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Digital & energy access · East Asia & Pacific · Low income
North Korea: internet, mobile and energy access
Mobile subscriptions is 24.1 (2022), 209th of 210 in the world and 33rd of 34 in East Asia & Pacific. Fixed telephone is 4.5 (2022), 133rd of 213 in the world and 24th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific. Secure servers is 10 (2024), 207th of 215 in the world and 37th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific.
Mobile subscriptions
North KoreaEast Asia & PacificLow incomeWorld
Fixed telephone
North KoreaEast Asia & PacificLow incomeWorld
8 indicators
Digital & energy access: North Korea in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile subscriptionsMobile subscriptions per 100 people | 24.12022 | 209/210 | 33/34 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 23.0 | +258%since 2012 | 135.1 | 69.3 | 111.5 | |
| Fixed telephoneFixed telephone lines per 100 people | 4.52022 | 133/213 | 24/37 | 2.1 | 4.7 | 4.5 | −4.2%since 2012 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 9.9 | |
| Secure serversSecure internet servers per million people | 102024 | 207/215 | 37/37 | · | 0 | 0 | —since 2013 | 5,322 | 26 | 16,381 | |
| Electricity accessAccess to electricity, % of population | 61.4%2024 | 185/215 | 35/36 | · | 29.3% | 50.5% | +23.6 ppsince 2014 | 98.6% | 48.8% | 91.9% | |
| Clean cookingAccess to clean cooking fuels, % of population | 22.0%2024 | 159/192 | 25/30 | 1.0% | 6.0% | 15.0% | +12.0 ppsince 2014 | 87.0% | 15.6% | 75.4% | |
| Electricity use per personElectric power consumption, kWh per person | 794 kWh2024 | 114/149 | 17/18 | 690 kWh | 799 kWh | 777 kWh | +11%since 2014 | 5,715 kWh | 190 kWh | 3,708 kWh | |
| Energy use per personEnergy use, kg of oil equivalent per person | 714 kgoe2024 | 110/150 | 15/18 | 833 kgoe | 752 kgoe | 727 kgoe | +51%since 2014 | 2,488 kgoe | 362 kgoe | 1,892 kgoe | |
| Power lossesElectricity transmission and distribution losses, % of output | 15.5%2024 | 39/149 | 1/18 | 15.8% | 15.8% | 15.8% | −0.3 ppsince 2014 | 3.9% | 18.9% | 6.9% |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Electricity access+23.6 pp61.4% in 2024
- Clean cooking+12.0 pp22.0% in 2024
- Power losses−0.3 pp15.5% in 2024
Worse than ten years ago
No rated indicator got worse over the decade.
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
North Korea and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with North Korea. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | North Korea | China | Russia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile subscriptions | 24.12022 | 131.82024 | 186.12024 | 172.52024 |
| Fixed telephone | 4.52022 | 11.72024 | 14.32023 | 41.22024 |
| Secure servers | 102024 | 1,4132024 | 26,1052024 | 11,9022024 |
| Electricity access | 61.4%2024 | 100.0%2024 | 100.0%2024 | 100.0%2024 |
| Clean cooking | 22.0%2024 | 90.0%2024 | 100.0%2024 | 100.0%2024 |
| Electricity use per person | 794 kWh2024 | 7,038 kWh2024 | 7,774 kWh2024 | 12,071 kWh2025 |
| Energy use per person | 714 kgoe2024 | 2,947 kgoe2024 | 5,727 kgoe2024 | 5,564 kgoe2024 |
| Power losses | 15.5%2024 | 3.1%2024 | 8.0%2024 | 3.0%2025 |