Merchandise exports to high-income economies in North Korea
North Korea: Merchandise exports to high-income economies was 2.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to high-income economies in North Korea, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise exports to high-income economies in North Korea stood at 2.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 31.5% on the previous year and down 60.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to high-income economies in North Korea peaked at 75.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2016.
North Korea ranks 204th 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 to high-income economies in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 55.6% | — |
| 1982 | 52.1% | -6.3% |
| 1983 | 51.5% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 55.2% | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 50.0% | -9.5% |
| 1986 | 48.1% | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 57.5% | +19.5% |
| 1988 | 56.9% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 55.8% | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 49.2% | -11.9% |
| 1991 | 63.5% | +29.1% |
| 1992 | 58.9% | -7.2% |
| 1993 | 56.3% | -4.4% |
| 1994 | 63.6% | +13.0% |
| 1995 | 64.0% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 75.3% | +17.5% |
| 1997 | 53.2% | -29.3% |
| 1998 | 52.0% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 43.7% | -16.5% |
| 2001 | 39.7% | -9.2% |
| 2002 | 44.5% | +12.0% |
| 2003 | 28.7% | -35.4% |
| 2004 | 26.5% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 16.3% | -38.5% |
| 2006 | 22.7% | +39.1% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | -71.6% |
| 2008 | 15.8% | +145.4% |
| 2009 | 10.3% | -35.0% |
| 2010 | 9.5% | -7.5% |
| 2011 | 12.6% | +32.7% |
| 2012 | 5.0% | -60.5% |
| 2013 | 7.0% | +41.1% |
| 2014 | 3.2% | -54.5% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -56.1% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | +38.4% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +95.2% |
| 2019 | 5.8% | +50.8% |
| 2020 | 4.9% | -14.9% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | +47.1% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | -43.1% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -31.5% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 2.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 46.1%, 6% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 2.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.1%, 5% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 53.6% | 48.1% | 57.5% | 9 |
| 1990s | 58.8% | 49.2% | 75.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.5% | 6.4% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 1.4% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 2.8% | 7.2% | 4 |
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$), per capita 23 current US$ per person (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to high-income economies in North Korea?
- Merchandise exports to high-income economies in North Korea was 2.8% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to high-income economies recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 75.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to high-income economies recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2016.
- How does North Korea rank for merchandise exports to high-income economies?
- North Korea ranks 204th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to high-income economies rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to high-income economies (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise exports to high-income economies are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to high-income economies according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.