Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in North Korea
North Korea: Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita was 107.97 current US$ per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in North Korea, 1980–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in North Korea is 107.97 current US$ per person, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 22.3% on the previous year and down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in North Korea peaked at 219.44 current US$ per person in 2014 and was at its lowest, 24.05 current US$ per person, in 2021.
That places North Korea 200th out of 206 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in North Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 65.8 current US$ per person | — |
| 1981 | 81.08 current US$ per person | +23.2% |
| 1982 | 79.89 current US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 83.97 current US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 87.92 current US$ per person | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 91.08 current US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 105.67 current US$ per person | +16.0% |
| 1987 | 111.85 current US$ per person | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 138.47 current US$ per person | +23.8% |
| 1989 | 139.63 current US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 138.78 current US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 128.8 current US$ per person | -7.2% |
| 1992 | 78.62 current US$ per person | -39.0% |
| 1993 | 74.3 current US$ per person | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 56.27 current US$ per person | -24.3% |
| 1995 | 60.88 current US$ per person | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 57.65 current US$ per person | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 60.02 current US$ per person | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 43.45 current US$ per person | -27.6% |
| 1999 | 50.09 current US$ per person | +15.3% |
| 2000 | 71.24 current US$ per person | +42.2% |
| 2001 | 77.55 current US$ per person | +8.9% |
| 2002 | 79.1 current US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 85.05 current US$ per person | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 93.96 current US$ per person | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 111.41 current US$ per person | +18.6% |
| 2006 | 117.43 current US$ per person | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 123.95 current US$ per person | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 144.56 current US$ per person | +16.6% |
| 2009 | 124.41 current US$ per person | -13.9% |
| 2010 | 141.27 current US$ per person | +13.6% |
| 2011 | 174.12 current US$ per person | +23.3% |
| 2012 | 191.38 current US$ per person | +9.9% |
| 2013 | 183.58 current US$ per person | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 219.44 current US$ per person | +19.5% |
| 2015 | 188.54 current US$ per person | -14.1% |
| 2016 | 150.09 current US$ per person | -20.4% |
| 2017 | 146.45 current US$ per person | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 101.08 current US$ per person | -31.0% |
| 2019 | 114.33 current US$ per person | +13.1% |
| 2020 | 29.61 current US$ per person | -74.1% |
| 2021 | 24.05 current US$ per person | -18.8% |
| 2022 | 54.31 current US$ per person | +125.8% |
| 2023 | 92.36 current US$ per person | +70.1% |
| 2024 | 88.31 current US$ per person | -4.4% |
| 2025 | 107.97 current US$ per person | +22.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 107.97 current US$ per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 169.87 current US$ per person, 64% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 107.97 current US$ per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,634 current US$ per person, 3% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +125.8% | 24.05 current US$ per person | 54.31 current US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 98.54 current US$ per person | 65.8 current US$ per person | 139.63 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 74.89 current US$ per person | 43.45 current US$ per person | 138.78 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 102.87 current US$ per person | 71.24 current US$ per person | 144.56 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 161.03 current US$ per person | 101.08 current US$ per person | 219.44 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.1 current US$ per person | 24.05 current US$ per person | 107.97 current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 197 Eritrea 145.27 current US$ per person compare
- 198 Sudan 120.01 current US$ per person compare
- 199 Yemen 111.29 current US$ per person compare
- 201 Chad 104.74 current US$ per person compare
- 202 South Sudan 104.28 current US$ per person compare
- 203 Central African Republic 103.93 current US$ per person compare
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$), annual growth rate 69.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), 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 imports (current us$), per capita in North Korea?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in North Korea was 107.97 current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 219.44 current US$ per person in 2014.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.05 current US$ per person in 2021.
- How does North Korea rank for merchandise imports (current us$), per capita?
- North Korea ranks 200th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), per capita rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports (current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.