korea Death Rate Crude Per 1 000 People

Historical dataset showing North Korea maternal mortality rate by year from 1985 to 2023.

Actual value and historical data chart for North Korea Mortality Rate Infant Male Per 1000 Live Births

North Korea: Deaths of children under five years of age per 1000 live births: The latest value from 2022 is 17 deaths per 1000 births, an increase from 16 deaths per 1000 births in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 25 deaths per 1000 births, based on data from 187 countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from 1960 to 2022 is 55 deaths per 1000 births. The minimum value, 16 deaths per 1000 births, was reached in 2021 while the maximum of 113 deaths per 1000 births was recorded in 1960.

Actual value and historical data chart for North Korea Mortality Rate Under 5 Per 1 000

Over the observation period until 2023, the life expectancy exhibits fluctuations among the two gender groups Only for the life expectancy of women at birth, a significant increase can be observed over the observation period. Here, the life expectancy exhibits a difference of 1.44 years between 2013 and 2023. Life expectancy at birth refers to the number of years that the average newborn can expect to live, providing that mortality patterns at the time of their birth do not change thereafter.Find further similar statistics for other countries or regions like Faroe Islands (the) and Cyprus.

Mortality rate, under-5, male (per 1,000 live births) in North Korea was reported at 19.8 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Mortality rate, under-5, male (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

North Korea: Neonates dying before 28 days of age, per 1,000 births: The latest value from 2022 is 9 deaths per 1000 births, unchanged from 9 deaths per 1000 births in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 12 deaths per 1000 births, based on data from 187 countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from 1989 to 2022 is 21 deaths per 1000 births. The minimum value, 9 deaths per 1000 births, was reached in 2019 while the maximum of 39 deaths per 1000 births was recorded in 1995.

North Korea KP: Mortality Rate Attributed to Unsafe Water, Unsafe Sanitation and Lack of Hygiene: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 1.400 Ratio in 2016. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate Attributed to Unsafe Water, Unsafe Sanitation and Lack of Hygiene: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.400 Ratio from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate Attributed to Unsafe Water, Unsafe Sanitation and Lack of Hygiene: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation and lack of hygiene is deaths attributable to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene focusing on inadequate WASH services per 100,000 population. Death rates are calculated by dividing the number of deaths by the total population. In this estimate, only the impact of diarrhoeal diseases, intestinal nematode infections, and protein-energy malnutrition are taken into account.; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Neonatal: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 10.700 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.200 Ratio for 2015. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Neonatal: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 19.600 Ratio from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2016, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.400 Ratio in 1996 and a record low of 10.700 Ratio in 2016. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Neonatal: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Health Statistics. Neonatal mortality rate is the number of neonates dying before reaching 28 days of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries.