Mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea
North Korea: Mobile phone subscriptions was 6.35 million in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea, 1980–2022
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea is 6.35 million, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 273.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea peaked at 6.35 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1980.
That places North Korea 116th out of 212 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 69,261 | — |
| 2010 | 431,919 | +523.6% |
| 2011 | 1.00 million | +131.5% |
| 2012 | 1.70 million | +70.0% |
| 2013 | 2.42 million | +42.4% |
| 2014 | 2.80 million | +15.7% |
| 2015 | 3.24 million | +15.7% |
| 2016 | 3.61 million | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 3.81 million | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 4.25 million | +11.6% |
| 2020 | 6.00 million | +41.1% |
| 2021 | 6.00 million | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 6.35 million | +5.9% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 6.35 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 15.00 million, 42% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 6.35 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.10 million, 1.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +523.6% | 69,261 | 431,919 |
| 2011 | +131.5% | 431,919 | 1.00 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2000s | 6,926 | 0 | 69,261 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.58 million | 431,919 | 4.25 million | 9 |
| 2020s | 6.12 million | 6.00 million | 6.35 million | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 113 Costa Rica 6.98 million compare
- 114 New Zealand 6.78 million compare
- 115 Oman 6.35 million compare
- 117 Turkmenistan 6.25 million compare
- 118 Georgia 6.14 million compare
- 119 Norway 6.10 million compare
More science & technology data for North Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 24.13 (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.2413 units per person (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 6.35 million (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 52.77 units per square kilometre (2022)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 5.5 % change on previous year (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.89 % change on previous year (2022)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 269.28 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per square kilometre 0.0022 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Digital connectivity composite index -1.3 standard deviations from the yearly mean (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea?
- Mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea was 6.35 million in 2022, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.35 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1980.
- How does North Korea rank for mobile phone subscriptions?
- North Korea ranks 116th out of 212 countries with data for 2022.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 273.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).