Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita in North Korea
North Korea: Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita was 23 current US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita in North Korea, 1980–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per person.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 23 current US$ per person for merchandise exports (current us$), per capita in 2025.
The figure is up 69.3% on the previous year and down 85.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports (current us$), per capita in North Korea peaked at 171.5 current US$ per person in 2014 and was at its lowest, 3.05 current US$ per person, in 2021.
North Korea ranks 203rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita in North Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 49.35 current US$ per person | — |
| 1981 | 54.05 current US$ per person | +9.5% |
| 1982 | 58.58 current US$ per person | +8.4% |
| 1983 | 62.98 current US$ per person | +7.5% |
| 1984 | 62.06 current US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 67.53 current US$ per person | +8.8% |
| 1986 | 81.76 current US$ per person | +21.1% |
| 1987 | 69.63 current US$ per person | -14.8% |
| 1988 | 81.65 current US$ per person | +17.2% |
| 1989 | 81.04 current US$ per person | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 87.96 current US$ per person | +8.5% |
| 1991 | 91.47 current US$ per person | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 46.43 current US$ per person | -49.2% |
| 1993 | 46.21 current US$ per person | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 46.17 current US$ per person | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 42.3 current US$ per person | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 39.7 current US$ per person | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 47.51 current US$ per person | +19.7% |
| 1998 | 27.93 current US$ per person | -41.2% |
| 1999 | 27.11 current US$ per person | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 29.92 current US$ per person | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 34.68 current US$ per person | +15.9% |
| 2002 | 42.1 current US$ per person | +21.4% |
| 2003 | 44.25 current US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 52.69 current US$ per person | +19.1% |
| 2005 | 54.84 current US$ per person | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 59.74 current US$ per person | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 68.37 current US$ per person | +14.4% |
| 2008 | 83.18 current US$ per person | +21.7% |
| 2009 | 80.19 current US$ per person | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 102.25 current US$ per person | +27.5% |
| 2011 | 147.62 current US$ per person | +44.4% |
| 2012 | 156.87 current US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 151.4 current US$ per person | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 171.5 current US$ per person | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 162.34 current US$ per person | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 116.97 current US$ per person | -27.9% |
| 2017 | 68.56 current US$ per person | -41.4% |
| 2018 | 9.68 current US$ per person | -85.9% |
| 2019 | 10.75 current US$ per person | +11.1% |
| 2020 | 3.44 current US$ per person | -68.0% |
| 2021 | 3.05 current US$ per person | -11.4% |
| 2022 | 6.08 current US$ per person | +99.3% |
| 2023 | 12.49 current US$ per person | +105.6% |
| 2024 | 13.59 current US$ per person | +8.8% |
| 2025 | 23 current US$ per person | +69.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 23 current US$ per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 132.12 current US$ per person, 17% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 23 current US$ per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,572 current US$ per person, 1% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +105.6% | 6.08 current US$ per person | 12.49 current US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 66.86 current US$ per person | 49.35 current US$ per person | 81.76 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.28 current US$ per person | 27.11 current US$ per person | 91.47 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 55 current US$ per person | 29.92 current US$ per person | 83.18 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 109.8 current US$ per person | 9.68 current US$ per person | 171.5 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.27 current US$ per person | 3.05 current US$ per person | 23 current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More private sector data for North Korea
- Merchandise imports 2.87 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports 611.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 69.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 107.97 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate 22.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World 0.0% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies 0.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 2.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East 97.1% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & 0.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports (current us$), per capita in North Korea?
- Merchandise exports (current us$), per capita in North Korea was 23 current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise exports (current us$), per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 171.5 current US$ per person in 2014.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports (current us$), per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.05 current US$ per person in 2021.
- How does North Korea rank for merchandise exports (current us$), per capita?
- North Korea ranks 203rd out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise exports (current us$), per capita rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 85.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise exports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise exports (current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Merchandise exports World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise exports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.