Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in North Korea
North Korea: Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate was 2.96 million in 2030. ▼ Falling
Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in North Korea, 2000–2030
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 2.96 million for number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in 2030. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is down 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in North Korea peaked at 5.02 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.96 million, in 2030.
That places North Korea 40th out of 166 countries with data for 2030, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.02 million | — |
| 2005 | 4.69 million | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 4.56 million | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 4.35 million | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 4.04 million | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 3.69 million | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 3.53 million | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 3.48 million | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 3.39 million | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 3.34 million | -1.5% |
| 2030 | 2.96 million | -11.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 2.96 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 907,000, 3.3× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 2.96 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 717,000, 4.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.76 million | 4.56 million | 5.02 million | 3 |
| 2010s | 4.19 million | 4.04 million | 4.35 million | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.49 million | 3.34 million | 3.69 million | 5 |
| 2030s | 2.96 million | 2.96 million | 2.96 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More social development data for North Korea
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 263 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 263 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -7.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.024 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in North Korea?
- Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in North Korea was 2.96 million in 2030, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest number of current tobacco smokers, estimate recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.02 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest number of current tobacco smokers, estimate recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.96 million in 2030.
- How does North Korea rank for number of current tobacco smokers, estimate?
- North Korea ranks 40th out of 166 countries with data for 2030.
- Is number of current tobacco smokers, estimate rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).