GDP per capita vs. energy use in North Korea
North Korea: GDP per capita vs. energy use was 7,732 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
7,732 kg of oil equivalent per capita
Change on year
up 3.8%
World rank
118th
of 174 countries
All-time high
18,301 kg of oil equivalent per capita
in 1990
All-time low
4,336 kg of oil equivalent per capita
in 2015
Years of data
34
1990–2023
GDP per capita vs. energy use in North Korea, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kg of oil equivalent per capita.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gdp per capita vs. energy use in North Korea is 7,732 kg of oil equivalent per capita, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 51.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita vs. energy use in North Korea peaked at 18,301 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4,336 kg of oil equivalent per capita, in 2015.
North Korea ranks 118th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
GDP per capita vs. energy use in North Korea, year by year
| Year | kg of oil equivalent per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 18,301 kg of oil equivalent per capita | — |
| 1991 | 17,207 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -6.0% |
| 1992 | 14,818 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -13.9% |
| 1993 | 13,430 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -9.4% |
| 1994 | 12,105 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -9.9% |
| 1995 | 11,279 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -6.8% |
| 1996 | 9,819 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -12.9% |
| 1997 | 9,267 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 8,573 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 9,111 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.3% |
| 2000 | 9,689 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 9,947 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 9,503 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 9,669 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 9,828 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 10,171 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 10,219 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 8,638 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -15.5% |
| 2008 | 9,472 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +9.7% |
| 2009 | 9,052 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 8,750 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 6,550 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -25.1% |
| 2012 | 6,395 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 5,115 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -20.0% |
| 2014 | 5,480 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +7.1% |
| 2015 | 4,336 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -20.9% |
| 2016 | 4,761 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +9.8% |
| 2017 | 8,938 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +87.7% |
| 2018 | 8,147 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -8.9% |
| 2019 | 8,882 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 8,454 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 7,203 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -14.8% |
| 2022 | 7,449 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 7,732 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12,391 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 8,573 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 18,301 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 9,619 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 8,638 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10,219 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,735 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 4,336 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 8,938 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,710 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 7,203 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 8,454 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 115 Saint Lucia 8,874 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 116 Grenada 8,523 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 117 Namibia 8,106 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 119 Guyana 7,683 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 120 Nicaragua 7,360 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 121 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7,299 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
More energy & mining data for North Korea
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp per capita vs. energy use in North Korea?
- Gdp per capita vs. energy use in North Korea was 7,732 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gdp per capita vs. energy use recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 18,301 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 1990.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita vs. energy use recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,336 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2015.
- How does North Korea rank for gdp per capita vs. energy use?
- North Korea ranks 118th out of 174 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gdp per capita vs. energy use rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of GDP per capita vs. energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual energy use per capita, measured in kilowatt-hours per person vs. gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, which is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.